Corner of First and Rhode Island in Bloomingdale

Corner of First and Rhode Island

I'm not sure why I took this photo recently of the buildings at the corner of two local streets except that this corner has not really changed much since I first moved into the Bloomingdale neighborhood over twenty years ago. Oh, they've added a coat of paint or two, awnings and signs have changed and been added, the tree's grown, plant pots added, new owners and new tenants, that sort of thing. But the size and scale of the buildings hasn't changed. The two stores are still single storey shops. The grey painted house on the left is still residential and not converted to a business use (although I think someone used to do taxes there on the first floor at one time). The Chinese Dragon in the middle has been selling carry out food the whole twenty years. And, I don't think their menu has changed much! The Windows Cafe on the corner replaced a dumpy liquor store and has contributed to the greatest change as it is a cafe and not one of those stores with the cashier behind plexiglass. They now have potted plants growing out front and to the side and tables and chairs for guests. So, it's a lot more civilized looking.  Part of my thinking was to photograph these corner buildings before real change occurs -- like someone tears the building down and puts a giant glass thing there, or a change is made that alters the scale of the buildings in relation to each other, like an addition or a fence or a switch from business to residential status. So, I've captured it for now and we'll have to see what happens in the next twenty years.

Dragon Food

The Chinese Dragon carry-out at the corner of First and Rhode Island is closed most of the day. It only seems to open in the afternoon and evening for those who want to eat on the street. I've never bought a single thing from them as I don't have a clue what the food really is about.  This particular street food store got a bad name for itself during the crack-headed 90s because there was at least one shooting either inside the doorway or on the sidewalk out front every season. Somehow the place was associated with the drug dealing that used to occur 24/7 at the corner. There always seemed to be some sort of incident going down in front of the Dragon and in front of what used to be a liquor store on the right side. There were a number of local dealers who stood around and used the payphone that was out front. So the neighborhood activists signed a petition to have the payphone removed as a way to break up their business. Now the dealers use throwaway cell phones and seem to have other ways to meet their customers. Both the carryout and liquor store had counters with huge sheets of thick plexiglass in front of the cashiers to repel bullets and stick-ups, a feature that caused consternation when younger suburbanites started moving back into the neighborhood more recently.  The liquor store next door was bought out by an enterprising Ethiopian family who turned it into a more upmarket coffee shop, grocery, cafe and wine store -- with WiFi access!! -- and now it seems to be a going concern. It is certainly a lot sheeker store than what was there before. I wonder if the Dragon will go the way of the liquor store?