Hidden Store Fronts...

The day after the big hurricane/snow storm last week (the one I didn't realize the wind was 77+ mph or that we'd lost power?) when I walked down to the bank, my favorite teller Clay said,

"Did you see that the front of the building is peeling off of Prescott Antique and Craft Market?"

I hadn't up until that point see the building, and I didn't think that it was a good time to inform him that I had no idea that the storm had even been that bad by saying, "Why would that happen?!"

Also? I was having a very hard time picturing it in my head.

You see, the building in question has three separate storefronts in it, and was covered by some very tall and very ugly metal siding that was probably put on in the 1960's or thereabouts, to probably modernize the stores...and I just couldn't quite wrap my mind around anything being able to peel off.  Until I walked out side and glanced up the street.  Indeed...the whole front of the top of the building was literally buckling and peeling off...

It looked like it had melted right down.

My mother owned The Prescott Antique and Craft Market at one point, so I immediately called her...and she was having an equally difficult time picturing the peeling of the metal.  She also asked, "what does the building look like underneath?!"

Well, that's the thing.

I think it looks fantastic!

Yes the storefronts have boards nailed all over them, and yes they're filthy dirty, but look at all that exposed brick...and the Pioneer Photo sign.  I don't ever remember there being a Pioneer Photo here, but then again, I don't ever remember this building without the ugly metal siding decorating it.

We're worried that they're going to stucco over it like they do with a lot of the buildings and homes here.  I'm not sure if people think the structures look better that way, or if the rumor is true that the grout that was used with the brick in these buildings isn't holding up very well after all over time and they have to do something to keep it all together.  Then again, there are a lot of brick buildings still maintaining their integrity that are sprinkled in between the stucco.  I mean, I appreciate stucco to a point, but with all the fluctuations in temperature in our mountains, stucco is usually not the best building material.

(cause of the large cracks and the non-historical value...Like the people who stuccoed over a delightful craftsman style home right down the street from me...right over the original wood siding.  It's awful!  And ugly)

And in case anyone's listening?

I vote they wash off the brick and the rest of the building, tear off the boards, and leave it like that...

The Prescott Antique and Craft Market has recently closed, and I honestly think that they could rent the building faster this way.  Plus?  It totally looks more historical than a bunch of metal siding or stucco.