The Next (Disappearing) Soda Counter

Over time, as the US economy changes, businesses go in and out of style. With those changes, individual landmark shops give way to new entities, and within a few years, it's hard to even remember where the old Woolworth's (in downtown Princeton, NJ), or Bailey's (in Harvard Square), or even the Tasty (also in Harvard Square, and immortalized -- along with the late Bow & Arrow Pub -- in Good Will Hunting)




But one element of the cityscape for the last hundred years -- the independent photo shop -- is disappearing before our eyes. Moreover, while undoubtedly it will be replaced by an iPod repair shop, or a printer-cartridge refurbishing store, in the meantime a bunch of photo shops around Boston sit empty and 'for lease'.

Here's one on the corner of Washington and State Streets in Boston:














Here's one on Bromfield Street, just off Washington:
















And here's one from a recent trip to Atlanta, on Ponce de Leon, across the street from the original Krispie Kreme in Atlanta: