This web log's meter will hit 10,000 today. Nevermind that 5,000 of them were me editing what I just wrote 5 minutes ago. It's still 10,000. Okay, it's actually 9,000. I started the meter at 1,000 because I didn't want to look like a rookie. When I get to 11,000 (the real 10,000) I am going to celebrate by opening a bottle of Texas' finest carbonated water.
But let me tell you something about "bloggers" (a contracted word I do not like, by the way). For your information, the writers of web logs are self-deluded ninnies (ninnies?) who think that people actually care what they think. Me included. They also believe that they are experts in the field about which they write. And they believe either that they can write in respectable and understandable English, or that they should write as a street person talks to be authentic. The first is delusional the second is stupid.
Regardless, thanks to everyone who takes a minute out of their day to read and to comment. I enjoy the discussion. I really do.
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Speaking of Change
My family and I arrived arrived in Fort Worth in 1982. 25 years ago. The oil business and the banking business were at a lowpoint. A struggling downtown was occupied by normal daytime b
usiness activity, a few leftover department stores from the 50's, like Monnigs, the Worthington, and a couple other hotels, a skating rink in the Tandy center, the Tandy shuttle, a few restaurants, shoe stores and the like, and not a soul to be seen at sundown. The once thriving downtown was suffering. Most American cities of respectable size were the same.
Enter into Fort Worth Sundance Square in the mid 1980's, and then a movie theater a year or two after that, and the downtown revival begins. Add an unexpected real estate boom cycle, a significant population migration to the south, and today, the natural gas deposits and Fort Worth is booming again. Sundance-type activity is moving south towards the post office and north with Uptown.
Long-term residents of Fort Worth speak of the stores and places they remember, most of which were struggling to survive when I arrived, here are a few of those 80's place I miss:
Mott's on Lancaster was an old 5&10 that wasn't alerted to the existence of Walmart. It had hardwood floors and a one window post office in the back. Its aisles contained items consistent with life's necessities: colored threads, sewing needles, socks, sneakers, a shirt or two, moth balls, soaps, assorted cutlery, bubble gum, candy bars, lingerie, Dickey jeans in a few sizes and one could walk those aisles without completing a marathon, with the pleasant sound of squeeking hardwood under foot. Of course, there were no electronics, but you could find a few board games like Monopoly or Life, and a deck of cellophane wrapped playing cards as well.
Taylor's Bookstore: the original, local, big bookstore. No coffee shop, nowhere to sit, but the books were good.
The original La Madelaine was a fine bakery and coffee shop. A great cafe with a limited menu, but fresh breads and pastries, flour bags stacked in once-open spaces, baking ovens, and a baker man, eyebrows, arms and baker's bib dusted with white flour -- and lots of happy customers.
The downtown Larry's shoes. Pushy, but knowledgable sales people who always said, "they look great, how do they feel ?" I still have a pair and wear them.
The old Texas Ranger baseball park. The aluminum cheap seat stands were fun to tap your foot on with the rest of the crowd. It was small venue and the baseball wasn't that great but the summer nights were perfectly hot for watching the games, and the beer was always ice cold. And occassionally you could catch Charlie Hough having a smoke in the dugout between innings.
Those few stores, notwithstanding, Fort Worth is a better place to live than it was in 1980. The parks are better, the restaurants are better, just about everything has improved but the traffic. The next 10 years will see expansion and growth similar to the last 20. Fort Worth is a great city to watch grow. As I have mentioned before, growth and improvement are not to be taken for granted. Just look at Detroit or Cleveland. They have lost half their population in 10 years with property values dropping as they go.
If you are an long standing resident of the area, here's a website with a lot of photos.
http://www.fortworthyesterday.com/
If you have a favorite 70's or 80's business or restaurant let me know.
usiness activity, a few leftover department stores from the 50's, like Monnigs, the Worthington, and a couple other hotels, a skating rink in the Tandy center, the Tandy shuttle, a few restaurants, shoe stores and the like, and not a soul to be seen at sundown. The once thriving downtown was suffering. Most American cities of respectable size were the same.Enter into Fort Worth Sundance Square in the mid 1980's, and then a movie theater a year or two after that, and the downtown revival begins. Add an unexpected real estate boom cycle, a significant population migration to the south, and today, the natural gas deposits and Fort Worth is booming again. Sundance-type activity is moving south towards the post office and north with Uptown.
Long-term residents of Fort Worth speak of the stores and places they remember, most of which were struggling to survive when I arrived, here are a few of those 80's place I miss:
Mott's on Lancaster was an old 5&10 that wasn't alerted to the existence of Walmart. It had hardwood floors and a one window post office in the back. Its aisles contained items consistent with life's necessities: colored threads, sewing needles, socks, sneakers, a shirt or two, moth balls, soaps, assorted cutlery, bubble gum, candy bars, lingerie, Dickey jeans in a few sizes and one could walk those aisles without completing a marathon, with the pleasant sound of squeeking hardwood under foot. Of course, there were no electronics, but you could find a few board games like Monopoly or Life, and a deck of cellophane wrapped playing cards as well.
Taylor's Bookstore: the original, local, big bookstore. No coffee shop, nowhere to sit, but the books were good.
The original La Madelaine was a fine bakery and coffee shop. A great cafe with a limited menu, but fresh breads and pastries, flour bags stacked in once-open spaces, baking ovens, and a baker man, eyebrows, arms and baker's bib dusted with white flour -- and lots of happy customers.
The downtown Larry's shoes. Pushy, but knowledgable sales people who always said, "they look great, how do they feel ?" I still have a pair and wear them.
The old Texas Ranger baseball park. The aluminum cheap seat stands were fun to tap your foot on with the rest of the crowd. It was small venue and the baseball wasn't that great but the summer nights were perfectly hot for watching the games, and the beer was always ice cold. And occassionally you could catch Charlie Hough having a smoke in the dugout between innings.
Those few stores, notwithstanding, Fort Worth is a better place to live than it was in 1980. The parks are better, the restaurants are better, just about everything has improved but the traffic. The next 10 years will see expansion and growth similar to the last 20. Fort Worth is a great city to watch grow. As I have mentioned before, growth and improvement are not to be taken for granted. Just look at Detroit or Cleveland. They have lost half their population in 10 years with property values dropping as they go.
If you are an long standing resident of the area, here's a website with a lot of photos.
http://www.fortworthyesterday.com/
If you have a favorite 70's or 80's business or restaurant let me know.
Monday, January 7, 2008
One Big Prediction Oversight
Sunday's Fort Worth Star Telegram featured an article on the Trinity River Development. The Army Corps of Engineers has been suggesting that the Oxbow section of the Trinity River on the east side be added to the river's redevelopment. I hope we approve the suggestion and that some day that section of the city on the near north and east that is now flood plane will be developed into parks, residences and business.
If you've seen any of the plans you will agree that it is a monumental project. That is not hyperbole. I mentioned in the "Best Of" post that the Cowboys Stadium will change Arlington forever -- that was a tad hyperbolic. The Trinity River project is on a different scale. If it is completed in any way as it is proposed Fort Worth will be a different place with a river that is integrated into the heart of the city.
If you've seen any of the plans you will agree that it is a monumental project. That is not hyperbole. I mentioned in the "Best Of" post that the Cowboys Stadium will change Arlington forever -- that was a tad hyperbolic. The Trinity River project is on a different scale. If it is completed in any way as it is proposed Fort Worth will be a different place with a river that is integrated into the heart of the city.
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