John F. Long, R.I.P.

Me and John F. Long, 1987

Developer and philanthropist John F. Long passed away yesterday at the age of 87. Mr. Long, an Arizona native who honed an indomitable work ethic during the lean years of the Great Depression, led the transformation of Phoenix into a modern metropolis. He was also an inspiration to a young boy who wanted to grow up to be a "city builder" and attended kindergarten at a school that bore his name.

John F. Long's homebuilding empire began humbly and grew through fortuitous timing. After serving in World War II, Mr. Long returned home, got into the construction business, and married Mary Tolmachoff. The newlyweds began to build a home for themselves; before finishing, they were presented with an unsolicited offer for twice what they had paid to construct it. Rather than move in, the Longs sold the house and began building two more on adjoining lots. Phoenix's growing population had created a huge demand for new homes and the Longs profited greatly, waiting until they had built several more before claiming one for their own.

In the early 1950's, Mr. Long acquired huge tracts of farmland west of Phoenix and began constructing Maryvale, a master-planned community named for his patient wife and business partner. He was determined to provide affordable housing for the thousands of people moving to the booming Valley of the Sun through innovative building techniques and economies of scale, selling three bedroom units to growing families for less than $10,000. Among the early buyers were Ray and Virginia McMahon, recent transplants from New Jersey who happen to be my grandparents. They raised my mother and nine other children in a Maryvale home.

Maryvale set a precedent for the Valley's growth by providing space for a hospital, a golf course, parks, schools, and churches. Mr. Long donated sites for these community needs or sold them below market value. He also developed several shopping centers, including Maryvale Terrace, where a young lawyer named Sandra Day O'Connor opened her first office. Across the street, Maryvale Shopping City (later Maryvale Mall) housed his own Malcom's Department Store, so residents didn't have to travel outside the community to satisfy their daily needs. Mr. Long set a high standard for development in greater Phoenix that ensured subsequent generations would enjoy a high quality of life.

In the early 1980's, my parents decided our family had outgrown our townhome in Tempe and we moved to a large house in Maryvale a couple miles away from my grandparents. An extra room previously used as an office for a home-based business became the "playroom" where I could make my "city building" fantasies into reality through Legos, Lincoln Logs, Matchbox cars, discarded boxes, and anything I could get my hands on. In 1984, I began school at John F. Long Elementary. I grew to become obsessed with the man who had built the city my family lived in and who also owned Maryvale Mall, where we spent much of our time.

Although we had moved back to Tempe, my mother arranged a very special gift for my eighth birthday: a meeting with John F. Long. While most boys would prefer to meet a costumed superhero or professional athlete, I was anxious to talk to a developer and share my ideas for the Valley's future. I was disappointed to find that Mr. Long was planning to build on State-owned land near Lake Pleasant I had earmarked for "Mitchell City." Much to mom's chagrin, he felt it necessary to argue with me, pulling out paperwork that proved he had rights to the tracts in question. I will never forget how much that meeting meant to me, nor will I forget that my mom arranged for Mr. Long to send a letter congratulating me when I graduated as valedictorian of the undergrad urban planning program at USC in 2001.

After completing Maryvale, John F. Long continued to be an innovator in housing construction and an advocate for the West Valley of Phoenix, where he made his fortune. To promote "sustainability" before it was chic, he built Solar One, the nation's first subdivision powered by solar energy that borrowed from the construction techniques pioneered by Hohokam Indians several centuries before. Mr. Long also continued to donate land for public use or sell it below market value; his legacy in that regard includes the Glendale Airport, the Maryvale Baseball Park used by the Milwaukee Brewers for spring training, and the conversion of Maryvale Mall for use by the Cartwright School District.

Unfortunately, Mr. Long's legacy is clouded by his opposition to the recently built University of Phoenix Stadium, home to the last Super Bowl. He argued that the government "Authority" responsible for its construction had been created illegally, though pundits noted he filed a lawsuit only after his offer of free land was rebuffed. In addition, Maryvale is now considered a "slum" in Phoenix, as its affordable housing became less desirable when growth and new neighborhoods pushed outward, incomes declined, and crime increased. Regardless, there is no doubt that Mr. Long was one of the most influential Phoenicians of the last half century.

The John F. Long story is intertwined with the story of my own family and how we became Arizonans. It speaks to the need of balancing urban growth with sustainability in the booming Sun Belt and how future communities ought to be built. More importantly, it speaks to the ability of a person to make fundamental changes through his or her own passion and dedication and how we all might learn from Mr. Long's life as much as I have.

