Finally the Historic Fox Theater in Paso Robles Will See Action Again

Historic Fox Theater - New Home for the RE:Find Distillery Downtown

I moved to the Paso Robles area in 1993. I've never seen the historic Fox Theater occupied. I've seen it boarded up. I've seen what pranksters have done to the marquee. I've just never seen anyone do anything to bring the building back to life. Now the Re:Find Distillery plans to move in and make it a gathering place for the community again.

Future Home of Re:Find Distillery,© B. Radisavljevic

Will It Really Happen?

I had hoped the building would come back to life when John Turano purchased the property in 2001. He had planned to turn the space into a special events center, but it never happened. It didn't go back on the market until 2015.  By then it was necessary to bring it up to current building code requirements. Alex Villicana is working on a renovation plan that will bring the building up to current codes. The Villicanas hope to have the building ready for use in two to three years. 

I wish Re:Find success in making this building into a thriving enterprise that will bring this section of Spring Street new life. I hope we won't be disappointed once again. 

Facts for this post came from an article in The Tribune.

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Read more here: http://www.sanluisobispo.com/news/local/article78111942.html#storylink=cpy

Meet "Veritas" -- Another Statue in an Unlikely Spot

I noticed this statue of a horse last week when I was driving by it on Spring Street. I don't know if it's new or whether I had just never noticed it before. It dominates the front yard of the Rossi Law Offices in Paso Robles. I was not able to get any information on the artist from the statue, but an online search told me the horse statue has been named Veritas, which means "truth." Evidently there was a contest to name the statue and the winner who came up with Veritas is Erik Mauk from Atascadero.

I'm looking forward to possibly discovering more art where I least expect to see it -- art outside the marketplace or the galleries.

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The Lonely Building Downtown on Spring

I recently drove by this vacant building, which used to be Century 21 Real Estate, and I noticed it's vacant now. It looks rather sad to me. It's for rent again, I believe. I hope someone will rent it again soon. It looks so forlorn. There are far too many empty buildings in downtown Paso Robles these days, and in many other cities as well. I'd love to see another business move in here. I'd like the economy to thrive again.

This is the front view of 521 Spring Street as of September 16, 2015.

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Hometown Nursery Is Now Lonesome Town

It saddens me to walk downtown in Paso Robles and see how many businesses are no longer there that use to thrive. It's especially sad when a business used to be one of my favorites has disappeared. Such is the case with Hometown Nursery. 

Of all the general nurseries in the Paso Robles area, Hometown was my go-to place for gardening inspiration. It was a place of beauty, with bright flowers everywhere, a whole section of shade-loving plants, and perky herbs and vegetables in season. They also had a good selection of organic seeds.

One day, they moved to the other end of town and although they probably thought it would be a better location, it was harder to get to them and harder to find a place to park. It seemed not too long before they were gone from that location never to reopen in Paso Robles. Now they are just gone. And this empty house and its grounds remind us that Hometown Nursery is no more. Click to enlarge the photo and see the poppies. 

                                                                                                                                   

The plants that loved the shade used to live here.

The grassy areas between the paths used to hold tables loaded with colorful flowers and seasonal vegetables and herbs ready to move to your garden. Now only  the trees, that have seen even the town itself begin, mark the place. 

As for the bright flowers, only two remain. The poppies in the second photo from the top above, and the bushes loaded with these pink flowers you see below. The only ones still working here are the insects who take what they need from the flowers and the birds and animals who harvest the acorns from the oaks. 

Has your town lost any businesses you used to patronize? 

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