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That’s a lot of store for a hair salon.
The exterior is almost cool; the palette is nice, the signage nice, the stone has that Flintstony look, but it’s just a bit too prefab. And I suspect it was something else.![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Cool piece of modernism in plain sight, probably well-regarded by no one:
That sounds pretentious, and mildly contemptuous, so I withdraw it. But really, take another look. All glass, completely transparent. Bonus for this shot: the ancient GAMBLES ghost sign.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
We’re a bank with lots of money! Just not enough to put stone all the way around the building.
Cool theater. But let’s go back in time a bit.
You NEVER see a Buckaroo Revival movie theater. This may be the first. And the last, if anyone had any sense.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
“We designed the wall as an homage to cartoonists who, over the years, have used a few bricks to suggest the entire wall.”
A bygone rehab, the hue of the stone - it’s hard to fix an era exactly.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Look! Look! Take us with you!
But where are they? Let's advance a bit . . .
Great sign, and a convenient line for practicing your walk after you’re pulled over.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Oh, that’s beautiful.
Close-up:
Makes you curse again the fact that such a cool style had to come along during a time of severe economic contraction. Imagine what downtowns might have looked like.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Although they would’ve peeled it off for this.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
I presume everyone inside was crushed by the landslide, or buried under pumice falling from the volcano:
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
The first building did well, so he expanded. That’s my take.
Something very strange happend on the second floor on the right.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Ghost: can you ID it?
You will. If not now, eventually.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
It’s like those stories where the aliens create a place they think the spaceman will mistake for home, but the details are off just enough to raise suspicions. There’s nothing technically wrong, but there’s something about it, Captain. I just don’t know.
![](../../../bleats/archive/19/bleatart/main/divmain.jpg)
Finally, this looks ordinary and non-descript.
But when you soar above it . . .
Bowling alley?
Grocery store?
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