Nestled in the charming city of San Angelo sits the one of a kind, Teacher Store. Offering educational resources, toys, games and a rich history, this store’s many specialties is why Blue Orange Games is so happy to make them May Store of the Month. Our sale representative, Louis had a blast visiting Teacher Store and loved the staffs enthusiasm and uniqueness.
Opened 33 years ago by former teachers, Manuel and Estella Santos, Teacher Store first function was teachers supplies and educations resources. Now run by their son Dominic, the store is filled with so much more, from those educational aids to toys and games. Although the store has a formal name of Angelo School & Teacher Supplies, the community collectively renamed the shop Teacher Store around 25 years ago! Don’t be fooled by the name though, Teacher Store is a treat for anyone who enters their doors. From grandparents, parents, kids, and even pen-fanatics looking for stationary accessories, this store has a little something for everyone!
While both Manual and Estella Santos have retired and move slightly away from the store, they always have the store on their mind. Although it was tough for the two entrepreneurs to walk away from their “baby” which is Teacher Store they left it in the very capable hands of their son, Dominic Santos, who I had the pleasure of interviewing. Dominic let us know that one of the games that he loves to bring home to the Santo’s family is Yamslam since they can enjoy playing together.
With over 33 years in the business I had to know what the secret to Teacher Store’s success was. Dominic stated that it was all about the customers and providing them with the best service they can. He exclaimed that “We will do absolutely anything for our customers, obviously we’re always looking for the best products, and that’s where Blue Orange comes in!” One of his favorite aspects of Blue Orange Games is the impeccable quality of each product. Offering such amazing products at Teacher Store means it’s hard to go wrong when picking out a new family favorite or gift. To celebrate their customers Teacher Store even hosts the occasional Game Day, where almost every game in the store is set out to play. While this day is a blast for customers, it’s also cherished by the employees since they get the chance to play games all day at their favorite stations.
As far as Blue Orange Games, Dominic’s must-have classic is Gobblet Gobbler. He loves how even though it’s a simple game the strategy component allows it to appeal to all ages. I was excited to hear that while Battlesheep has moved down to a secondary position in his love of Blue Orange Game, the top spot now belongs to Kingdomino. This 2017 Spiel de Jahre’s winner, is the perfect game to play with customers, after one try everyone wants to play again!
With Teacher Store finding home within a 112-year-old building, the place is filled with memories and stories galore. Dominic recounted the time a four-year-old had gotten separated from his mom within the store. While the entire store searched up, dow
n and around the block for the young boy, he had tucked himself under a display and thus created a store wide game of hide-n-seek! In a surprise ending to our interview, Dominic also let me know that Teacher Store is rumored to be haunted. Numerous employees have claims of items getting moved around and other spooky occurrences such as creaking sounds throughout the night. Dominic assured me though that it’s all in playful fun and not a frightening presence whatsoever.
We want to thank Teacher Store for offering such amazing customer service and passion for Blue Orange products. This family owned Teacher Store is one of a kind, in more than a few ways! We are so lucky to call Teacher Store our May Store of the Month, and we encourage everyone to check out their website HERE or their shop at 310 N. Chardbourne St. San Angelo, TX 76903.
Teacher Store is a cool place!