Hard times at the mall

Our Thursday breakfast crew ate at Zeke's yesterday, which was a good occasion to update the economic situation at the Frontier Village Mall. You will note that the business headliners, as of this week, are the big American Home furnishings store and Basha's.

Unfortunately, the cherry picker machine was on hand to remove the Basha's sign, as the store is now official closed.

But then, it's been some months since Amerian Home closed out its big facility, which remains empty.

Another empty. That sign? The pop psychologists would call it denial. On the other hand, maybe it's been changed. I wouldn't count on it.

Loads of links: After a long hiatus, Steve Ayres is back with his curmudgeonly Courier Watch; if you want further local curmudgeonly comment, you might visit Tom Steele's The Truth Prescott Valley. The Yavapai Digital Foto Club is showing pictures from its recent PhotoWalk on its blog; if you're curious about that part of the Dells behind the community gates, try this Flickr set. How about some history: The News from 1930, as reported in the Wall Street Journal. Fantasy, such as Sense & Sensibility & the Sea Monsters. Or absolutely awesome garage trompe d'oeil.

Ghosts

The earliest known rock paintings are dated to the Upper Paleolithic, 40,000 years ago, while the earliest European cave paintings date to 32,000 years ago. So Wikipedia assures us. We aren't doing nearly so well with our public paint jobs, the oldest of which appear to be plain business signs on brick walls. I began this collection while I was visiting in Memphis. It's a city much of whose past is no longer useful and so it sits there, wearing out as it awaits the wrecking ball.
In this one case, an exception was made, incorporating a wee tidbit of history into the waterfront gentrification project. (BTW, I just noticed that the cotton factor owner's name remains barely visible at the top of the renovated building.)

Since we do not really have the remains of any past industry in downtown Prescott, at first, I feared I wouldn't find similar ghosts of our past. Cortez Street proved me wrong! The first sign I discovered was an old Head Hotel ID, visible from the north. Of course, I reasoned, the new owners have not yet bothered to paint over it. Besides, it was only quite recently that the name of the venerable hotel was changed. In any event, I was quite wrong; I suspect it was deliberately retained...

...because I found these other remnants of the past when I lifted my eyes higher than the shop windows on yesterday's walk. In every case, I was looking south along Cortez. The above sign probably referred to Valley Natl. Bank which occupied the building at the NE corner of Gurley and Cortez until 1957. As for the Prescott Hotel (below), never heard of it. However, it's pretty obvious that these painted signs have been deliberately preserved. Does anyone know of other such ghosts around the downtown area?

There is one more ghost of Prescott past just east of the Sullivan Lake dam. Too bad we lost the railroad. According to information that Marc Pearsall compiled in 2007 while working for the Arizona Department of Transportation, the railroad offered to sell the entire 28-mile Prescott Branch line, with rolling stock and locomotives, to the community for about $700,000, but the city could not come up with the money. So reports the Prescott Courier. Ah, if only we had known then what we know now, we would have one less ghost.

Miller Valley revisited

I walked from Iron Springs down to the CVS store this afternoon. Purpose: to record the changes since reporting on the Miller Valley empties last January. Before you read any further, do go back to that post. In particular, read all the comments; more than one old-timer has weighed in with stories about the past. Well worth your time!

So, what did I find out today? First, that the old filling station next to the True Value is now a rental place. All kinds of stuff. You can even rent the blow-em-up bounce machine for your next party. Didn't get the price.

The venerable El Chaparral has been succeeded by La Fonda, continuing the tradition of Mexican food. Anybody out there tried it yet?
And after all this time, the Hong Kong looks to be ready for opening day. All reports say that the proprietors of this establishment do a good job at a good price. Am I correct that these are the same folks who ran the Chinese buffet over behind the Costco and now have a similar place in PV?

Of course, we're all aware that the McDonald's is being rebuilt from the ground up. Even the raven below. I wonder if the franchisee will still offer that little play area; after spending time with my daughter and her super-bouncy OmegaDotter, I understand the appeal of such amenities!

Oops -- I didn't get a new picture of the wonderful rock building, but I'm happy to report that there is some sort of cosmetic or beauty operation there. Thus ends the good news. Now for the not-so-good news, i.e., the current empties. The former Stockman's Bank remains shuttered, with no clue as to any potential new business occupant.

