Delphi
The business district of Delphi is basically a plus sign, a few blocks in each direction from the point where two main streets intersect. The only stoplights in town are at this intersection.
The road that cuts through Delphi going East to West used to be an old wagon road that took pioneers westward into Ohio and the Great Frontier. The perpendicular North-South road is the one that comes up from the river. It used to lead to and from the ferry crossing, but now it takes you to and from the bridge.
The main intersection in Delphi has always been the heart of the business district. Old photos reveal a line of dry goods, hardware, and grocery stores, apothecaries, and liveries. You know, real businesses that met the basic needs of citizens and those traveling through on their way West.
Delphi does not meet many basic needs anymore. Other than perhaps the “need” to shop or get a massage or an over-priced cup of coffee. Well, that’s not true, exactly. You can still go to the post office and a slurry of banks and dry cleaners and florist shops, not to mention the public library. You can also get your prescriptions filled at the local drugstore, which happens to be part of a chain. And you can buy liquor at the state-owned and operated “Wine and Spirit Shoppe,” which is reputed to be the most profitable branch in the entire state.
I have to say that the streets of Delphi keep pretty busy. Parking is often at a premium, and traffic at the main intersection light can get pretty backed up towards mid-afternoon as SUVs, Mercedes, Audis, Porsches, Hummers, and school buses vie for space. And forget trying to find a parking place on a Saturday morning! One reason I am glad I live within walking distance of the “village,” which is the cute aphorism Delphites have for their downtown. I take great pleasure in the fact that I can walk to get most of my errands done.
While the premium retail real estate is on the main cross, some sporadic establishments spur off on side streets. One such is Petals, which is located in a renovated Victorian house about a half block from the main drag. It is here that Kaitlin spends most of her weekdays, placing orders, running the cash register, and humoring demanding customers. Truthfully, not much of her job is spent in the actual arranging of flowers, as her bosses tend to monopolize that aspect of the business. Occasionally, when they are out of town or out to lunch, she gets to try her hand at floral artistry, and it is these rare occurrences which provide job satisfaction and a much-needed boost to her spirits.
The road that cuts through Delphi going East to West used to be an old wagon road that took pioneers westward into Ohio and the Great Frontier. The perpendicular North-South road is the one that comes up from the river. It used to lead to and from the ferry crossing, but now it takes you to and from the bridge.
The main intersection in Delphi has always been the heart of the business district. Old photos reveal a line of dry goods, hardware, and grocery stores, apothecaries, and liveries. You know, real businesses that met the basic needs of citizens and those traveling through on their way West.
Delphi does not meet many basic needs anymore. Other than perhaps the “need” to shop or get a massage or an over-priced cup of coffee. Well, that’s not true, exactly. You can still go to the post office and a slurry of banks and dry cleaners and florist shops, not to mention the public library. You can also get your prescriptions filled at the local drugstore, which happens to be part of a chain. And you can buy liquor at the state-owned and operated “Wine and Spirit Shoppe,” which is reputed to be the most profitable branch in the entire state.
I have to say that the streets of Delphi keep pretty busy. Parking is often at a premium, and traffic at the main intersection light can get pretty backed up towards mid-afternoon as SUVs, Mercedes, Audis, Porsches, Hummers, and school buses vie for space. And forget trying to find a parking place on a Saturday morning! One reason I am glad I live within walking distance of the “village,” which is the cute aphorism Delphites have for their downtown. I take great pleasure in the fact that I can walk to get most of my errands done.
While the premium retail real estate is on the main cross, some sporadic establishments spur off on side streets. One such is Petals, which is located in a renovated Victorian house about a half block from the main drag. It is here that Kaitlin spends most of her weekdays, placing orders, running the cash register, and humoring demanding customers. Truthfully, not much of her job is spent in the actual arranging of flowers, as her bosses tend to monopolize that aspect of the business. Occasionally, when they are out of town or out to lunch, she gets to try her hand at floral artistry, and it is these rare occurrences which provide job satisfaction and a much-needed boost to her spirits.
posted by delta at 6:03 PM
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