Another one bites the dust—changes around my neighborhood #MFRWorg #Rssos #neighborhoodlife #realestatedevelopment

Last week, I said in several places how I wanted to celebrate Valentine’s Day—not with flowers, expensive dinner, or chocolate. I wanted a walk to my neighborhood donut shop with Handsome and the Adora-poos.
Handsome is a huge donut fan and had no problem with this request.
So with wonderful springtime temps, we took off. I was so excited. Like Handsome, I love donuts, but don’t indulge very often because of the unwanted calorie thingy. And sometimes, Handsome brings home a box of glazed, but that variety isn’t really my favorite. I like buttermilk cake ones. Basically, it is a cake donut, slitted across the top, deep fried, and dunked in powdered sugar glaze.
He went inside and came out with...regular cake and a lowfat milk. LOL. So he blew it on the donut part, but hey, we were there and happy. Until he asked, “Did you see the notice on the door?” “No.” “The shop is closing on the 29th. The owner said the property company raised the rent and wouldn’t talk to them.”I was shocked. However, the more I thought, the more I wasn’t. Several years ago, a large real estate company bought the shopping center. They did some great renovations. And then, the hardware store left and a drug store took its place. The yoga studio? Gone. The restaurant serving down home food shuttered its doors. Pizza and pet stores...gone too.

Does my neighborhood have to be that upscale?

We did get a fabulous burger store. A pub. A high-end Mexican cantina. A gift shop. A small pet store. A barbecue spot. Another restaurant.


Are you seeing what I’m seeing? Lots of places to eat with very little parking. I am worried the cleaners I’ve frequented all my married life, whose employees are friends, could be next on the chopping block. The point being the center NEEDS cleaners and donut shops and something other than restaurants. My part of town is known for “family-owned businesses” and now, they are disappearing to elsewhere.

Sure, that’s how the world has always evolved. Civilizations have always built on the foundations of the old. But I want my donut shop.   Have you experienced unwanted changes in your neighborhood?