The Christmas Tree Shops by Anthony M. Sammarco

The Christmas Tree Shops was an icon of New England, with stores that offered a diverse assortment of merchandise from seasonal decorations, home decor, housewares, food and giftware, and just about everything else. Founded in 1970 by Chuck and Doreen Bilezikian, they opened their first shop on Route 6A at Willow Street in Yarmouth Port in a former grocery store. Over the next three decades, twenty-three stores were opened.

Despite the seasonal name, the Bilezikians sold unique, one-of-a-kind quality merchandise at bargain prices. From closeouts and overruns, as well as small batches of baskets made in Eastern Europe, and a plethora of intriguing merchandise. One customer described the stores as "like walking into a closet full of surprise treasures," and combined with great prices, they would coin their familiar catch phrase, "Don't You Just Love a Bargain?"