Of all the things Grandma got me hooked on…QVC had to be it.
And we go back. I’m talking wayyyyy back—Looney Tunes with David and Jill, In the Kitchen with Bob, Annette Funicello teddy bears and Precious Moments figurines back. #iykyk (But I know a lot of you don’t LOL).
Every summer from age 10 to 15, I’d leave my island home of Bermuda and spend three months in Connecticut with my grandmother, in the same house my mom and her siblings grew up in. We’d take trips to the farm, visit relatives, play cards in the shaded living room and read books on the porch. But there, seamlessly tucked into the rhythm of our days, was QVC.
Though she had a TV in every room, including the kitchen, we weren’t always glued to the screen—often it was on in the background and served as the perfect white noise while cooking or meal-prepping. Long before the days of DVR, we didn’t dare risk missing a “Today’s Special Value” (TSV if you’re nasty 😉) And when the right item came on? Game over. If it was on Easy Pay, it was destiny. It simply had to be ordered, no hesitation.
My grandma was a pro at ordering: she’d quietly pick up the cordless phone, dial the 1-800 number, punch in the item code and her QCard info and no sooner hang up. I was fascinated. By the time I moved in with her in my twenties after college (an experience I highly recommend every recent grad have), I had the system down too, only now I had the internet! Stealthy orders placed, and boxes magically appearing on the doorstep.
QVC was more than just shopping. It was an experience. It was connection. It was discovery. My love of handbags started there—my very first Dooney & Bourke show with Grandma was the gateway, and to this day, it’s still one of my favorite brands they air.
And honestly? Everything hooked us. Grandma got everything off QVC: ScrubDaddy sponges, Lori Greiner’s jewelry keepers, Diamonique jewelry to go in them, Kansas City Steaks, Junior’s cheesecakes at holiday season, Northern Nights flannel sheets, and T-Fal cookware… literally everything. If it was a TSV, we probably ordered it.
There’s a certain magic in those memories. QVC wasn’t just about the products—it was about sharing laughs in the kitchen, circling must-watch shows in the calendar mailer, or that little spark of joy every time a brown (or dry ice) box arrived at the door.
So here’s to Grandma, QVC, and the lifelong love of a good find. Thanks for making me a shopping addict—in the best way. 💖
