Thursday, June 19, 2008

Board Silly


My mom used to say, "If you are bored, it is your own fault". Don't wait for someone to entertain you. Once in a while I hit a retiree's plateau and have to pause to think what I want to do. Usually this is solved by grabbing a book or blogging. A better solution is when I call a friend and do something. Now I may have a new option.


Rising property taxes on downtown businesses has seen some long-time merchants pull up stakes on Main Street. The Red Hat Store, a unique doll store and an antique mall closed. Stillwater lost one of it's used book stores. This little town was one of the best places in the country and English speaking world to find a vintage book.

In prime corner spot where the book store vacated a new store recently opened. A Board Shop. Surf's up dude. What on earth is a board shop doing in Stillwater? Surf is never up here. Further investigation reveals a shop that sells the clothes, skateboards, snowboards and maybe wakeboards. Equipment for the active set. I wonder how that fits with the antique shops. Different shopper demographic.

Most local residents avoid downtown unless they are entertaining visitors. The real stores are up on the hill. Downtown has been relegated to antique shopping and dining/drinking establishments. Parking is tight. We are probably the exception. We go down by the river levee and people watch. We go downtown to eat. Now I can go downtown if I want to take up a new sport. Hang ten and out.

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