Valley philanthropist John F. Long dies at 87 (Arizona Republic)

Hello Again

I want you to know that I am alive and doing well in sunny Southern California. The P.U. faithful continue to check in every once in awhile to see if anything new has been posted, and I appreciate the interest and support. I have no intention of abandoning this blog.

That being said, my last post on October 16, 2007 contained an itinerary of my autumn vacation down the East Coast, with the implication that commentary and photographs would be forthcoming. I acknowledge that I have not followed through but would like to point your attention to the following sets on Flickr:

Boston: Day One (October 20, 2007) -- 72 photos

Boston: Days Two and Three (October 21-22, 2007) -- 82 photos

The Big Dig (subset of above, October 20-21, 2007) -- 14 photos

NYC 2007 (October 22-24, 2007) -- 46 photos

Brooklyn Bridge (subset of above, October 23, 2007) -- 19 photos

Raleigh (October 27, 2007) -- 19 photos

Myrtle Beach (October 27, 2007) -- 5 photos

Still to Come: Photos from Charleston, Savannah, Atlanta, Walt Disney World, and Miami

Without delving into the litany of excuses I could make for not blogging, suffice it to say I hope to write more soon.

Itinerary

I am going on vacation.

Fri Oct 19 -- Boston
Sat Oct 20 -- Boston
Sun Oct 21 -- Boston
Mon Oct 22 -- Manhattan
Tue Oct 23 -- Manhattan
Wed Oct 24 -- Manhattan
Thu Oct 25 -- Washington D.C.
Fri Oct 26 -- Raleigh, NC
Sat Oct 27 -- Charleston, SC
Sun Oct 28 -- Atlanta
Mon Oct 29 -- Atlanta
Tue Oct 30 -- Walt Disney World
Wed Oct 31 -- Miami
Thu Nov 1 -- Miami
Fri Nov 2 -- Miami

Keep On Remembering Smitty's

The December 31, 1998 edition of the Arizona Republic announced the demise of Arizona's homegrown superstore chain, Smitty's. In the previous five years, the retailer had been sold three times and changed its logo twice; it would now be absorbed into Fred Meyer, a venerable superstore chain based in Portland, Oregon. In 2007, the remaining stores are known as Fry's Marketplace.

When this news article was published, I had just finished my last stint working at Smitty's #7, located at Baseline Road and McClintock Drive in Tempe, during the holiday break from my sophomore year of college. The store had been a big part of my teenage years, as I obtained my first paying job there as a courtesy clerk shortly after my 15th birthday and progressed to greater responsibilities as a customer service representative/PBX operator and a clerk in photo/video, sundries, and hardware. I have fond memories of those experiences.

Over two years ago, I posted "Remembering Smitty's" on this blog, a history of the chain. Surprisingly, it has become one of the most popular spots on P.U., attracting 34 comments to date. Most come from former employees, who have found a place to reminisce and share stories, nearly all of which occurred before I joined the company in 1994. I enjoy reading them, as they demonstrate I am not the only one with fond memories or pride in having working for the unique and venerable retailer.

The response to "Remembering Smitty's" demonstrates that there are few, if any, places on the Web to find information on the chain and discuss its past. I am pleased that Richie, a P.U. reader, was inspired by this post to create a Web Site exclusively dedicated to Smitty's named smittysbigtown.com. He is looking for the memories and photographs of former shoppers and customers and hopes to create a fitting "tribute" site with a message board that allows for interactive communication. I hope this post draws more attention to his project and assists in this wortwhile endeavor.

SMITTYSBIGTOWN.COM

Previously on P.U.

Salute to Smitty's Big Town (6/6/2007)
Remembering Smitty's (7/10/2005)

N.B. to the P.U. faithful: Forgive the lack of posts. Yours truly has been preoccupied with preparing for a move and driving to and from the Antelope Valley.

My Trip to the Triple-Decker Target

Today marked the official grand opening of the three-level Target at Glendale Galleria. I visited the store this afternoon and found it crowded with shoppers, bringing additional traffic to the popular mall.

Although it lacks an outdoor garden center, the store features the typical Target merchandise mix, including a large selection of grocery items such as milk, eggs, wine and beer, and frozen foods. The addition of Target makes the Galleria a true "one stop" shopping destination, complementing JCPenney, Macy's, Mervyn's, Nordstrom, and over 200 other stores and restaurants.

Target's building was formerly occupied by a Robinsons-May department store. Its interior has been completely rebuilt to accomodate the big-box retailer's format. An impressive central atrium links the three selling floors with seperate escalators for people and their shopping carts.

