What I Saw on my Walk
This past Tuesday we had the opportunity to walk up and down Main Street. Main Street is a main road across from South Campus filled with shops, convenience stores, and gas stations. It is typically busy with cars always passing by and students walking to campus. To many it is just a busy street you cross meeting friends, going to get food, etc. Tuesday we had the chance to appreciate the historical significance and learn about the beauty behind Main Street.
Just Pizza
One of the locations we took the chance to learn was Just Pizza. This was especially interesting because before converting into a pizza spot it used to be a movie theater. We know this because of the height of the building. This was essential so that the film projector could fit and be pulled down to display the screen. The building also had gargoyles above the two windows. This was often shown to display their character, style, and theme.
The Lake Effect Diner
Although the Lake Effect Diner is closed during this time we got to study the outside of the building. Majority of us thought it was built in the 1950s due to its style and trims around the building. The diner was designed to look like an old subway or train car. It reminded me of how Johnny Rockets used to look. Little did we know the Diner is actually mobile and was transported here about 20 years ago from Pennsylvania.
Parkside Candy
This part of the walk was the most enjoyable not only for its ambiance but also for the chocolate. I did feel a sense of sadness that I had never been to this store before and I live less than a minute away once I had met the worker's personalities. They were happy and proud to work there. We had learned that the place was originally designed for women to attract attention by the men. There was also a small booth in the store where they said men used to propose to women to. The detailing of the ceilings were incredible and they had mentioned almost all of the work done was still original (with a few minor fixes due to aging).
Only one minute away from Parkside? You'll be back! It WAS nice to meet the workers, wasn't it, because--as you said--they LIKE working there, and not everybody feels that way about their job. But it's also kind of a fairyland atmosphere. And it's the real thing too, not nostalgia, like Johnny Rocket's, which is made to look like the 50s, but face it, is not. One thing I like about our city is that's it's an authentic place, often for better, sometimes for worse.
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