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August 28, 2003 |
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| The Downtown Business section on Main Street's East Side in about 1896. The wagon is on Wood Goin's public scales. He was the Democratic Public Weigher for many years. None of the buildings in this photo are in existence today. |
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Business has been so slow that we hardly know whether we are out in the woods or up on the middle of Main Street. We have to get out in the street and flag the fast-moving traffic down to get them to realize that we are after all open for business and ready to make sales. It makes me wonder about what is really happening with the s0-called improving economy that we are hearing so much about. No kidding, I was out front in the 200 block of South Main Street one day last week wishing for shopping traffic, that I decided to count the birds as they went in and out of the local vacant fire hazard development antiques. I counted eighty birds chirping and doing other things on their way into the shaded area trying to escape the 100 degree temperatures. Jackie and I went out riding around yesterday, we see the production of several new business locations going up, but as we go on we notice there twice as many vacant business buildings not counting the bird’s roosting place in downtown Aubrey in an area that has been a thriving part of the business needs in our city for the past 100 years. I guess, what I am trying to say is that if you would like for this column to continue, please come by and say hello and make a few more chirps for the local businesses, otherwise, I am going to have a hard time getting my computer out on the lake or creek bank doing my favorite past-time which is counting the fish that I fail to catch on my hook. Really we have experienced many happy hours downtown with our many good customers and when they slow down to nothing we have a hard time comprehending the quiet atmosphere. One of our favorites of the many customers came in, and he just couldn’t emphasize how much he wants for me to mention the names of the operators of the whisky stills, and participants in the exciting fights, and horse thieves. I told him, "Look, I can’t do that, I would be talking about some of my kinfolks, since we have been so nobly accused of being all related to each other. I just won’t talk about members of the clannish tribe." I told my visitor that all of us are not related and probably only number between 800 and 1,000 people now. This is one thing economic development is doing for us, we have all of the newly arriving fine folks that sure make the future. Anyways don’t forget to stop by and spend a little on hardware the next time you are in town. |
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