This empty shop near me speaks to me about lots of things, including the increasing emptiness of suburban life. I am lucky to have a corner shop, a pharmacist, hairdresser, and a couple of small mixed businesses (groceries, fruit & veg) within a couple of hundred metres. However, this old butcher's shop on the next corner to me, speaks of a time when all shopping was done locally. Now in Australia about 65% of meat is bought in supermarkets (which is less than the UK or US; there are still lots of butchers shops here.Local shops are also a place to meet and converse with your neighbours - the ones you count as acquaintances if not friends, and count as part of your community. The people who would recognise your face if you had to seek help in an emergency.
Today's first-of-the-month theme amongst the city daily photo community is Empty. See how others have interpreted the theme.
Click here to view thumbnails for all participants
And today, a supplementary photo! When I'm thinking stuff like the thoughts above, in order to stop myself getting depressed about things, I like to find beauty, humour, or a combination of both, in the world around. As I was walking to the station this morning I spotted this empty crate on the footpath, with a banana peel inside. Do you think maybe a monkey is loose on the streets of Postcode 2205?
Actually, I nearly posted a banana peel!
ReplyDeleteRe the Prince Alfred Park pool. No problems with you using the images at all. You can use my words or your own. That is cool. The City of Sydney site has most of the information.
I walked around there last weekend and clambered through a hole in the wire. There were kids in there throwing stones too.
It will be much more than just a pool complex. I would like them to include some play equipment like they have over at Sydney Park. It is a great place: I am posting on it for the rest of this week.
I am about to go over to the library to get the book about the defending of Sydney Harbour. Hard to keep a history-crank down!!
So there's where my banana peel landed! :-)
ReplyDeleteI thought at first you were gonna talk about Christmas with those stickers on the wall. But like you, we are seeing an increase in the number of empty stores and shops due to the economy.
Good one Sally. I've been wondering what's happpening with that shop. There was a lot of work going on demolishing the interior and then they just stopped.
ReplyDeleteSydney - City and Suburbs
I know the theme is empty and your second photo fulfills the theme, but I really like the first photo a lot. Have a great theme day!
ReplyDeleteHa, I almost missed the banana peel. I had almost decided this was an inside joke...then I spotted it. Nice work.
ReplyDeleteI'm not so sure that the local shops won't see a resurgence in the coming years.
ReplyDeleteJust my own little bit of survivalist planning, but eventually fuel prices will force a return to old distribution networks, and there won't be any bananas from Brazil in Aus!
Sunshine Coast Daily Photo - Australia
BOO! Hi Sally, just checking in here on my way to your grandfather's blog...am reading 'SOmme Mud' at the moment.
ReplyDeleteThis butcher shop used to be owned by the Cornwall family, back at the dawn of time...I remember the big wood block, saw-dust on the floor.One of the Cornwall daughters lived across the road from us,in Horsell Ave, when she married.
Supermarkets are taking over, it's true. We still have our open markets, thank goodness, but even so many people never visit them - only the supermarket. There's something depressing just about the word Empty, isn't there? Maybe we should have a Theme Day with Full as the subject!
ReplyDeleteI think a Theme Half-empty would be good ... then we get to see which side people fall ...
ReplyDeleteWe have a few empty buildings in our downtown, but no on the loose monkeys thank goodness.
ReplyDeleteI like the play with the sunbeams in the first photo with 'Christmas Special' on the wall. Took me a second or two to figure out what I was looking at.
ReplyDeleteMaybe everyone is shopping online. Great interpretation of empty.
ReplyDeleteIt saddens me too when I see a local business shut down. We've had a couple of 30+ years in business restaurants close. The empty bucher's shop photo is just lovely even though empty.
ReplyDeleteThe banana peel, with the thoughts of monkey on the loose, is so funny.
I like the idea of a monkey being loose! Lol! Two great photos for th theme :)
ReplyDeleteI was in a country town a while back and half the shops were empty so i guess it is happening everywhere.
ReplyDeleteNice choice for the theme day!
Very appropriate theme pics. Recession does not help i guest.
ReplyDeleteThe modern reliance on large supermarkets is a distinct loss to society, regardless of the efficiency attached to our current way of life and shopping. I much prefer the old standard of small specialty shops: one for dairy, another for meat, more for flowers, etc. I'd really like to go back to that because it fosters a sense of community.
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