The fastest way to lose a child in this store is to mention the toys. The fastest way to lose an adult is to let them notice the rest of the shelves.
One aisle has yo-yos and games. Another has ribbon by the yard.
Somewhere nearby are bird whistles, Magic 8 Balls, gifts, towels, snacks, and the sort of small curiosities that seem to have disappeared from most modern stores. This Alabama shop has been operating since 1950, giving generations of families plenty of reasons to come back.
It is nostalgic without trying to be nostalgic, which is probably why it feels so genuine. Nothing is behind glass.
Nothing is labeled “vintage.” You can actually buy the stuff.
Seventy-Five Years of Crestline Village History Under One Roof
Few businesses in Alabama can claim a run this long. Smith’s Variety opened in 1950 and has spent every decade since anchoring Crestline Village, watching the neighborhood grow up around it.
The red and white sign out front has become a landmark in its own right. Longtime residents use it as a reference point when giving directions, which says plenty about how deeply the shop is woven into daily life here.
Generations have passed through the same doors. Grandparents who once spent allowance money on marbles now bring grandchildren in for the same kind of small, satisfying purchase.
Ownership has changed hands over the years, most recently in late 2019 when Amy and Brad Simpson took over from Jim Glazner. What did not change was the store’s basic personality, which stayed stubbornly old-fashioned in the best possible way.
The building itself carries that history in small details. Wooden shelving, narrow aisles packed floor to ceiling, and displays arranged by someone who clearly knows the inventory by heart.
Fun bit of trivia worth knowing. When the total solar eclipse rolled through, this was reportedly one of the last places in the area still receiving viewing glasses, and the store opened outside normal hours to hand them out.
Seventy-five years of that kind of stubborn helpfulness builds a reputation no advertisement could buy.
The Toy Aisles Where Old Favorites Never Retired
Ask anyone in Mountain Brook what Smith’s is known for and the answer arrives fast. Toys, and lots of them, including plenty that most stores stopped carrying decades ago.
Pick-Up Sticks sit near Duncan Butterfly Yo-Yos. The Magic 8 Ball is still there, still giving vague advice to anyone who shakes it hard enough.
Lite Brite has a spot on the shelf. So do Sea Monkey Ocean Zoos, retro mini soldiers, and magnetic dress-up sets that keep small hands busy for hours.
The selection is not purely nostalgic though. Faux Bows launch foam arrows a surprising distance, and the Mag Pad works like a modern cousin of the Etch A Sketch, drawing with tiny magnetic beads instead of aluminum powder.
Younger visitors gravitate toward the Farm Hoppers, those bouncy inflatable animals that turn a living room into an obstacle course. Banana Panda puzzles and matching games handle the toddler and preschool crowd.
Bruder trucks and Tonka vehicles fill out the heavy-duty end of things, built sturdy enough to survive a sandbox and then some.
What makes the toy section genuinely fun is the browsing. Nothing is buried under towering warehouse signage, so discoveries happen naturally, one shelf at a time.
Plan extra time here. The toy aisles have a way of swallowing schedules whole.
Staff Who Remember Names, Not Just Transactions
Something unusual happens at the counter here. Employees recognize returning customers, sometimes after years, and often remember which child liked which toy.
Several staff members have worked at the store for more than two decades. In retail terms, that is practically geological.
Former owner Jim Glazner built the operation around treating shoppers like family, and the Simpsons have kept that standard in place since taking over. The goal, stated plainly, is that people leave feeling better cared for than when they walked in.
That philosophy shows up in small, practical ways. Someone will help match a ribbon to wrapping paper, suggest a gift for a hard-to-please relative, or track down an item hiding in the back.
During a stretch when in-person shopping was difficult, employees helped customers assemble traditional Easter baskets over FaceTime. Not a marketing stunt, just a workaround so families would not miss a tradition.
Gift wrapping is available, and monogramming service covers everything from towels to shower curtains to baby gifts.
The result feels less like a purchase and more like a conversation that happens to end with a bag in hand.
For visitors passing through, that human element is honestly half the appeal. Questions get real answers, and nobody rushes anybody toward the register.
A Gift Hunt That Covers Every Age and Occasion
Toys get the headlines, but the gift section quietly does the heavy lifting. Home decor, candles, jewelry, and tabletop pieces stretch across multiple displays.
Nora Fleming minis have a devoted following, those small ceramic charms that snap into serving platters and change with the season. Glasshouse Fragrances candles sit nearby for anyone hunting a hostess gift.
