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Well-known, family-owned Jupiter furniture store closing after five decades

Posted at 9:43 AM, Feb 09, 2020
and last updated 2020-02-10 07:42:29-05

It's time for the owners of a well-known, family-owned furniture store in Jupiter to close their doors forever and enjoy retirement.

Blaine McKenzie has pictures from 52 years ago when he was building his furniture store on U.S. 1 in the town of Jupiter.

"When we bought this piece of property, there was nothing but pine trees and bare dirt," he says.

Through the years, some have wondered why the store is called the Yum Yum Tree.

McKenzie explains, "My mother, father and I we decided it would be a nice name. We were going to sell yummy gifts and fruits and small baskets of wicker furniture."

The furniture quickly became a favorite item at the store. "We kept the name because no one would remember McKenzie furniture, but everybody remembers Yum Yum Tree," he recalls. "The sign is a historical sign through the town of Jupiter. They were going through and trying to change all of the signs in Jupiter and I was able to convince them to let it be kept."

After five decades, what will happen to the Yum Yum Tree sign and the building?

Blaine said, "The person that bought the building said the building has good bones, they are going to keep the sign and name it the Yum Yum Tree Plaza."

By the end of April, Blaine will close the store to spend his retirement years in North Carolina.

Blaine and his wife, Nan, will miss the business and the customers, but they're looking forward to retirement.

"Just being able to have Saturday any day that we want. Retire - don't have to schedule around a lot of people's lives, so that's gonna be the best part I think," Nan added, "It's bittersweet. I love the customers."