That (dare-I-mention-it pink) building at the corner of Fair/Hillside also needs filling. Not that it was ever apparent just what sort of businesses held forth at that address. I do recall that when we first moved to Prescott in the 80s, there was a green grocer at the rear. Wouldn't it be wonderful to have a good green grocer again? Makes me recall the wonderful stores back in Chicago's Italian neighborhoods.

Also empty: the building across the street which formerly housed Prescott Classic Auto Parts, which has moved three doors down the block. I think that's all, but did you realize what a restaurant row this short stretch of Miller Valley Road has become? Once the McD and the Hong Kong are open, the total count from the Taco Bell down to Trishs' Lil Cafe will be nine. That's a lot of eating out.

Old Telephone Poles Never Die...

...they just gradually become one with the earth. In the meantime, a few may serve time in gardens or as part of a small embankment beside a dirt road, like a group of old poles in my neighborhood.


This hole interests me. I wonder who lives here. It appears that the heart of these poles is first to crumble, leaving the outermost section to slowly fall apart.

Linkages: I don't quite understand PrescotteNews or just where it's coming from. It definitely isn't filling the large footprint left behind by the late lamented ReadItHere. On the other hand, there is this very interesting interview with the man who heads up Mayor Wilson's committee on economic development. I'd say he's a bit too focused on the footloose and fancy-free knowledge worker; after all, there's a lot more to Silicon Valley than a bunch of programmers and systems analysts. That's a bit too single-minded. But at least it's a start to thinking in directions other than more retailers and rooftops (and the minimum wage jobs that accompany them). My own opinion? What about industry clusters: small scale aerospace businesses, centered around ERAU ... recreation/environment entrepreneurial operations, centered about Prescott College and the national forest ... you know, a bit of high tech manufacturing plus some software types. And perhaps we should settle the question of just how much like California we want Prescott to become. After all, California is what the Californians, having created California, are now fleeing from; besides, California so Very Yesterday, as some youngsters would say.

Now for some fun. Have you seen the nautilus home? A wonderful change from the usual post-modern architecture. And how about McDonald's as a multi-cultural leader?

West Gurley Empty

Workmen are finally finishing off this empty commercial building over on West Gurley across from the one-time Fry's supermarket; the parking lot and walkways were being finished when I was there last about two weeks ago. A pair of buddies and I have been following the fast -- and then slow -- development of this property for many, many months. Since no information has been posted at the site, we speculated that originally the structure had been contracted for by some sort of merchant who then backed out when the economy turned down. Now it looks as tho there will definitely be an occupant -- maybe we'll find out in the next couple of weeks. Business in the area should be picking up, now that the AZ Dept. of Economic Security has consolidated all its offices into the old Fry's premise. I still say it' s too bad that Trader Joes didn't take the location!

Hello, Goodbye, Hello

That's the way of business in Prescott. Everywhere, I guess. Shops and restaurants and bars all come and go. But it's a melancholy day when established folks decide they've had enough and it's time to retire.


I don't recall if the Cat's Meow was at the corner of Gurley and Montezuma when we arrived, but it's been a cornerstone business opposite the Square for a long time. Selling mainly tomorrow's upscale collectibles and tchotkes, some tee's (always a cut or two above the usual Whiskey Row product) and 10-15 kinds of fudge to die for. Oh yes, splendid Christmas ornaments too.


I'll miss the Cat's Meow.


But we may have a new restaurant -- or something -- over on Miller Valley Road. Empty for a long time, this building across from the post office was rehabbed several months ago and then just sat there, daring anyone to figure out what is going on. All of a sudden, there is activity (see above) but still no information. In its previous incarnation, it was a restaurant in the Continental style and a popular, long-time establishment.


This sign painted on the Gurley Street building just west of the creek celebrates businesses past and present. Bradshaw Mountain Photo was superceded by the yoga place & the spa store is now a coffee house. However, Granite Mountain Outfitters are still with us. Good people, too.


I found this abandoned sign over by Prescott College. If I remember correctly, it was one of the incarnations of a coffee house serving students in the old building on the alley which was torn down to make way for the new Crossroads Center. At one time, that building housed a restaurant that served super burgers -- a favorite hangout of ours.

But then, if you want to get a real picture of how businesses come and go, take a look at this site. "Professor" Hall (George C.) happened across an old 35 mm nitrate film in the basement of the Elks Theatre. Produced in 1929 for the local Chamber of Commerce. He's saved it on DVD; it features clips about all the prominent businesses in town at that time and is a splendid period piece.