To those who know little of Syosset, the little store tucked into the corner of the newly-renovated Rite Aid Shopping Center on Jackson Avenue may be just another local shop buckling under the pressure of soaring rents and stiff competition from major chain stores. But to those who were born and raised in Syosset, Scott's Variety is another special piece of life fading into big business. After 48 years of dedicated service, Scott's Variety Store is closing its doors on July 31 and ending an era in Syosset.

Robert Morrison left the United States Military Service in 1942 and took advantage of his low-rate GI loan to purchase a general merchandise store with his brother, Edgar, in Uniondale. The store, known as Richard Scott's 5 & 10, eventually expanded into many locations across Long Island, including one in Syosset which opened in 1952, just as the last farms in the area were being converted to residential neighborhoods. When Edgar decided to leave the business for another career, Robert made the decision to sell all of the stores except for Syosset, the one he felt had the best potential for continued growth.

A very proper businessman who always wore a tie, refused to open on Sundays and always knew a customer by name, Robert established a loyal customer following in Syosset and became one of the town's best-known and most well regarded merchants.

"Like Christiano's, Bill's Hardware Store and Fred's Barber Shop, Scott's is one of those places that defines Syosset of yesteryear," said longtime Syosset resident Tom Montalbano. "A place where you can step into for a spare shirt button, a bottle of play bubbles, a roll of Velcro, or a copy of the Syosset-Jericho Tribune and emerge an hour later having shot the breeze with a dozen people you know from around town. For 48 years, it has been a fixture that many of us, myself included, all too often took for granted. A place you could always count on to stock even the most obscure items, run by people who always knew exactly what you were looking for when you asked. A place you could make a quick run to if you needed a spare Christmas bulb, a jar of sparklers for your child's school project the next day or one of those hair clips that your wife always loses right before you're ready to go out. Scott's was our own little K-Mart, right in our backyard, without the long lines and endless searches for items."

When Robert passed away in 1998, his longtime customers descended on Scott's Variety Store from all over town to express their sadness. In lieu of flowers, Robert's son, Jack Morrison, who had taken over the store in 1991, asked customers to make a donation to Molly's House in Florida, a temporary and free residence for cancer patients and their families who all stay there while treatment occurs. To Robert's honor, Molly's House received a record number of donations in the weeks that followed.

"When my father passed away, there was such overwhelming support from all of my customers," said Jack. "After about a month after my dad passed away, Molly's House wrote me a letter stating that they could not write me thank you notes anymore because this was the largest amount of donations that they have ever had from a single person. Genovese Drug Stores also made a donation in my father's name. I did not realize how important the customers were on a personal level."

Although Jack and the rest of the Morrison family technically grew-up in Massapequa the store in Syosset was a second home. "I am 40 years old now, so the last 32 years I have spent in this store," said Jack. "There are a lot of memories here."

The memories do not only hold true for the Morrison family, but for many local residents as well. "When Scott's closes its doors at the end of the month, there won't only be another empty store on Jackson Avenue, there will be a big piece of our town missing," said Montalbano. "Perhaps Rite Aid and K-Mart will pick up some of the specialty items we always found at Scott's, but it isn't likely that any local store will be able to recapture the warmth and charm that Scott's exuded for so many years."

There is currently a huge blowout sale at Scott's Variety. All merchandise must go before the doors close on July 31. Most items are 50 - 80 percent off and the store's basement is full of craft and sewing supplies.

"There has been so much feedback about closing the store. Customers are all crying. I mean hundreds of people - not just one or two," said Jack. "I can not do any work now because I am spending all of my time explaining to people why we are closing."

After 48 years in Syosset, Scott's Variety closes and takes a piece of all the longtime Syosset residents with it. Jack Morrison and his family will be moving to Florida after the store is closed.

"I would like to thank the community for all of their loyalty and support over the years. My family and I really appreciate it," Jack concluded.