I’m not the most emotional guy that I know. I don’t even think that I’m number two on that list. I tend to be pretty poor at being sympathetic or empathetic (I can never remember which is which and right now I don’t really care to think about it). But I’ve got one soft mushy spot in my heart…
Dying business’ break my heart. Particularly the small ones that are on the verge of death.
When I walk into Jansen Beach mall I want to cry because of how dead it is. It’s like many churches, it’s dead but no body has told it yet. The only stores that still exist there are a native American art store and a hobby shop (the kind that caters towards the Lord Of The Rings types). It’s dead. Many of the other stores left are literally filled with homemade artifacts that sit on top of card tables with homemade table clothes.
Walking down Main Street in Vancouver I want to cry for two places. Moxies on Main and Renaissance Ice Cream. They’re both owned by first time 20something owners right out of college. They’re so excited about their new business…but it seems as though nobody else is. Renaissance Ice Cream has actually been around for a long time, but the new owner is making some changes. Instead of being open only a few days a week he changed his hours to all day every day. He added espresso to their ice cream place. It’s not working, and I can feel death when I walk by that store. Moxies has the largest glass bottle display in the western United States. You can get bottled Dr. Pepper, Pepsi, and all sorts of nearly extinct old fashion sodas. It’s actually pretty neat. But I fear that it’s not working. Something’s missing at Moxies and when I walk by I can feel death.
It makes me sad. Their dreams and aspirations are crumbling before their very eyes. And the worst part is that it doesn’t happen quickly. No, when a store doesn’t work it dies in a very elongated and painfully slow process. I think thats how they torture people in China (I haven’t verified this yet, but I’ve heard rumors).
Poor, poor dying business owners. Fear not my friends, you gave it a valiant effort and should be applauded for your energy and your heart. Rest In Peace.
I feel your pain. I also hate to see businesses like that die. You can just feel the disappointment of the owners. I would like to be the kind of person who only shops at places like that, so I can help out the little guy, but then other times I think "Hmmm, I sure could use a trip to Target."
I keep planning to post about some restaurants that have passed into restaurant heaven, but it just makes me too sad.
I give these owners kudos for being brave enough to even try to follow their dreams. I'm too chicken.
I'm glad I'm not alone. I always feel so alone 'cause my wife is always like "Ryan you said that the last time we came to Jansen Beach" and I'm like "but it's just so sad!" and she's like "Why don't you write a pathetic greeting card about it huh?" and I'm like "No Jessica, that would be too disrespectuful. I will not twist the knife that alread sits inside their collective chest. I will not!"(our conversation may or may not have gone quite like that. It's a mix between fiction and…well…it's pretty much just fiction. But it's true that she doesn't quite feel our same pain. And that is the truth)
let me remind you of this…Tower Mall.
Reason #1264 I wish I wasn't stuck in Idaho: You made Moxie's and Renaissance Ice Cream sound really cool and now I want to go to both of them. Right NOW! You've created a craving for Pepsi in a glass bottle that won't soon be extinguished. Thanks a LOT, Ryan!
Do they still have the paintings of the football players and the soccer players on the walls?I think Jamy former Mitts used to work at the merry go round there. I think that was the only thing that place had going for it.
The merry go round thing is still going strong. But it's kind of sad 'cause everytime I go there and look there is only one child riding on it all alone. Jansen Beach makes me feel like I'm in a good horror movie or something.
yea, but we never have to wait on a ride at the merry go round. and my kids can yell and talk really loud and no one cares, because it is dead!
THere's always someone in horror movies who doesn't seem to be as scared as everyone watching knows they should be!You know, like everybody is getting killed and they still decide to order pizza. Those people always end up dead. I hope that doesn't happen to you or your family Lori.
I have lamented the loss of many a barber shop and well… cigar shop that has gone under. there is something to be said for keeping businesses that may not make a lot of money but contribute something to that joie de vie that we all should be experiencing. Oh, and if Flying Pie even looks like it's closing….. oh yes, I WILL turn into a hippie and stage the biggest freaking protest in the history of protests. hehehe
I was at Jantzen Beach today and Mall 205 on Saturday. I'll have to rest up for a while before I can stomach Tower Mall!Sometimes people even have terrific dreams but they end up being ahead of their time or simply in the wrong location. On the other hand, everyting has a lifespan. Remember Montgomery Wards or Meier & Frank? We're all dying. So the questions is not when but how. I want to die well.
rip ryan…R.I.P.the screams from my children would run off any knife, ax, hatchet wielding person.
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