Kingston Gift Shop Bop to Tottom to Close March 26

It’s been a daunting few weeks reporting on the business scene in Kingston. Boitson’s closed overnight, the Anchor went up for sale, Grainne is closing, and now, so is the beloved and whimsical gift shop Bop to Tottom.

Karen Clark Adin opened the shop, stocked with its colorful clothing for big kids and little, knicknacks, and neat, affordable gifts, in 2000—many iterations of Kingston ago. And now, the familiar Uptown face and active community member is ready to hang up her smock and call it a day. “I have been so lucky to do what I love for 22 years,” Adin says. “From the moment I stepped foot in this neighborhood I loved this community for its vibrancy, and I thank everyone for their support of my shop through the years. Now, I’m excited to focus on prioritizing myself in this next, new phase of my life—in retirement.”

For more than two decades, in two locations on opposite ends of the same block of Wall Street, Bop to Tottom was a great place to bring visiting nieces and nephews; a reliable spot to pick up that last-minute gift for a coworker, stocking stuffers, or a playful notebook for yourself.

Adin’s good sense of humor showed through the fun inventory. The gift selections straddled the line between sweet and snarky, often potty-mouthed and always quirky. It was a common occurrence to hear customers chuckling as the browsed the merchandise—a cactus entry mat reading “No Pricks Allowed,” a Bill Murray fridge magnet proclaiming “You’re a weird fucker. Keep that shit up,” or a bottle of “Damn, Dude” lavatory mist.

An avid and active community member, Adin helped found the Kingston Farmers Market, and volunteered as a member on a dozen boards from the Arts Alliance of Ulster County to the Hudson Valley Aids Auction, YWCA, and Friends of the Senate House.

Bop to Tottom’s ‘Closing Doors, Open Heart’ Sale is running until the shop closes for good on March 26. Hours of operation are Thursdays 10am-6pm, Fridays 10am-7pm, and Saturdays 10am-5pm.