McHuston Booksellers

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Tag: bookbinding (Page 69 of 99)

The Great Race. Rose style.

October 7, 2013 /

I’m thinking about hiring sherpas. Getting to the front door of the shop has apparently taken on a difficulty factor equal to scaling Mt. Everest. Or that TV show where teams race from place to place while overcoming outlandish obstacles.

Since the construction began, I’ve mentioned a “Thanks for braving the construction,” on occasion. Normally, the response is something like “Ah, it was no trouble.” Or, “I found a parking spot right in front.” (Several times on that one.) Unfortunately, there are no more parking spaces in front.

There’s a big pit.

So, today, when I thanked the folks who came in for lunch and tackled the construction to get here, the replies were a lot more descriptive. Those hardy folks didn’t just pop in at lunchtime. They set out on a mission.

And it’s probably a good time for me to say “Thanks.”

Trying to keep upbeat about it, knowing that the Rose District is going to be a beautiful shopping area once it is all finished. I’m also trying to remember that there are just a few more weeks for the streetwork’s completion.

The contractors are moving along at a quick pace and are trying to keep access open to the sidewalks. There’s a big yellow dino-bot right at the intersection this afternoon. The orange fence is blocking off the Commercial Street entry.

Hopefully, it won’t be required tomorrow.

So, to those of you who have already found your way in during this construction period, I want you to know it is sincerely appreciated. To those who have been thinking about coming down to see what it is all about – rest assured – there are offstreet parking spaces available in addition to the on-street parking between Commercial Street and Dallas.

The seventh-grade science teacher used to remind us that “Patience is a virtue.” I’m not trying for Sainthood or anything, but I’m certainly stocking up on that asset to get me through the next few weeks. Oh, and my other daily business proverb – that it only takes a couple of good sales to make the day – has proven true once again. What is likely my last sale of the evening has made up for the rest of the day!

It’s all good. Load up the backpack and climbing boots, then come visit!

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main Street, Broken Arrow OK!

Can you dig it? The machines did…

October 4, 2013 /

Crazy.

I’ve been playing some old standards on the guitar lately, inspired by my brother-in-law Dennis, the guitar virtuoso. It just occurred to me how prophetic “What a Difference a Day Makes” has turned out to be.

The yellow-metal dinosaurs are sleeping now, but they were in full digestive onslaught when I arrived at the shop this morning. The parking spaces in front of the store?

Gone.

I was able to catch a hungry dino-bot in action just outside the door, as you can see in the image. By mid-afternoon, the entire west-side block of parking was gone. Orange fence in place. Narrow strip of pavement serving as a sidewalk – left in place.

Not many using it.

I believe more people opened the door and stuck their heads in when I moved downtown, even before I even had a sign up or the boxes of books unpacked. Not a complaint here, though. Just an observation. I realize that it’s going to be thin chapters before getting back to the action sequence and the book is completed. (Really stretching for that one, huh?)

My neighbors down the block seem to have survived, and I’m guessing MSTavern will, too. There were cars parked at distances around the intersection, since their regular parking spots near the door are set-off with perimeter tape to protect the wet cement.

Here’s the part I like: With the exception of the first lady in the door, who quickly floated up and down the aisles like a ghost on the haunt before darting outside – the folks who braved the construction and crossed the threshold all bought something. I’ve had days when I could not race to the bathroom quickly enough because of all the store traffic (well, I DID make it on time, after all!) but they simply nodded on their way out, or mumbled something by way of goodbye – without so much as a price check. I LIKE the ratio of browsers to buyers!

What a difference a day makes!

The street project has been officially extended by a month. The mid-October deadline has become a mid-November finish. I don’t expect the yellow mechanical-dinosaurs to be in front of the shop for that long. The contractor is doing his best, and the consensus (while admitting some merchant whining) is that they are moving pretty quickly.

I walked across the street to the bank’s sidewalk. Impressive, is what I am thinking. Nice brick planters, complete with an irrigation system to keep the soon-to-be-installed landscaping alive and well. They are readying the street lamps for installation in the next block, which will be outfitted with electrical outlets to accommodate vendors who need to power up cash registers, fans, or phone-chargers during street festivals and fairs.