More of my photos can be viewed on Flickr

Previously on P.U.

Target Reaches New Heights (7/26/2007)

Target Reaches New Heights

Target opened its first three-level store at the Glendale Galleria yesterday. The 180,000-square-foot emporium replaces a shuttered Robinsons-May department store and is expected to draw additional foot traffic to one of Southern California's most successful shopping malls.

Big-box retailers such as Target have traditionally favored large one-story buildings accompanied by a sprawling parking lot. However, that format is impractical in established neighorboods becuase large tracts of real estate are expensive and difficult to assemble. As big-box retailers move into greater Los Angeles and other urban centers, they have acknowledged this restraint by pursuing multiple-level stores with structured parking as well as locations in traditional shopping malls affected by consolidation among department store chains. The Galleria's new Target exemplifies this trend.

Although Wal-Mart is considered to be less innovative than Target, the nation's largest retailer opened its first three-level store four years ago. It is also located in a Southern California shopping mall, the Baldwin Hills Crenshaw Plaza in South Los Angeles, replacing Macy's in a building that was originally one of the earliest branches of The Broadway, a local department store chain.

Previously on P.U.

Target Expanding into Glendale and Westminster (7/22/2006)

Who Will Get Lucky?

The Lucky chain began in 1935 with a grocery store in Berkeley, California and grew to become one of the largest supermarket operators in California and Nevada. In 1988, the company was merged into American Stores, a retail conglomerate that ten years later was acquired by Albertsons, then one of the nation's largest grocers. Albertsons retained the ACME and Jewel names in Philadelphia and Chicago, respectively, but in California and Nevada the company decided to retire the Lucky name in favor of its own.

Although Albertsons had operated stores in California and Nevada for decades, some industry observers considered Lucky to be the stronger brand, with a long history and a reputation for low prices. In April 2006, Grocery Outlet, an "extreme value" retailer with "no-frills" stores, decided to resurrect the name, opening a Lucky store in Rocklin, California. A legal battle ensued as Albertsons claimed that it still owned the trademark.

Shortly after Grocery Outlet brought Lucky back, Albertsons was sold to three seperate entities after several years of financial troubles. All of the company's drug stores were acquired by the CVS chain and nearly two-thirds of its supermarkets, including stores in Southern California and Nevada, were acquired by grocer Supervalu. The remaining supermarkets, including the Northern California division, were sold to an investment group led by Cerberus Capital Management.

In July 2006, the U.S. District Court in San Francisco barred Grocery Outlet from using the Lucky name, a decision that was subsequently appealed. Also in July, Supervalu began opening a handful of Lucky stores in Southern California and Las Vegas, confirming speculation that Albertsons had sold its disputed right to use the name in those markets. Supervalu's small Lucky operation is oriented towards the budget-conscious customer.

The Cerberus-owned Albertsons stores in Northern California were sold to Save Mart Supermarkets, a chain based in Modesto, California, in February. Last week Save Mart announced that it would convert 72 Bay Area locations to Lucky, bringing the brand back to its former home turf in a big way. Albertsons signs will vanish from the Bay Area as dozens of former Lucky stores revert to their original name.

Eric Lindberg, co-CEO of Grocery Outlet, responded to Save Mart's announcement by stating his company will prevail in court and be recognized as sole owner of the Lucky trademark. Mr. Linberg claims that Albertsons could not have legally sold rights to the name to Supervalu and Cerberus last year, meaning that the recent transfer from Cerberus to Save Mart is also invalid. If Grocery Outlet wins its court case, the company will force the closure of any Lucky stores owned by Supervalu and Save Mart.

The peculiar controversy over the Lucky name highlights the importance of a well-recognized brand. Nearly seven years after Albertsons retired the banner, shoppers throughout California and Nevada hold fond memories of Lucky's past, providing an opportunity for the name to return and be profitable for a new owner. The courts will decide whether that opportunity belongs to Grocery Outlet or Supervalu and Save Mart.

Previously on P.U.

Getting Lucky Again (8/28/2006)

The Malling of Warner Center

While few would consider Southern California to be "under-malled," the Australia-based Westfield Group, owner of many of the region's largest shopping centers, continues to pursue ambitious expansion plans. Last Tuesday, hours before the Santa Clarita City Planning Commission approved Westfield's proposal to enlarge Westfield Valencia Town Center, company officials announced preliminary plans for The Village in Warner Center.

