Hershey Shoes in Garden City is selling iconic carousel

Before Hershey Shoes closes, it has one last thing to sell.

A rare merry-go-round that dates to the 1970s is going up for auction.

The play set, known as the Hollywood Jr, was created by Buster Brown, a famous Michigan shoe brand that dates to 1878, according to Nostalgia Central's website. The company originally made multiple designs of the carousels. Some feature four seats, and others, like the one at Hershey Shoes in Garden City, was a six-seater that featured small horses with names like Beauty, Fury, Ginger and Silver, and wooden seats, wheels and pedals.

Collectible websites like Eldred's put the carousel's value at $600 to $900. This one is selling to the highest bidder.

Garden City resident Jackie Perrydore posted on Facebook that she and the Straight Farmhouse Historical Museum in Garden City are launching a campaign to raise funds to buy the carousel. They are seeking donations to fund the effort.

Potential donors can bring or mail donations to Friends of the Garden City Historical Museum at 6221 Merriman.

Every donation is tracked and will be returned if the museum isn't the highest bidder. The group is requesting to include contact information on the donation. Donations are also tax-deductible.

More:Hershey’s Shoes in Garden City to close after 76 years

The museum is open from noon to 3 p.m. Wednesday through Friday.

Hershey Shoes announced earlier in November that it was closing after 76 years. The closure comes after owner Tom Walch decided to retire. It's expected to close by year-end.

The bidding for the carousel is expected to end on Dec. 1 and the retirement sale ends on Dec. 31.

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Contact Chandra Fleming: cfleming@freepress.com

This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Garden City's Hershey Shoes to sell iconic carousel amid closure