My Favorite Street Corner

By Linda Robertson

The intersection of two US Routes is about a half mile (if that) from my house. If you read my post last week, you’ll know I recently bought my childhood home. So this intersection has been in my life a long, long time. The second entry to the North and on the right is a private school where I spent the better part of my high school years--and if you know me, yeah, the fact that it’s a religious school explains a lot. The first entry to the north and right is now a Wendy’s. Back in the day, it was a Captain D’s and once upon a time, I worked there for 4 hours. **wink, wink** On the north and to the left is a drug store. I remember when it was a house, and after that it was a Ponderosa. Behind it is a Big Lots. I worked there when it was Odd Lots. Before that it was a K-Mart. Before that, it was the huge field behind the house that used to sit there.

To the south is a McDonalds. I could see the tall sign with the arches on it from my bedroom window. It is newer than the Burger King that sits maybe 500 yards away, but it was Burger Chef that was first to the area LONG, LONG ago. (The Burger Chef closed, re-opened as a Hardee’s and now that’s gone and another drug store is there.) Opposite the burger joint was a Sohio. I worked there, too. Then it became BP. My employee shirt and the dumb clip-on bow I was required to wear (but never did) went from blue to green, but it was the same otherwise. My fellow employee, Brad, was too cool. If you ever bought the 10 cent York Peppermint Patties there, and got one that wasn’t exactly round, but had a flat spot on the side…well that was one Brad threw at me…or I threw at him. Sorry. The BP is gone now and that corner is just a cement lot with a few scrubby weeds.

Behind it is the Kroger’s where I now do my grocery shopping. Inside is the Starbuck’s that has kept me from having Venti 7-Pump No Water No Foam Chai withdrawals. The lady at the self-checkout with curly red hair knows me on sight; she tells everyone I write books. She’s so sweet.

So, the main drag beyond my house has 3 drugstores; Kroger’s has a pharmacy too, so that’s 4 within a mile. There are at least 4 hair salons/barber shops in that same space. 4 banks. 4 gas stations. 2 automotive supply shops.

So much has changed. So much is new; so much is just gone.

Mostly, it’s the popular chains that have moved in, but they haven’t pushed the local favorites out. What’s still here? Buckeye Bakery. (The most delicious doughnuts—puts any chain doughnut to shame.) Porky’s. (Grease burgers to DIE for.) Deschner’s Pizza. (Hands down the best damn pizza ever.) Boliantz Hardware. (Personal service. Can’t walk through the door that someone doesn’t ask how they can help you.) There’s two VFW’s, a tavern, and Eddie’s Sunoco that have stood the test of time.

Oh, and me. I’m still here too.