Transformation

The establishments that I frequented when I was a teen and young adult no longer exist. They have been bought out, renovated, merged and everything else in between.

Recently, Anheuser- Busch in Missouri was purchased by a Belgian-Brazilian Company.

My girlfriend resides in a suburb of St. Louis. Last week she informed me that she took her children for one final visit of the Clydesdale Horses at Grant's Farm. I do not know too much about Grant's Farm. However, I do know that my friend visits that farm often. Hopefully, it will not close. Following is an excerpt from the Grant's Farm website:

There are many exciting animal encounters possible at Grant's Farm, the 281-acre ancestral home of the Busch family, located just south of the city of St. Louis. The Farm is home to more than 1,000 animals representing more than 100 different species from six continents. Grant's Farm, operated by Anheuser-Busch, Inc., has been a St. Louis tradition for over five decades.

As I said, hopefully this ancestral home will remain.

I realize seasons change, cities get renovated, landmarks get transformed. With the blink of an eye, da-da!! The ribbon cutting for the new ......? It just seems like this is occuring to many venues, all at once. Baseball stadiums no longer have names such as "Tiger Stadium" (which was demolished last week ). Corporate Corporate Corporate! Now, baseball fans in Detroit go to Comerica (as in Comerica Bank) Park.

The names of the stores have been altered. Many stores do not exist. Here are a few examples of the stores (some in the metro Detroit area) that have changed names or are just a part of the archives because they no longer exist:

Arbor Drugs is now CVS

J.L. Hudsons is now Macys

Pine Knob is now DTE

Henry Ford Musuem is now THE HENRY FORD

Farmer Jack grocery does not exist

Harmony House records does not exist (maybe one classical store in R.O.)?

The good "old fashioned" movie theatres that DO NOT have stadium seating are starting to close down too.

Can't we just slow down a bit? I know the past is not the present but we can at least preserve some of it.