The newest face to the downtown business community opened at 217 Ramsey St. and to those familiar with the owners of downtown businesses, it isn’t in fact, a new face. David “Tippy” Ramirez, owner of Tippy’s Collectables recently opened Tippy’s Corner Store, a convenience store just off of Second Street selling staples like eggs, milk, and soda.
Local brands like bacon from Greg’s Meats can also be found on store shelves. The convenience store is a welcome addition to Hastings’ downtown which currently lacks a place to buy groceries and can be a location especially difficult for those living in the area without transportation to get groceries.
Ramirez, often known as Tippy, a nickname stemming from the baseball player Felix Anthony “Tippy” Martinez, references locals complaining that there was nowhere nearby to buy groceries downtown as the impetus behind opening Tippy’s Corner Store.
“So, I just opened my mouth and said, ‘well, maybe I will try to find somewhere to open up a spot downtown.’ And here we are,” said Ramirez.
The timeline of the creation of Tippy’s Corner Store only dates back six months according to Ramriez: “When I put my mind to something, I want to get it done ASAP.” The store opening in August is a testament to that accelerated timeline.
Ramirez openly admits that transitioning to working with food, jumping through the hoops of regulation, licensing, and oversight have been difficult: “It was a lot more work than I thought.” From tearing out the floor of the building to being barred from having unpackaged food or even a pot of coffee due to the popcorn ceilings of the building; selling milk comes with a bit more oversight than selling baseball cards.
Despite that work, Ramriez has long-term plans for the store. He is actively working to extend his lease for the location and is hoping to expand what the store offers based on input and demand.
“My long-term goal is to keep it open for people that don’t have transportation and a way of getting stuff that they need,” said Ramriez.
Located just across the street from Mississippi Terrace Apartments, many customers walk to the store from the surrounding neighborhood: the very population Ramriez envisioned when opening the corner store.
According to Ramirez, the idea of Tippy’s Corner Store was to be an asset for the community. Ramirez, who lives only blocks away from both businesses, has a vested interest in the neighborhood. In January 2020, he opened Tippy’s Collectables, only months before the COVID-19 Pandemic. Despite that timing for a physical store, it turned out to be advantageous.
“When Covid came, everybody started getting out their cards and stuff out of their closet because nobody had anything to do so […] it just built itself right up.”
Tippy’s Corner Store is located at 217 Ramsey St. and is open 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.