Las Vegas Stamp Safari

Every now and then, I check in at Charleston Stamps when I visit Las Vegas.

Owned by Ruth Hillard, the 30-year-old shop reminds me of a mini-version of Natick Store, which I used to patronize in downtown Los Angeles in the late '60s – if you ask for something, Ruth hauls out the appropriate stock book bulging with stamps. She also has a bid board where collectors can sell their stamps.

(Las Vegas Review-Journal
 2008)

I used to go there when her former husband, Bob, owned the store in the mid-'70s, and we'd trade stock. I brought British Commonwealth stock that I couldn't move in the Honolulu stamp shows and he'd let me wander through his stock for things I thought I could sell (including Hawaii).

This last time, I went there as usual, but Ruth was absent and her friend Terry was handling the shop for her. She told me that Ruth was having some pretty bad back problems and probably would have to go to the hospital.

Terry treated me as nicely as Ruth always did, and I was happy to leave there with a bunch of used United States stamps to fill holes in my collection.

Get better soon, Ruth, and I'll see you the next time I'm back in Las Vegas.

Charleston Stamps, 5708 W. Charleston Blvd. (corner of Charleston and Upland), Las Vegas, NV 89146, phone (792) 887-1106. Closed Sundays and Mondays.