Second Turn

Down the street from where I live, there is a shuttered toy store. The mall across from it has struggled to revitalize itself but nothing seems to work. Stores come and go by turn and the parking lots remain bare. This used to be the most happening part of town a couple of decades ago. The toy-store is a far sadder sight for all of us who knew it in it's in heyday. 

The place was full happy kids and the wonderful energy they bring. Now the place is a ghost town. J learned to drive in its big and empty parking lot - a far cry from the chaos and bustle of her baby life. This story about an old mall getting a second lease of life in a different avatar is heart-warming. 

Maybe it is a trend that will catch on outside Maine as well. It could help contain the needless suburban sprawl, painful commutes to work and allow people to live in self-contained communities once again.