As reported by the Los Angeles Daily News, The Village in Warner Center will be a mixed-use development with a hotel, offices, apartments, and condominiums along with 550,000 square feet of retail and restaurants. The project will link the adjacent Westfield Topanga and Westfield Promenade malls, creating a massive shopping and entertainment district that will be the undisputed hub of the western San Fernando Valley. At 3.8 million square feet in combined size, the three centers will rival Orange County's South Coast Plaza for regional prominence.

Unlike its neighbors Westfield Topanga and Westfield Promenade, The Village in Warner Center will not be a traditional enclosed mall with department store anchors. Instead, it will offer an outdoor environment organized around internal streets, a format commonly referred to as a "lifestyle center." The company has not decided on how it will connect the two indoor malls and the proposed outdoor village.

The massive project has the support of Los Angeles City Councilman Dennis Zine and Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa but Westfield is in the early stages of the approval process and construction will not begin for at least 2 years. When public hearings begin, City officials and local residents will have an opportunity review and comment on the details of the proposal, including its design and its traffic impacts.

Previously on P.U.

Mind The Gap (6/27/2007)
Westfield Topanaga Expansion Opens October 6 (8/23/2006)

Downtown Ralphs to Open

Photo from Flickr user fridayinla

In most neighborhoods, the opening of a new supermarket isn't a remarkable occurence. However, the arrival of Ralphs Fresh Fare at Ninth and Flower is a seminal event for Downtown Los Angeles.

As reported on the front page of today's Los Angeles Downtown News, the long-awaited Ralphs will open its doors this Friday. The occasion is something of a homecoming for Ralphs, the venerable Southern California grocer that began operations in Downtown in 1873 and pioneered the supermarket concept on the West Coast. More importantly, it is a signal that Downtown has finally arrived as a viable residential community, as the area previously lacked a traditional full-service supermarket.

A Downtown renaissance has been pursued by civic and business leaders for nearly half a century. Once the undisputed capital of Southern California, Downtown steadily lost its prominence as Los Angeles sprawled along its major boulevards and freeways, giving rise to shopping and employment centers with easier access and free parking. After World War II, attempts at redevelopment bolstered Downtown's status as a focal point of government, culture, and commerce, but it never became a desirable location for residents, emptying out on weeknights and weekends.

The City adopted an adaptive reuse ordinance in 1999, encouraging the conversion of vacant office buildings in Downtown's Historic Core into housing units. The ordinance sparked a residential boom that eventually spread from the Historic Core to the South Park district, home to the Staples Center arena and the L.A. Live Project, where developers eagerly snatched up parking lots as sites for new housing developments. In 2003, Ralphs chose South Park as the location for its store, anchoring the ground floor of a mixed-use building known as the Market Lofts.

In recognition of the affluent demographics of Downtown's fledgling residential population, the new Ralphs store will be one of its 25 Fresh Fare units, oriented towards the upscale customer with amenities such as a wine tasting station, a sushi chef, and a cheese and olive bar. While the grocer expects its store to begin making $500,000 in sales each week, it may not have the neighborhood to itself for very long, as the posh Whole Foods chain is rumored to be eyeing a site at the L.A. Central development only a few blocks away.

Ralphs may open a second Downtown store in order to defend its market position and serve more customers in the booming community. The Los Angeles Downtown News reports that the company is eyeing a site in the Grand Avenue Project at Second and Olive, closer to the Historic Core and new residential towers planned for Bunker Hill. As supermarkets join the growing ranks of new shops, restaurants, and bars in Downtown, the neighborhood will become more vibrant and liveable, perhaps regaining its former prominence as the definite urban core of the nation's second-largest metropolis.

Mind the Gap

Topanga Plaza, the first enclosed and climate-controlled shopping mall in greater Los Angeles, opened along the western fringe of the suburban San Fernando Valley in 1964. The mall, while innovative in its design, was oriented towards a conservative middle-class clientle and included traditional middle-market anchors May Company, Montgomery Ward, and The Broadway. The mall's trade area subsequently increased in population and became more affluent, supporting the development of a second mall, The Promendae at Woodland Hills, in 1973. The Promenade catered to the fashion-forward customer with exclusive anchors Bullock's Wilshire, Robinson's, and Saks Fifth Avenue.

As the year 2000 approached, both malls were acquired by the Australia-based Westfield Group, a multi-national mall management and development company that also owned several other major malls in the Los Angeles region. Due to exansion, consolidation and reorganization among retail chains, The Promenade was anchored by two branches of Macy's and an AMC multiplex theatre, while Topanga Plaza was anchored by Montgomery Ward, Nordstrom, Robinsons-May, and Sears. Many upscale retailers began to locate at the larger Topanga Plaza as The Promenade found it increasingly difficult to attract new tenants.

