Thursday, June 23, 2005

Soon to Meet the Wrecking Ball

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Photo: Old Walgreens On Left - New Walgreens On Right - Springfield, IL Summer of 2005

The Walgreen's at the corner of Ash & Macarthur, in Springfield, Illinois is soon to be replaced with a brand spanking new building.

The old building holds many memories for me. I recall going there as a child. It was an Eisener's Grocery store then. It's funny how you don't remember much about your childhood until you start to think about one aspect of it - and then suddenly a massive flood of competing memories comes rushing in.

One of my early memories of Eisener's is being in the checkout line with my mother, I must have been around seven, or eight. My mother and another shopper were talking. They sounded horrified that milk was rumored to soon reach $1.00 per gallon. Suprisingly milk can be found for just twice that amount all these years later. Food in America - what a deal!

Construction is almost done, I imagine the new building will be bright, and beautiful, and look just like all the other Walgreen's throughout the nation - and just about the same size as the old store. Another part of my childhood-teenage stomping grounds will be gone forever.
Keys: The Village of Jerome, Springfield, Central, Illinois, Local, State, Political, Politics, Commentary, Macarthur, Ash, Walgreen's Drug Store.

6 comments:

Dave said...

I don't see the picture! I don't see the picture!

I remember that Eiseners. Of course, we grew up in the same area. Being in that Walgreen's I marvel at how that used to be a SUPERmarket. Now it can barely hold a drug store. Hell, the candy aisle in Walgreen’s probably has more candy in it than all of Pease’s did back in the day.

JeromeProphet said...

Pix posted!

I guess at the time we grew up that store would have been considered a large grocery store on the SouthWest side of Springfield, Illinois. Ha!

Jim said...

That's weird; I don't remember that being a grocery store at all. I remember the old National Foods down the street at Town & Country, but I have no recollection of the Ash & MacArthur Walgreen's being an Eisner.

Of course, I was a North End kid. We shopped at Bud's Clear Lake Supermarket. And when we were feeling really wild, the Kroger attached to the Clear Lake K-Mart!

Anonymous said...

I remember it as Eisner's too. Long before any of our times, it was the Milk Bar.

P.S. Does anyone besides me remember Castor's?

Anonymous said...

CaptainPlaceHolder,

Ya know, I never thought about it.
I guess the world must change for Walgreen's.

They're sort of like the mini-Walmart of the world.

JeromeProphet

Anonymous said...

Talking about Eisner stores. There used to be an Eisner years ago (50s, 60s)at north east corner of MacArthur and Jefferson. Later there was a pizza hut there (or is it still there?)
Does anyone remember the old Tolly's market at walnut and Jefferson northwest corner, later Tollys moved where national and then Schnucks were on the hill on Walnut Street. Also Ace Hardware on Walnut used to be Bishops Hardware. How about Millers Market on Jefferson where Willard Ice bldg. is now. I could reminisce all day about Spfld in 50s & 60s. d.b.

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