Empty Building

Sad. I walked the nearly empty aisle of the grocery store right down the road. As the kids were growing I took at least three trips to the store on a daily basis. I'd buy what we need, get home and find out we need something else.

The Jubilee was a family-owned store. A business that a local man built and ran for more than 20 years. He just couldn't get it done anymore.

And why did this small business close? That's an argument for all the political experts and pundits, but Wal-Mart sells groceries. There are a bunch of superstores within 5 miles of the old Jubilee.

Big business eating small business if you ask me.

And I'm gonna' miss the place. I really am. It was the destination of choice as I took the dogs for their after-dinner-bye-byes.

"What's going in here?" the guy in front of me in line asked the cashier.

"Not a damn thing," she said. "Empty building."

She paused for a long moment.

"Just an empty building."

And all of Lake Avenue in Blasdell is filled with empty buildings. One street over the big businesses thrive.

There used to be a Chinese Restaurant around the corner.

Empty Building.

There was a family-owned pharmacy.

CVS moved in.

Family-owned pharmacy closed instantly. Empty building.

"That's sort of sad," the guy in front of me said. He turned to look at the nearly empty shelves.

"It's more sad for me," the cashier said. "I'm looking for work."

As I left the place I thought of the old-timers in the living facility across the street. They'd ride their scooters across the street for a few things.

I hope the battery on their carts is strong enough to get them all the way to Wal-Mart.

It won't be much fun for them to visit the empty building.