I’ve said it all along – the sooner the construction begins, the sooner it can be completed. Well, they have started.

The daily prep schedule will have to be adjusted, obviously. I wondered about making my daily batch of hand-mashed potatoes, but did it anyway. Good thing, too. Wound up selling all of them with the Bangers & Mash and Shepherd’s Pie. Overdid the soup and stew, but thankfully I don’t mind eating my own cooking. Monday, I’ll mentally refigure the recipes and try again.

The parking may be tough for now, but your patience is appreciated. The project is going to be worthwhile in the long run. I’m in it for that.

Don’t be scared by sleeping yellow dino-machines. Come visit!

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main Street, Broken Arrow OK!

Backhoes and Buggies.

October 2, 2013 /

We’ve come a long way in a hundred years. Back then, the District had dirt in the streets. But now – HEY! – there is STILL dirt in the streets!

The price of progress…

Lots of construction activity at the Rose today. Pouring a new sidewalk on the side of my neighbor, the Main Street Tavern. They’ve been hit doubly-hard, since the work was just wrapping up in the front. The gang is still welcoming folks inside, those who have successfully run the hardhat gauntlet.

Back in the days of the dirt street on Main, it was bank tellers doing the welcoming in that building instead of a hostess and servers. It was called First State Bank and was chartered in 1902. Recall, this was pre-statehood and Broken Arrow was in its infancy. (You can only imagine the wooden diapers.)

At that same time, the Katy railroad planned to run a spur from its north-south line and was granting town-sites where the tracks would run. The Arkansas Valley Town Site Company grabbed up three locations and company secretary William S. Fears picked the name Broken Arrow for an area he selected 18 miles southeast of Tulsa.

Oh, the festivities when that first brick was laid for the building that would become the Main Street Tavern only a short century later! “Up your nose with a rubber hose!” exclaimed Mr. Fears, as he raised his glass of stout and straightened his party hat. (Just kidding about that part. History should be fun, too.)

The rail line was finished in 1903, running right through Broken Arrow. Maybe you’ve stopped for it once or twice. The tracks are still there under the auspices of the Union Pacific railroad.

The bank was located north of the tracks and later changed its name to Citizens National Bank. At statehood, there were about fourteen-hundred hardy souls who called Broken Arrow home. Most worked their farms and came to Main Street to visit the mercantile and the bank. As it turned out, the little community didn’t need three banks at the time.

Citizens was sold to First National Bank and AVB (then called Arkansas Valley State Bank), with the two institutions guaranteeing the deposits of those folks who had entrusted their savings to the struggling bank. It was a time of public spirit, compromise, neighborly involvement, caring, and Rooster Day parades. (We still have the parade, at any rate.) No one lost a nickel.

Not even when First National was held up in 1934. Mr F.S. Hurd was standing at the teller counter when a couple of shifty-looking fellows burst in bearing pistols. One of them called out, “Take it easy boys! Here is where we get you!”

Mr. Hurd – a bank officer – reached down for his own firearm and addressed the overall-wearing-robbers (part of the Oshkosh b’ Gosh gang, I believe). “I don’t believe you will!” replied Mr. Hurd, just before blasting one of the bearded bad-guys.

The gunman fell to the ground. His companion – as well as Mr. Hurd – decided that was a pretty good place to be. They dropped to the floor, too. So, for a time the bank was quiet (except for the excited breathing of the wounded man), while each plotted a plan of action from the vantage point of the floor-tiles. Finally, the second robber helped the first man to his feet. They looked around the bank, shuffled out the door to a waiting car, and drove away.

“Up your nose with a rubber hose,” called Mr. Hurd after them. (Kidding again.)

You can see in the image that somebody made off with the pointy thing on top of the building, but the rest of the structure is rock-solid and revitalized, thanks to a civic-minded citizen and an investment in preservation.

The heavy equipment will be gone soon, just like the horse and buggies in the old-time image. Then, we’ll raise our glass of stout and call out the familiar toast…

(You didn’t think I would go there again, did you?)

Come visit!

McHuston

Booksellers & Irish Bistro
Rose District
122 South Main, Broken Arrow, OK!

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