In the last few years, Westfield has focused its energies on the former Topanga Plaza (now known as Westfield Topanga) with an ambitious program to nearly double the mall's size. In the last 2 years, the now-closed Montgomery Ward store was demolished and a massive expansion opened that included new Nordstrom and Target locations, many exclusive retailers and restaurants, and a new carousel and food court. Neiman Marcus is set to open a new store at Nordstrom's former location in 2008. The former Promenade at Woodland Hills (now known as Westfield Promenade) is far from a "dead mall" but its mix of entertainment, dining, and unique shopping seems remote from its successful sister mall up the road. The only way to travel the gap between the two is by automobile or by walking through two parking lots linked by a narrow and uninviting sidewalk.

The gap between the two malls is largely barren but is owned by the Westfield Group, which could realize great profit by developing that area. After hinting at plans to somehow connect the seperate centers, the Los Angeles Daily News reported today that Westfield has been conducting telephone surveys to learn what neighborhood residents would like to see at the site. Among the possibilities are a major hotel, a park and performance venue, and a conglomeration of high-end restaurants. Unfortunately, Gordon Murley of the South Valley Planning Commission is quoted as saying he would like the project to be "like The Grove" or "the La Cienega of the Valley" rather than a unique place that is tailored to the desires of the residents of the western San Fernando Valley the might draw people from "over the hill."

Any plan to fill the gap, like any other development program in Los Angeles, would have to address traffic concerns. However, as the Daily News notes, "about 3,000 condos and rental apartments have been approved" in the Warner Center area, providing a largely affluent "built-in" market that can reach these malls by foot. In addition, the western terminus of the Orange Line, a hugely successful bus rapid transit line, is in Warner Center adjacent to Westfield Promenade. While neighbors draw comparisons to Century City, another urban core built on a former studio lot, Warner Center is much less intense. Constant gridlock is not likely to ensue from development of the bypassed land between the two major malls, especially if a trolley, "people mover," or rapid bus system is created to shuttle shoppers throughout the area.

Development of the gap between Westfield Topanga and Westfield Promenade presents an amazing opportunity to the residents of the western San Fernando Valley. The malls of the Warner Center area should combine to provide a mixed-use, pedestrian friendly, and transit-oriented "downtown" that is compatible with its surroundings and serves the immediate area and visitors with minimal negative impact to the neighborhood. The Westfield Group has already shown itself to be a thoughtful developer, so I hope it will mind the gap in a constructive manner.

Rick Caruso's Los Angeles

July's edition of Los Angeles Magazine reminds us that it's Rick Caruso's world and we're all just shopping in it. Mr. Caruso, prolific real estate developer and political insider, is the subject of a lengthy profile by Ed Leibowitz that posits him as a twenty-first century Southern California power broker who may be the next Mayor of Los Angeles.

Mr. Caruso, a native Angeleno and graduate of the University of Southern California and Pepperdine Law School, launched into the real estate business through sweetheart land leases with Dollar Rent-A-Car, a company controlled by his father. He transitioned into shopping center development, constructing several neighborhood plazas in suburban communities such as Calabasas, Encino, and Westlake before embarking on The Grove at Farmers Market, an ambitious effort to create a regional retail destination in the middle of Los Angeles.

The Grove, which opened in early 2002, is an amazingly successful commercial venture and has become an icon for modern Los Angeles. In a city with few civic spaces, it's a place where everyone can stroll, shop, dine, and people-watch along a street closed to automobiles but traversed by a trolley reminiscent of the Red Cars that once defined the city. This outdoor shopping center, which ties into the historic Farmers Market at Third Street and Fairfax, expresses a nostalgia for a time that never existed but which Angelenos yearn for nonetheless.

"CarusoStyle," pioneered at The Grove and defined by attention to architectural detail, "place-making," and astitute retail leasing and mangement, will soon be deployed at the developer's new projects in Glendale, Arcadia, Playa Vista, Van Nuys, and elsewhere in the region. Mr. Caruso's leadership in the so-called "lifestyle center" segment has drawn the attention of his competitors, especially national titans General Growth Properties and the Westfield Group, as he will be building "CarusoStyle" projects next door to Glendale Galleria and Westfield Santa Anita, traditional indoor malls they respectively own. In both Glendale and Arcadia, the titans have fought Mr. Caruso's plans to no avail.

