“Just look for the red and white awning” Vidler’s 5 & 10 receives state recognition

EAST AURORA, N.Y. (WIVB) — Throughout the years, you might have stopped in to find out your fortune, grab a bag of popcorn, or maybe even take a ride on their beloved mechanical horse.

Vidler’s 5 & 10 is an East Aurora staple known for its various displays of treasures, and it’s now recognized as a piece of New York State History.

“We’re honored because we have been here a long time, and I think being part of the community that’s recognized, it means a lot to us,” said Don Vidler, current president and co-owner of Vidler’s.

They say with the help of State Senator Patrick Gallivan, they were recently added to the New York State Historic Business Preservation Registry, just in time for the store’s 94th birthday. They plan on celebrating this achievement Saturday, June 22 with a cake-cutting celebrating their anniversary around 11 a.m.

Don’s grandfather, Robert S. Vidler, opened the store in East Aurora back in 1930 during the Great Depression.

“According to family legend, when he got here his mother-in-law was complaining that she couldn’t buy a spool of thread locally. She had to go all the way into Buffalo, which was a half-day trip then. He thought, ‘I can do retail, I can manage a store’ and really kind of took a chance,” said Don Vidler.

When it first opened up it was called “Fair 5¢ to $1.00 Store” because when he first told his family he was going to open up a store during the Great Depression, his older siblings believed the store would fail and eventually taint their family name.

“That was the name until after World War II, after he’d been in business for 15 years, then he figured ‘Okay, I think I’m going to make it now. I can rename it with the family business name,'” said Don.

There have been three generations of Vidlers who have owned the family business. After Robert, Don’s dad and uncle, Ed and Bob, took the store over and started advertising more, using silly and cheesy ads in the local newspapers and then eventually, on TV. You can see some of the ads here.

“Depends on how you look at it, infamous or famous, Vidler “Bob and Ed” TV ads, same thing, they were silly, they were corny, they were punny, but people remember them,” said Don.

Now, Vidler’s is run by Don Vidler and his cousin Cliff, and is a store name known throughout multiple generations of Western New Yorkers. They say they welcome in visitors seven days a week, not just from all over the region, but from all over the world.

“I call it, ‘East Aurora’s Disneyland.’ Everyone comes here when they want to be happy and they have a good time,” said Alexa Sleeper, a store manager who grew up in East Aurora and remembers visiting the store while growing up. “When people come in here, they’re always amazed by how big it is, and how much stuff we have. You can’t see everything we have in a day.”

What started as an idea to sell spools of thread has now grown into eleven rooms full of merchandise from everyday needs, to treasured toys, to candy favorites.

“It’s historic, it’s nostalgic, and it’s just a heck of a lot of fun to come here,” said Don.

If you would like to visit Vidler’s 5 & 10, they are open Sunday through Saturday and are located on Main Street in East Aurora. And as they say, “just look for the red and white awning, and remember the name.”

For more information on Vidler’s 5 & 10, you can visit their website here.

Hope Winter is a reporter and multimedia journalist who has been part of the News 4 team since 2021. See more of her work here .