Uniquities, a variety store tucked away behind the Bolinas post office, will close its doors when the lease runs out at the end of the month after six years in business. The store has sold inexpensive knickknacks donated or made by locals, premium pet food and West Marin’s only stock of Legos. “This isn’t a place where people drop $400 on a sweater,” said Barbara MacDonald, one of the shop’s six owners. “We barely broke even. But people here in Bolinas depend on cheap items.” The decision to close resulted from a collision of recent events that included a tough location, lower profits, higher rent and a legal dispute between one owner and the landlord that played at least a partial role in souring the whole deal. Now, Ms. MacDonald is seeking another local vendor to sell Taste of the Wild-brand pet food, which represented Bolinas’s only recourse for better-quality kibble. “One of the things this town has come to depend on is good pet food, which I manage,” she said. The store gave a 30 percent discount on pet food and paraphernalia to Love Dogs for Life, a local nonprofit that helps low-income families pay for pet food and vet bills. According to the nonprofit’s founder, Cheryl Ruggiero, losing the store will make it tougher for many Bolinas families to care for their pets. “[Uniquities] helped us enormously,” said Ms. Ruggiero, also one of the store’s partners. “I think a lot of people don’t realize how desperate so many people are to get vet care and food for their dogs.” The store’s mascot mutt, named “Momma Dog,” (whom Ms. MacDonald fosters) will also need a new home. A sidewalk sale is planned for the next two weekends.
Uniquities, a Bolinas variety shop, to close
