History:

How T.C.C. landed in Marion at 1026 7th Avenue by the Marion Maid-Rite and across the street from Marion Square Park July 1, 2014

Treasure Chest Collectibles’  ‘history’ and how we came to be Treasure Chest Collectibles and the current owners is as follows:

Treasure Chest Collectibles was started in about 2001 at 3203 First Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids, mis-spelled as Treasure Chest Collectables.  Ruthie & Bryan Dolezal purchased the store (not building) February 1, 2012.  The store was cleaned from top to bottom, reorganized, all items were re-priced, and new inventory was added to the store.  As now adult children of mothers whom were teachers, the first thing we did was SPELL COLLECTIBLES correctly.  That actually brought in some new customers whom refused to shop with the name spelled incorrectly.  Who would have known?  However, we just could not own a store that was incorrectly spelled!

As part of the new image Treasure Chest Collectibles was attempting to earn, the decision was made in September, 2012, to paint the building the store occupied at 3201 First Ave SE, Cedar Rapids….and the transformation was fantastic!

Before Painting : OLD LOCATION: Where ‘it all started’

After Painting: What it looked like when we ‘left’ Cedar Rapids.

Along with the appearance on the outside of the store, we put a lot of effort to make the inside of the store very appealing, fun, clean, un-damaged items, and with a relaxing experience to enjoy the ‘treasures’ within.  We put a greater emphasis on collectible items, expanded the toy selection, started a Facebook presence for the store, started selling select items on eBay, launched this website, and added new, fun items to the store.  Most importantly, we worked very hard to gain our own reputation in the community, making Treasure Chest Collectibles a positive business in the community.

We were enjoying Cedar Rapids, working, enjoying our neighbors’ at the Irish Democrat and Mystery Cat Books, and working hard.  We had no idea anything would change for us, nor did we plan to make any changes.

However, May 2014, the new owners of the building which houses the four store fronts at 10th Street and 7th Avenue in Marion called and asked us if we would move our store to the 1026 7th Avenue, Marion location, so we considered it. After some thought along with family volunteering to come stay a week to help us move, we decided we best not turn down the help as moving is never fun, and accepted the ‘offer.’

So, the weekend of the Marion Arts Festival 2014, we moved our things in to the new spot, while being closed at both locations.  July 1, 2014, we re-opened and are now Treasure Chest Collectibles, and located at 1026 7th Avenue, Marion, Iowa.  We have a new phone number 319-826-3752, too.  The address, name and phone number changed; but we still have the same website, e-mail, facebook, and e-bay account.

Our store is carrying new, high quality toys along side what we are already known for.  Just a few of the new items we now have include plasma cars (even a plasma motorcycle), 2013 games of year, cars, led bracelets, rocket toys, kitchen play sets, baby toys, Fly traps, jack in the beanstalk, Old woman who swallowed a fly puppet and the items she ate to be put in her mouth as the story is read, and oh soooo much more.

We sell new and pre-owned collectible, vintage, brand new / sealed items, and a few antiques.  We have something for every age and any reason or event.  Often, we take the time to educate customers and perhaps point out a unique, perhaps never seen item before.  And, if there is an item a customer wants to learn about, we are more than happy to answer questions and provide whatever information we have; or attempt to learn more and provide that information.

We also strive to provide a relaxed, stress-free, fun shopping experience in our store, while providing that small, family owned business experience that is very personal to each person that walks through the door, and unique to our community.

As the store owners, we are grateful for the opportunity to learn and participate with the people that come in to our store and look forward to each new experience as we provide a unique store at TREASURE CHEST COLLECTIBLES.  Come on in and see us!  We can’t wait to meet you, or see you again.  Thank you.

We continue to be the great collectibles store everyone has come to know us by  just with added brand new, current, higher quality toys for birth to any age.   

People often refer to our store as an “Antique Store;” however, we feel that is misleading as very few of our items are actually antiques. We do have a lot more vintage items, though.  An ‘antique’ is any item over 100 years old, so it’s always nice to know that none of us are actually even an antique!  PHEW!  VINTAGE items are 40-100 years old.  Items like CareBears, Precious Moments, Barney, My Little Pony, STAR WARS, etc. are all COLLECTIBLES and haven’t yet reached ‘vintage’ or ‘antique’ status.  

Now open at our Marion location, we feel it is important to provide an ‘addition’ to our wonderful Up-Town Marion neighborhood, versus ‘compete with’ our fellow businesses.  As parents of four sons ourselves, we loved having an awesome toy store here in Marion; unfortunately, that is no longer in business.  We were fortunate enough to have purchased numerous items including displays from that previous store’s out of business sales and auction.  We have always wanted to carry toys along side the items we are well known for.  Our move to Marion has made that ‘dream’ a reality, and over time, we will continue to get more great new, high quality toys in.

WHY SHOP US?

We are a very clean environment, cleaning every single item prior to looking it up to accurately price and ultimately put the item out on the shelf.  At TCCFTT, we pride ourselves on great organization and cleanliness, providing the customer an easier shopping experience.

Ruthie and Bryan purchased Treasure Chest Collectibles at 3201 First Avenue SE, Cedar Rapids February 1, 2012, and have worked hard to achieve the new and improved reputation the store has acquired since.  The business has been around for about 10 total years now, just in the great UP-TOWN MARION location of 1026 7th Avenue now.

Treasure Chest Collectibles opened July 1, 2014, at 1026 7th Avenue, Marion, after closing in Cedar Rapids May 25, 2014.  The move was a lot of work made easier by our family.  While re-opened July 1, 2014, the store has a lot more items that are awaiting to hit the floor, as the space is smaller than the previous.

Smaller spot but much better location, feeling, area, and a wider variety of items are great reasons to shop the ‘new’ Treasure Chest Collectibles at 1026 7th Avenue, Marion.

We are open Monday to Saturday!

We participate in the Up-Town Marion events and / or try to be open during them.

TCC is on Facebook, this website, e-bay, and you can come in and shop us LIVE!

We will open when closed if you know you want to come when we are closed (talk to the owners in person–we are happy to open).

If the customer wants something we do not have, we will do our best to purchase it, and get it in for the customer.  We have a lot of customers that are not comfortable ordering on-line, and we will, getting an item just in time for that birthday or holiday and for an extremely small fee as we want happy customers!  That is our ultimate goal; to meet our customer’s needs.

Whether you are trying to finish a collection of Wade figurines, find a replica of your Grandfather’s first tractor, decorate your home, or fill in the gaps of your Hot Wheels collection, we may be able to help.  While we can’t guarantee the availability of specific items, we do strive to maintain a stock of certain types of items (like those previously mentioned).  

And we will always offer our items in a clean and quality condition.  

TCC is a fun place to recall your own days gone by, shop, converse, laugh, find something special and unique that you will not find any where else and perhaps even learn something new in the process.

We are NOW open.  COME SEE US.  We are a family owned business, living minutes from the NEW STORE, in Marion.  We love MARION and our store.  Our store is not a job for us, it is fun, and the people provide us the best experience and continued love and appreciation for what we do; everyday we learn several things that are new.  We have learned a lot about what we sell because of people that love and appreciate the item. And, we have literally met people from all walks of life, career paths, various places in the world besides every state, unique and varied socio-economic backgrounds, and experiences; that is WHAT KEEPS US DOING WHAT WE DO, and loving it so much.  THE PEOPLE….Everyday is fun here at Treasure Chest Collectibles.