Slowly but surely the other old buildings near this little suburban row are disappearing, and yet somehow these long-closed shops still survive. Each and every time I turn the corner, I worry that the demolition crew might have been and gone, so each and every time the structures are still standing is another chance to enjoy seeing them.
In the decade or more I’ve been visiting the area, only the place on the left has actually been occupied. It still is in fact. The tiny eatery it once housed was already closed for business by the time I first wandered past, but the old lady who once run it still lives there. She still uses the tiny kitchen where she previously cooked for customers as well. Her continued presence more than likely the only reason the buildings remain.
What the middle shop was I don’t know, but the one on the right has the look of a beauty salon or hairdressers — its now uneven tiles and colourful awning making it by far my favourite.
That said, they work so well together. A little slice of the past in a rapidly modernising location, with their fading imperfections making them more and more perfect each passing day.