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Old Christmas Tree Shops signs to be auctioned for good cause: "Own a piece of Cape Cod history"

By
Courtney Cole
Courtney Cole
Courtney Cole joined WBZ-TV in 2022 as an anchor and reporter after spending four years in Jacksonville, Florida.
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Courtney Cole

/ CBS Boston

Pieces of the now-defunct Christmas Tree Shops are blooming again, to help build homes on Cape Cod.

Habitat for Humanity of Cape Cod plans to auction off two signs which once sat on top of the Hyannis store that closed in 2023 when the bargain chain went bankrupt. The Christmas Tree Shops started on the Cape more than 50 years ago.

"We think it's a great chance for someone to own a piece of Cape Cod history," said Tara Cronin, the charity's director of resource and development.

"We have the original signs"

The idea came out a brainstorming session. Habitat President and CEO Wendy Cullinan originally had her sights set on another store artifact - a clock tower that was being dismantled. But when they talked to the property owner about potentially getting that clock tower, "they laughed and laughed and laughed," Cronin said.

One week later, the property manager called back with a counteroffer.

"He called and said, 'Hey, we have the original signs for the Christmas Tree Shops in Hyannis. Would you be interested in those original signs? They're 27 feet long.'" Cronin said. 

The donation created a new set of challenges: How to take possession of and store the signs.

"Our motto is, we always say yes," Cullinan said. "And we figure it out."

The answer turned out to be a board member who works with Shepley Wood Products, a lumber yard on the Cape that provided the truck, storage space and manpower to move the signs. 

Where are the Christmas Tree Shops signs going?

Habitat is working on the next steps, but you may have a chance to see the signs in the organization's two ReStore outlets in Falmouth and Yarmouth.

"We think we want to put one in each ReStore, up on the wall. It'll attract people into our stores," Cullinan said. "We'll work on a plan to either do a silent auction or online auction."

And they're not worried about getting stuck with the signs.

"We've gotten phone calls, emails of people already interested in this," Cullinan said.

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