We have all heard the stories from our parents and grandparents – the glory days of yesteryear, the good ol’ days, the “remember when” times.
I have only been calling Whitehorse “home” for a little over seven years, and already I can put together quite a list of “Remember When’s”, myself.
Remember when we had a DQ and a KFC? I’m not a fast-food person, myself, but I can only imagine the hurt some of you are going through without your regular intake of Toonie Tuesday and the Peanut Buster Parfait.
Remember when Board Stiff was downstairs, then upstairs, then small and now big?
Remember when Bent Spoon Café was Zola’s Café Doré, and when Zola’s Café Doré was Bubba’s?
Remember when Please Mum was Coast Mountain Sports, and when Coast Mountain Sports was the Taku?
(This one, in particular, is still tough to take.)
Some days I ponder taking a six-pack and a karaoke machine into the new Coast Mountain Sports, then setting up shop in one of the three-person tents at the back … just me, six Chilkoot, a little Bon Jovi Blaze of Glory and some nostalgia.
Remember when Sandor’s was one of “14”? Yes, 14 stores and services at the Qwanlin Mall.
There was Athlete’s Choice and Bata Shoes, San Francisco and Bootlegger and CD Plus … and who can forget Liquidation World?
Remember when the vacant Canadian Tire lot actually housed a Canadian Tire?
The remnants are still visible behind the faded red triangle and the mural of Skookum Jim.
Remember when the corner of Main and Second Avenue was the place to go for a sharp- looking suit? (as opposed to a skinny vanilla frappé) … and when Baked Café & Bakery was the Bakerei?
Remember when Flippers Pub was Patty’s Pub, and when Patty’s Pub was the Backwater and when Coasters was the 202?
Remember when the Chinese Food Restaurant was that “other” restaurant, and when that other restaurant was the restaurant before it was Shenanigans?
Remember when Doc’s Deli was the Talisman Café, before the Talisman moved beside the 98? Now they are both gone.
Sure there are more, but there are also many other businesses that have come again that I’m sure I have missed, as well.
I guess my main fear is that 40 years from now I’ll be walking down Fourth Avenue, with my grandson, and I’ll glance over at the Adult Warehouse and say, “You know … that place has been here since I can remember!”
Yes, it is certainly not just the people that are transient in the Land of the Midnight Sun.
