Token Memory
This found its way into my pocket today as part of my change. The girl at the tobacco shop thought it was a one dollar coin and I corrected her as itβs obviously a token from an arcade or something.
This led me to take a Google at the place.
From this article on The American Conservative:
The building itself is at least as unconventional as its mix of tenants. The site was originally composed of a massive new-build S. Klein department store (over 200,000 square feet) and a smaller separate strip plaza housing an A&P supermarket and a few other stores. Beltway Plaza in its present form is the remnants of both original separate pieces with a newer enclosed mall bridging them. It has seen a succession of anchors and semi-anchors over the years, from discount department stores to two movie theaters to a Chinese buffet to a space offering computer workshops. It is now home to a church, several restaurants from Italian to African, one movie theater, a gym, an arcade/fun center, a supermarket, salons, and a variety of budget-oriented smaller stores.
I used to love malls. We had Eastland Mall in Charlotte, NC and Columbia Mall in Columbia, SC as our main go to malls in our area.
Now the malls that are left are a shadow of what these cathedrals of capitalism used to be. Itβs tiresome just to visit them.
Eastland had an ice rink and weβd go there with our youth group from church every year to skate and shop for Christmas.
One of my most favorite stores was The Intimate Bookshop.
I loved the creaking floors and the smell of the store. I donβt know if itβs was a piped smell or the book bindings. I miss that place.
And I canβt forget The Tinder Box. The smell of tobacco and all the paraphernalia that goes along with that. If youβve never been to one itβs not a head shop. It an honest to goodness tobacconist. I think thatβs the right word anyway. I donβt know if they still exist as a company. I enjoyed them though. (A quick bit of research and they do still exist!)
Strange how a token found in a tobacco shop can take you on a stroll down memory lane.
And Claudia, I hope this wasnβt too wordy.
Thatβs it. Thatβs the post.
Seegars
