A grown man who loves vintage toys, model trains, and good used merchandise has opened up shop in Dolores.
Ray Cox, 47, arrived in Dolores last month to visit his parents, who live up the West Fork. After fly-fishing and exploring town, he decided to stay and start a novelty business.
"It has been fun, I've been open just a week," he says while kicking back in his new store, on Central Ave., west of the Dolores River Brewery.
"Thing is, I have not come up with a name yet!"
Cox has fun-loving spirit and a boyish gleam in his eye. In Cox's case, it's what he did not have as a child that inspire his collection.
"That drives me and this store. Now I can finally have all the model trains and radio-controlled cars I could never afford as a kid," he says.
He stocks comic books and baseball cards, antiques and original artwork, used skis and bikes. He's looking to buy more local art.
"I've been hoarding stuff for a while. I've got quite a mixed bag of items for sale and plan to have more," he says. "I'm a neighborly shop owner with a nice place to browse and visit. My (CD) movie selection has been a popular sale item," he said. "I have a lot of newer releases."
A more serious side comes through when he talks about his time building homes and selling cars. He does repair work too, and some of the tools of that trade are for sale - used tools, appliances, grills, coolers, traps, clothes, shoes, furniture, generators, and more.
The still-unnamed store is where the old thrift shop used to be, between the brewery and the Dolores General Store. The space needed some TLC and is now clean and neatly arranged.
"People have been coming in just to visit and try out the comfortable furniture," says Cox.
A grand opening and official name will come soon. The store has "mountain hours," opening at 10 a.m. every day.
jmimiaga@cortezjournal.com