The Flu, Empty Storefronts, and All That

Sunday, February 1, 2015. The flu left town, so the nursing home is back to its usual visiting times. I'm feeling better, myself.

I'm not happy about the number of 'for rent/sale' signs in empty storefronts downtown. But we've been through this sort of thing before.


Main Street and South 4th: the corner building's been used as offices most recently. Now it's bleakly empty: or ready for new tenants, depending on your viewpoint. (January 26, 2015)


Left to right, a for-rent storefront; Centre of Attention, a new-to-me fashion store; and Centre Floral. (January 26, 2015)


The corner building, at one time home to Winter's drug store, is for sale. (January 26, 2015)

The old mansion that housed Vocational Biographies for the 20 years I worked there has been for sale for some time. Driving by this week, I noticed something new.


Tax forfeiture property. Not exactly a cheerful sign: but one of my kids pointed out that this means there's a better chance of someone buying the place. (January 26, 2015)

I'm old enough to start being a surly old coot, constantly kvetching about newfangled — everything. Never could see the percentage in that. Besides, I've got a pretty good memory, 'good old days' weren't, and that's another topic.

Downtown was a tad empty in the mid-1980s, when my family and I moved here. Things picked up a few years later: and I'm pretty sure that will happen again this time around.