The Smallest Store with the Biggest Memories: The Keyhole at Valley Fair Mall
The Keyhole: The Smallest, Wildest Shop in the Mall
For generations of kids and teens at the Valley Fair Mall had one shop that stood above all the rest—not because it was big or fancy, but because it felt like stepping into another world. The Keyhole, often described as “the smallest store in the world,” was a legendary little gag shop squeezed into a narrow space at both Valley Fair Mall and Fashion Place Mall, with a third location in Cottonwood Mall.
Crowded, stuffed, and endlessly fascinating, The Keyhole was the place where you had to squeeze sideways just to shuffle in the front entrance to see the overflowing case with every prank, gag, and novelty item imaginable. Kids who wandered inside swear it felt a little mischievous, a little secret, and a lot exciting—like entering a forbidden clubhouse.
Not Just Keys
Despite the name, cutting keys wasn’t the real attraction. The Keyhole was famous for:
itching powder
stink bombs
whoopee cushions
fake vomit
trick cards and dice
practical jokes of every kind
And for the older kids? It carried an infamous selection of “mall-contraband” novelty weapons:
brass knuckles
butterfly knives
throwing stars
nunchucks (or as kids called them, “num-chucks”)
And no, they were not the safe foam kind—these were the kind of nunchucks that could turn a clumsy 10-year-old into a one-boy demolition crew
Local orthodontist Dr. Micah Mortensen of Granger Orthodontics recalls as a child staring wide-eyed at the Ninja Throwing Stars on the wall, wanting one desperately—but never getting one. He laughs today remembering his delight when his uncle finally bought him a pair of nunchucks instead.
The Legendary Back Room
Almost every local remembers “the back room.” Dark, mysterious, and packed with items parents probably didn’t want their kids buying, it added to the thrill. The tight space with unexpected treasures made shopping there feel like you were sneaking into adulthood one prank at a time.
The Predari Family
The heart of The Keyhole wasn’t the merchandise—it was the people.
The beloved owners were the Predari family, especially the ever-welcoming John Predari and his wife Evelyn Predari, who owned the store.
John, born in 1923 in Chicago, was unforgettable. He served heroically as a tail gunner in the Army Air Forces in World War II, flying 30 combat missions and earning the Air Medal and the Distinguished Flying Cross before his honorable discharge as a Staff Sergeant.
To everyone who knew him, John was a joy. He loved jokes, loved pranks, and loved making people smile. He was the life of every party. He loved swapping military stories or a joke with at the store. . His daughters Deb and Vicki were known as having the “Coolest Parents around”.
Evelyn passed in 2009 and John passed away in, 2019, at the age of 96, they are both greatly loved and deeply missed.
A Community Treasure
he Keyhole holds a special place in our shared memories. For many, it was the best part of the mall—a rite of passage, a place of laughter, and the source of countless pranks and stories now being proudly passed down from children to grandchildren as we retell the mischief we pulled 50 years ago. Whether you went in to buy a prank, a gag gift, or just to sneak a peek at the dangerous-looking items you knew your mom would never approve of, The Keyhole was unforgettable.
Thank you to the Predari family for decades of joy, laughter, and mischief.
Your tiny shop made a big impact.
