Eclectic offerings abound in A-Z The Store

by Matthew Weaver<br>Herald Staff Writer
| October 15, 2004 9:00 PM

Business prides itself on unique merchandise

EPHRATA — First, let's clear up a common misconception.

The business located at 134 First Ave. is not called The A-Z Store.

It's A-Z The Store, although that's a commonly made mistake.

Nor do they have an item for every letter of the alphabet.

The store actually draws its name from owners Trish and Ed Hinkey's other business, A-Z Chiropractic Supply, that they operate out of their home.

"When we did the store, we wanted to be able to answer the phone for both businesses, so that kind of covered it," Trish Hinkey said. "People always say The A-Z Store, but it's backwards. We wanted it to be more mutual, so (it's) A-Z The Store."

A-Z The Store offers a wide array of assorted items, such as body jewelry; unusual dragon, fairy and Egyptian figurines; self-defense items, Tarot cards, therapy balls, beaded curtains, incense galore and an adult room.

The Hinkeys' respective parents have lived in the area, while the couple lived all over the South until they returned to help Hinkey's father-in-law manage his auto shop. Trish said she was raised in Grand Coulee.

The idea to originally purchase the store arose when her husband was driving up the street and saw "a really neat looking" building that was for sale. The price was right, and from there it just became a question of what to do with it, she recalled.

"When we opened the store, we originally intended to put in a warehouse for our chiropractic supply," Trish Hinkey explained, adding with a laugh, "Then we thought, how boring is that?"

Hinkey's brother-in-law at the time was selling blow guns, crossbows and BB guns at a flea market in Louisiana.

"We kind of started with that and some more normal looking figurines and toys for kids, and stuff like that," she recalled. "I just kept finding things that I wanted to put in. And so what it's turned into now is a real variety of things."

When people ask her where the idea for the store came from, Hinkey responds that it slowly evolved.

"Then we decided, we have plenty of things for people to do in the summer. What about winter?" she said. "A lot of babies are born in the spring, so then we went with a small adult room."

Customers kept requesting different merchandise, so the store ended up expanding its adult room, to the point that half of the store is for everyone, and half of it is comprised of the adult room, Hinkey said.

"I don't really think the older folks appreciate us being here, but as far as the regular community, we stay pretty busy," she said. "We sell such a variety of merchandise that we kind of have something for everybody."

That's part of the appeal for the store's customers, Hinkey said. The store offers items that they would otherwise have to traipse off to Spokane or Wenatchee to get.

"We kind of pride ourselves on having things that not everyone else has," she said. "If you come here looking for a gift for someone of any age range, really, you're for the most part going to find it."

The store has been open for two years and employs one person.