College fans are covered too. Licensed Greek and collegiate merchandise represents Samford, Auburn, and Alabama, which in this state counts as essential inventory.
Faith-based items and devotionals occupy their own corner, offering options for confirmations, graduations, and quiet everyday gifts.
Pet products appear where least expected. So do stationery sets and small prints, tucked between larger displays like little rewards for thorough browsers.
Local makers get real shelf space. Yellowhammer Creative prints hang alongside watercolor art and stationery created by Samford University students, giving the whole section a homegrown flavor.
One long-standing review described the place as ideal for the person who has everything, except maybe a bird whistle or a wooden box shaped like a bullet for stashing remote controls. That captures the spirit precisely.
Shoppers who arrive with one specific gift in mind rarely leave with only that. The layout practically guarantees a detour or three, and the detours tend to be the good part.
Party Central for Birthdays, Showers and Everything Else
Birthday planning in Mountain Brook often starts and ends in one aisle. Balloons, tableware, garlands, and decorations line the shelves in coordinated themes.
Mermaid sets bring matching cups, napkins, and hanging decor. Animal parade plates handle the toddler party crowd with cheerful illustrations.
Custom invitations are available, which saves a separate errand and adds a personal touch that store-bought packs cannot match.
The variety is genuinely wide, covering birthdays, baby showers, graduations, and holiday gatherings. Seasonal displays rotate throughout the year, so October looks nothing like March.
Practical tip for anyone hosting soon. Come early in the week if possible, since Saturdays draw steady traffic and popular themes move quickly.
Balloons can be filled while shoppers browse, which turns a supply run into a fairly efficient stop.
What separates this aisle from a big warehouse party section is the curation. Items are grouped so a complete table setup comes together without guesswork or mismatched shades of pink.
Staff will help pull a theme together if decision fatigue sets in. Bring a color, a character, or a vague idea, and something workable usually emerges.
Party supplies might sound like the least romantic reason to visit a 75-year-old store. Yet the sheer number of local birthdays supplied here over seven decades tells its own quiet story.
Alabama Flavors, Peanuts and Pantry Treasures
Snacks were probably not the plan when walking in. They tend to happen anyway.
Alabama Peanut Co. roasted peanuts hold a spot of honor, a Birmingham favorite that travels well and disappears fast on the drive home.
Popcorn flavors run beyond the usual, including salted caramel and cinnamon bourbon pecan, both of which sound like dessert and taste like it too.
The specialty pantry shelves carry True’s Gourmet Hot Mustard and Henry Bain’s Famous Sauce, regional condiments with real Southern history behind them. Artisan snacks fill in the gaps.
For travelers looking to bring home something more interesting than a keychain, this small section does the job beautifully. Food gifts have the advantage of actually getting used.
Combining a jar, a bag of peanuts, and a ribbon from elsewhere in the store makes a respectable hostess gift in about five minutes. Staff will wrap it if asked.
The gourmet corner also pairs nicely with the local artist merchandise, since both reflect the same commitment to Alabama makers rather than mass-produced filler.
Nothing here is enormous or flashy. It is a handful of shelves stocked with genuine regional character, which honestly beats a sprawling display of forgettable souvenirs.
Grab an extra bag of peanuts. Regret over not doing so is a common condition.
Ribbon by the Yard and the Art of Wrapping Well
Crafters talk about this wall. Spools of ribbon stacked in row after row, sold by the yard, in patterns ranging from simple grosgrain to seasonal prints and wide velvet.
The selection is widely considered one of the best in the state, and standing in front of it makes that claim easy to believe.
Colors and textures cover just about every project. Gift wrapping, wreaths, hair bows, school crafts, and mailbox bows, a Crestline tradition the store has kept alive for years.
Buying by the yard means no waste. Need eighteen inches for a single package?
That is fine, no full spool required.
Staff members know the inventory well enough to coordinate combinations quickly. Bring a swatch of paper or a photo of a color scheme and suggestions come easily.
Crafters often pair ribbon with other supplies scattered through the store, which is part of why some longtime shoppers describe the place as having drifted toward craft territory over the decades.
That evolution has not hurt the charm. If anything, the ribbon wall gives the store a creative pulse that keeps regulars coming back for reasons unrelated to toys or gifts.
Hours run Monday through Friday from 10 AM to 6 PM, Saturday from 9 AM to 5 PM, and the store is closed Sunday.
Address: 45 Church St, Mountain Brook, AL 35213
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