Beloved Raleigh business closes doors after 34 years
DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY
HOPES TO EXPAND THE PROGRAM TO
SCHOOL DISTRICTS STATEWIDE.
>> A BELOVED RALEIGH BUSINESS
ANNOUNCED TODAY IT WILL CLOSE
ITS STORES IN THE COMING MONTHS
THAT HE TREE STORE HAS BEEN
OPEN FOR 34 YEARS OFFERING A
LARGE SELECTION OF SCHOOL
SUPPLIES, BOOKS AND TOYS FOR
STUDENTS AND TEACHERS. THE
OWNERS SAY BUSINESS HAS TAKEN A
TURN AND THEY JUST CAN'T PAY
THE BILLS. WRAL'S. HEIDI KIRK
IS LIVE NOW AT THE TEACH ME
STORE. HEIDI. THIS IS A
BUSINESS THAT TOUCHED SO MANY
LIVES AROUND THE TRIANGLE.
WELL, DEBORAH, I'M TOLD THAT
YOU BE HARD PRESSED TO FIND ANY
CLASSROOM AND ALL OF WAKE
COUNTY THAT DOESN'T HAVE IT.
SOMETHING FROM THE TEACH ME
STORE.
>> NOW, OF COURSE, YOU WILL
STILL BE ABLE TO BUY THEIR
PRODUCTS ONLINE. BUT YOU ONLY
HAVE A FEW MORE MONTHS TO
ACTUALLY SHOP HERE IN PERSON.
>> A LOT HAS CHANGED IN 34
YEARS. BUT AT THE TEACHER IN
STORE, THERE'S BEEN ONE
CONSTANT. THAT'S THE OWNER,
DIANE, WHY SPROAT AND YOU'LL
SEE SOMEBODY WHO WALK IN THE
FRONT DOOR WITH A BABY
STROLLER.
>> AND THEY LOOK AT ME YOU
STILL HERE. AND IT'S LIKE, YES,
I AM. IT'S JUST THIS WAS HER
VISION OF A STORE WHERE YOU CAN
BUY ANYTHING YOU MAY NEED FOR
THE CLASSROOM BOOKS. TOYS
PUZZLES AND MORE CURATED AND
COLOR CODED BY WEEK.
>> TRY TO KEEP IT PRETTY CLAIM.
AN OBVIOUS FOR DECADES. THESE
THINGS HAVE FILLED. WAKE COUNTY
CLASSROOMS. IT'S NOT JUST THE
CLASSROOMS THAT USE THIS
MATERIAL.
>> ITS THE PARENTS WHO ARE
TEACHING THEIR YOUNGER
CHILDREN, THE 3, 4 YEAR-OLD,
YOU KNOW.
>> HOW WOULD LEARN HOW TO DO
THEIR ABC'S AND NUMBERS.
>> SHE WOULDN'T HAVE BEEN ABLE
TO DO IT ALL WITHOUT SOME HELP
STANDING BY HER SIDE IS HER
OLDEST SON. IT'S HARD FOR BOTH
OF THEM TO SHARE THIS NEWS.
>> CUSTOMERS ARE COMING TO US
LIKE THEY USED TO. AND IN THE
END, WE'RE NOT ABLE TO PAY
BILLS BECAUSE I JUST DON'T SEE
AS MANY CUSTOMERS COME THROUGH
THE DOORS.
>> THEY SAY THEY'VE NOTICED THE
TREND OF CUSTOMER SHOPPING
ONLINE RATHER THAN SUPPORTING
LOCAL. AND IT SHOWS UP IN THE
NUMBERS. OF COURSE, I'D
RESEARCH SHOWS US U.S. STORE
CLOSURES TOTALED MORE THAN
7,000 IN 2024, THE HIGHEST
NUMBER OF STORE CLOSURES SEEN
SINCE 2020. WHEN COURSE I
TRACKED ALMOST 10,000 CLOSURES
IN EVERY COMMUNITY THAT'S
TAKING ITS TOLL. IT'S
BITTERSWEET HERE. THE END OF A
LONG JOURNEY FOR THIS FAMILY
AND A STORY THAT'S TOUCHED SO
MANY LIVES. IT'S BEEN GOOD.
>> GOOD RUN. YEAH, AND I'M VERY
PROUD OF STILL. THERE'S
GRATITUDE IN THE AIR AND STILL
TIME TO COME, SAY YOUR
GOODBYES, US.
NO DOUBT THIS SHOP IS GOING TO
BE PACKED WITH PEOPLE AS SOON
AS THEY HEAR THIS NEWS. NOW,
STARTING ON MAY FIRST, THEY'RE
GOING TO HAVE SOME GREAT DEALS
COMING UP.
>> AND AS TO WHEN THEY'RE
ACTUALLY GOING TO CLOSE THEIR
DOORS WILL THAT'S GOING TO
DEPEND ON HOW FAST THEIR