The Future of Our Storied Past
My earliest childhood memories are of growing up on a farm in Smetana, a small community near Bryan. We didn’t go to town much, so it was sheer excitement to be able to tag along with Daddy to get feed at Kimble’s, or hardware from Central Texas Hardware or Parker Astin, or getting to pass the time enjoying a burger and coke at the lunch counter of Woolworth’s, or a milk shake at Jarrot’s Pharmacy while mamma shopped.
All of our errands and activities took place downtown. Walking down the streets, in and out of shops, we all greeted each other because everyone knew everyone, or at least knew OF everyone. It was a community that looked after each other, which was a good thing, until you got into trouble. Word got back to your parents faster than you could!
Occasionally my brother and I would earn enough money working on the farm to be able to see a movie at The Palace or the Queen. We saw many great classics like Old Yeller, Cinderella, Lady and the Tramp, and Davey Crockett.
Some of my fondest memories were of the Red Goose. At the beginning of each school year, mamma and I would go shopping for a new outfit from K Woolen and a pair of new shoes from Lewis’s shoe store. With the purchase of a pair of shoes you would receive a gold token to be used in the Red Goose vending machine. In went the coin and out would come a golden egg containing a toy surprise. It put a smile on every child’s face.
When I was a teenager we sold the farm and moved to town on E. 24th Street. Being downtown, transportation was no longer an obstacle and I was able to work. In junior high, I got my first job at Tanner’s Dairy Queen on Texas Ave. and 24th Street, which taught me a lot about helping and serving others. Now having a little money in my pocket, I enjoyed shopping downtown. I couldn’t wait for Beverly Braley’s, Lester’s and Edge’s to have a big sale!
We took a vacation (our first big one ever) to Alaska in 1966. Daddy loved Alaska so we stayed two years. It wasn’t long after our return that things started to change. Businesses and families were leaving for malls, strip centers and sprawling new neighborhoods. The slow downward spiral resulted in empty storefronts. Grand old buildings were wrapped in plywood and boarded up. It was a ghost town.
Most had written it off as a “has-been”. A place for past memories but not future life. Admittedly, at times, I had my own doubts. During my 40 years in real estate, new development and progress steadily march south and east of downtown. Trends and perceptions do not change easily. (See a video filmed prior to the downtown revitalization, when the town was at it low)
But with the vision of leaders at the city and a handful of faithful residents, at the turn of the century, things started to change. It was slow, and missed by many, but vision of the master plan began to be implemented and revitalization encouraged.
In the grand scheme of things, the fate of one small town, doesn’t ring strong on the scale of significance. But to those of us fortunate enough to experience a thriving downtown, it was more than just streets and buildings. It was rich in history and full of life. A place for commerce, where friendships were forged, and families gathered. It was the soul of our community.
Today, I’m back shopping, eating, and enjoying walking the streets of downtown. The store fronts represent hard working entrepreneurs and the converted lofts and new houses have brought residents back downtown. The streets are full of the hustle and bustle of life.
Like so many towns in Texas, Bryan’s Main Street is becoming a destination, a community anchor and a public space for residents and visitors. Are we finished? Absolutely not. We must continue to create social bonds, continue to create places to gather, and promote civic engagement. Downtown influences how a community feels about itself – it gives a city its collective identity. It is the place where parades are held, where memories are made, where crowds gather to speak out on issues of the day, shop, eat, and have a cup of coffee with a friend.
While the revitalization continues, it will come with new problems and challenges created by well meaning but different points of view and ideas of how things should be done. During these challenges, it is my hope we will remember not only the hay day of downtown, but also the low point of boarded up and collapsed buildings, as together we write the next chapter of Downtown Bryan’s storied history.
Written By: Sarah Norman
