I marvel at the fact that so many stores -- mere spitting distance from one of America's most…read morehistoric places (The Alamo) -- get no love, nor even attention, from Yelpers. Here is a general store across the street from a site with more than 2,500 photos, almost 1,000 reviews (and an inexplicably low 4-star composite rating) and has a paltry EIGHT reviews and 4 photos (which I'm going to double today).
Maybe I just love general stores with the amalgam of touristy stuff, toiletries you forgot to bring, and temptations of the sweet and salty kind. They sum it up best with their motto, "Travel necessities. Hometown setting."
First, yes, as you would expect, there is PLENTY of Alamo-related stuff. Neither cheap nor chintzy, there are plenty of Alamo t-shirts, cups, magnets, mugs souvenirs, and other ephemera at prices (at least based on my experience) a bit less expensive than at other establishments. An, if you want to show some Texas pride, there's plenty to buy to remind your friends where you're from and what state not to mess with.
And yes, it has the feel with the old-time pharmacy catch-alls, from medicines and ointments to phone chargers and travel bags. The convenience of an airport gift shop without the high prices and drab formulaicness.
Five and Dime ain't for the cynic. You'll find the kind of cowboy hats you'd find on a sorority girl at a Saturday night party. You'll find the kind of sombreros you have lying around awaiting the moment when your friend passes out drunk and you can place it on his head and Sharpie a Zapata-style mustache on his upper lip. Yes, there's plenty of humor in the Five and Dime collection!
In the end, Five and Dime is a great store for both local and tourist alike. Their hometown philosophy can also be found at their other locations: On the San Antonio Riverwalk, on the Landing in Branson, in Old Town San Diego, Market Street in Charleston, Old Town in St. Augustine (FL), Cannery Row in Monterey (CA), River Street in Savannah (GA), and the Historic Plaza in Santa Fe. All great places, and all where I'll be making a stop at the Five and Dime when I do.
See you there!