Out With The Old...

We went to Carlson Hardware last night, and all I got was a pizza.

The new Ramano's restaurant occupies the old Carlson's building, and it's quite the showpiece for little old Redlands. A great deal of thought and expense went into converting the place into an upscale bar and restaurant, and the food and atmosphere are very good.

Still, I miss my old hardware store. It was a place where you could always find the odd bolt or fitting or gadget that the big chains just didn't have, probably because there was no profit in it. Carlson's filled that niche, but their business model just doesn't make sense any more in today's world. You can't make a living selling wood screws for nine cents a piece.

Alas, you can get a lot of people to fork out fifty bucks for pizza and beer. Which is why Ramano's exists and not Carlson Hardware.

The same goes for the building next door. Some (!) of you will remember when it was occupied by Harry's Stereo. It was rendered obsolete by the big chain electronics stores, which now are themselves faltering. Harry's shop is now the home of a very trendy eatery as well. One of Harry's nicest stereo receivers probably cost less than a dinner for two with wine and an appetizer.

Go figure.