A Harrisonburg staple, Glen’s Fair Price Store, is now preparing to sell their building and auction off their remaining merchandise after 84 years of business. WMRA’s Kate Bean reports.
GARY STITLER: They used to say there were three things you did in Harrisonburg … back in the old day, when they’d bring like a politician or something through running for office or something … and they would take him and get him a Jess’s hotdog, bring him to Glen’s, and then take him to Kline’s ice cream.
Gary Stitler walked me through Glen’s Fair Price Store in October, just two months before the iconic Harrisonburg costume, camera, toy and trinket shop closed. He was in the process of organizing inventory into three categories: keep for auction, throw away, and save for personal memorabilia.
[Sound of Stitler rummaging through items, traffic outside]
Stitler shares two pieces of the store’s history with me. The first is a Christmas card with a staff photo from when his father owned the store in the 1950s. The second is a photograph from the 1980s. It shows a group of men who were close friends of the store when Gary and his sister Melinda Bare began operating the business.
STITLER: I don’t even remember these pictures … this is Jess’ Lunch's son, that ran Jess’ Lunch. This guy who worked for ‘em called Butterball. There’s Ralph Sampson. This brings back a lot of memories, because Ralph Sampson was a really good friend of mine.
The Ralph Sampson Stitler points out in the photograph is the father of NBA basketball player Ralph Sampson Jr. Stitler reminisces about watching Sampson Jr. grow up, as Harrisonburg also grew and changed. Stitler keeps finding sentimental items like these amongst the vast inventory waiting to be sorted for the final auction. He says buyers have already shown a lot of interest in the fixtures and shelving, but he expects that the store’s unique inventory will draw in all kinds of bidders.
STITLER: There’ll be those people that’ll come for costumes, some people probably come for some of our makeup, some people for some of the better giftware and so forth.
Something that definitely won’t be for sale are the notorious Elvis and Marilyn Monroe statues.
STITLER: Everybody has wanted to buy them. A lot of people’s pictures have been taken with ‘em. … I was so tickled when I finally got ‘em. And I’m thinking they’re going home with me.
The store began as a standard over-the-counter drug store, but by the 1980s it specialized in cameras, costumes, and other items their customers might special request.
Bowman Auctions is helping Stitler and his family sell these items. The first of two lots will be auctioned at the store March 21, starting at 9 a.m.
Stitler’s son, Gary Stitler Jr., grew up working in the store. He said the “million dollar” question for him lately has been, “what’s next?”
GARY STITLER JR: It’s time, I mean it’s time for them to enjoy themselves, relax, retire. Even though they’re not gonna relax. But it’s time for a new start for me. … I can’t even look until this is done.
The elder Stitler says a lot of the cameras and accessories were sold before Glen’s Fair Price officially closed down. He says he will continue supplying JMU’s art photography program with what he can from the remaining inventory. Gary Jr. sold camera film to a student as I stood in the store speaking with them.
GARY STITLER: Because if I don’t help with supplying some cameras and so forth for that, I feel like it’s, pretty sure that it will be something that will disappear. And I think it’s so great that young people get the opportunity to develop a picture, see how it’s done, and learn from that.
The store also sold a lot of their costumes during a 50% off closing sale. Most of the buyers were Halloween shoppers but a large portion of the costumes were sold to Court Square Theater. As The Harrisonburg Citizen reported, the theater was scheduled to close on the same day that Glen’s closed, Dec. 31, 2025. As of now, the Court Square Theater is still open under the management of the ACT ONE Theater Company. Stitler reflected on the closing of Glen’s, and the near end of Court Square.
GARY STITLER: It’d be a real loss to downtown Harrisonburg.
The Harrisonburg Redevelopment & Housing Authority, which owns part of the Court Square Theater building, also plans to buy Glen’s physical building once the inventory is cleared. Their plan is to convert it into affordable apartments.
GARY STITLER: To me, it’s probably the most suiting situation for this building that there would be. It’s just perfect. This town really needs low-income housing.
Stitler says the city’s plan is for the development to refurnish and keep the Glen’s Fair Price sign up to honor the store’s memory. The display windows will also stay up and be used for historical or promotional displays from Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance. Stitler was one of their founding members.
GARY STITLER: And I think that’s cool, I just really do. In a way we’ll still be here!
Once everything has settled, retirement for Stitler looks picturesque.
GARY STITLER: I’d like to maybe just get in the car finally and go out and shoot.
Along with taking spontaneous drives to go shoot some photos he plans to work on his house and sort his camera and film collections.
Glen’s Fair Price will continue to update their Facebook page with information about the auctions at the end of March. You can also visit the Bowman Auction website for more information.
