Variety of life at downtown’s The Sample Shop
McKinney, TX – While others were using their retirement to settle into a lifestyle of leisure, Robert and Barbie Lohocky bought a business.
They have been running the The Sample Shop in Historic Downtown McKinney for seven years along with Charmel Christensen, their niece and store manager, who tells people the business came about because her uncle didn’t want to travel and her aunt wouldn’t stay home with him.
Christensen said the idea was to have a fun gift store with something unique for everyone, and items there range from college mascot nutcrackers to wine glasses to garden decorations, mouse pads, baby clothes, jewelry or French cook books.
Whatever the occasion, Christensen said there’s a gift there for it.
“Our goal is to have people laugh their way through the store,” she said.
Part of the perk of being a Historic Downtown business is the shoppers brought in by its annual festivals, along with those from around the country and even overseas that make their way there. Barbie said it’s fun to meet the people from Europe and beyond who come to shop and talk about their home countries.
