Pause in Trasition

 Medicaid and Union Health plans are still being accepted by this pharmacy, which has moved two store fronts down, now in a former 99 cents store, which closed instead of adding not including sales tax to its marquee. Well maybe it has to do with land lords, the dominance of development companies on downtown lives and commerce. The pharmacist has been in this storefront a long time, decades, long enough to have this classic storefront sign, optimistic 60s era art deco design. What will happen to this large outdoor sign; obviously it didn’t move with the pharmacist and I can’t imagine a new pharmacy repurposing the sign.

 The gate is usually up so this is a rare picture of the inside, now cleared of all the shelving, products and life. Decals left on the door as if they were selling lottery tickets just the day before. Hooks and marks on the walls, shelving gone, the aisles clear of aisles, harsh, bare, fluorescent lighting. Clues galore of what used to be here, giving the appearance the clearing out was sudden and there was no reason to entirely erase the remnants. That will come, who knows what sort of likely yuppie establishment will appear in the irrevocable march of gentrification. I mean, I hope it’s good and I don’t even use this pharmacist and besides the pharmacist is still in business. I’m just saying… otherwise, this picture is a moment in time. What preceded this pause is gone and what will follow that has yet to arrive. We are seeing change, pragmatic, inevitable and a little sad, like the tattered awning with its promise of hablamos Espanola. The new order is here and whatever cannot adapt will be disposed of.