In Los Angeles, the political scene has long been tied to the business of real estate development, and Mr. Caruso embodies that relationship eloquently. At age 25, he became a Commissioner of the Department of Water and Power, a massive utility company owned by the City of Los Angeles. More recently, he was President of the City's Police Commission, assisting former Mayor James Hahn in the ouster of Police Chief Bernard Parks and his replacement by former New York City top cop William Bratton. While crime has decreased under Mr. Bratton's watch, the ouster of Mr. Parks strained Mr. Hahn's relations with the African-American community and may have cost him re-election.

In Mr. Leibowitz's article, Mr. Caruso admits to being "a great fan of public service" and would consider running for Mayor of Los Angeles. He's already proven his political chops by getting his shopping centers through the rigorous development approval process in several California cities and can rely on his experience on two City Commissions. However, he has at least one emeny in Bernard Parks, now a Councilman who won't forget the men who had him fired as Police Chief. The challenge for a Mayoral run by Mr. Caruso is best expressed by Mr. Parks's son and chief-of-staff's willingness to give Mr. Leibowtiz information on the (eventually dismissed) charges against family patriarch Hank Caruso in his days as a high-flying car dealer in the 1950's.

If there's any city in the nation that could elect a Mayor on the popularity, beauty, and cleanliness of his shopping centers, it's Los Angeles. Regardless of the trajectory of his political career, however, Rick Caruso has proven himself to be a master developer whose reputation will only grow over time. It's cynical but honest for us to admit that consumption is the only communal activity that brings people together in the twenty-first century. In light of that reality, Mr. Caruso's retail environments speak to what we think civic gathering places once were and should be.

"Coming Soon to a Neighborhood Near You"

Father's Day

Last year, my mom and sister encouraged me to come out to Tempe to join them in celebrating father's day. My dad didn't know I would be in town, so he was pleasantly surprised. Although my parents had been divorced for nearly two decades, all four of us acknowledged that we were still a family. We had a nice afternoon of swimming, eating traditional Louisiana red beans and rice, drinking beer, and getting caught up on the events in each other's lives.

After dinner, my dad drove me to Sky Harbor Airport so I could catch my flight back to Los Angeles. As I said goodbye, I didn't know that was the last time I would see him. While I wish that I could have seen him again in what would be the last eight months of his life, I find it very appropriate that my last time with him was during a surprise visit for father's day.

Life is full of complicated relationships, especially when it comes to family. No matter what has happened in the past, it's important to honor the people who have played a major role in our lives and to cherish the good times and happy memories. Sooner than we think, those people will be gone and there won't be another chance to make things right. Though I wouldn't realize it for quite some time, I learned that lesson last father's day.

Bob's Final Days

For as long as I can remember, "The Price is Right" has been one of my favorite television shows, largely due to the charisma of its host of 35 years, Bob Barker. Last October, Bob announced that he would retire and he taped his 6,586th and final show on June 6. It will air this Friday, once during the program's usual morning time slot and again during prime time.

Bob has been a broadcast television celebrity for 50 years, a feat that is unlikely to be replicated in an era where both the mainstream media and the definition of celebrity are far more segmented. The concept of a game show host who can be "all things to all people" may soon be an antiquated notion. It comes as no surprise that CBS is having a hard time finding a new host to replace Bob and that he has offered to come back as a "temporary" host in the fall if the issue isn't resolved. After all, who could fill his shoes?

In this post, I wanted to define Bob's essence and why it speaks to me and so many other people in this country. Alas, a few hours ago, an article was published at newsday.com that articulates my thoughts perfectly. Bob is the television version of comfort food, as we could always depend on him and the retro, never-changing set of "The Price is Right" to be there for us every weekday morning. I certainly did.

My earliest memories of the show come from my pre-school days. My father, who worked long hours and wasn't around much, quit his job and was home during the time he was looking for a new job. My sister and I spent many daytime hours with him watching game shows, including "The Price is Right." Once I was in school, I was often sick due to allergy and sinus problems, and I always made sure to watch Bob on the days I stayed home. Most recently, I have been lucky enough to have Fridays "off." In my last 2 years at USC, I didn't have classes or go to work on Fridays, and for almost 6 years I've worked 10 hours a day on the other 4 weekdays. Therefore I was able to watch the show every Friday and Bob provided a sense of continuity and stability in ever-changing times.

I've lived in Los Angeles for almost 10 years and wish that I had caught a taping at CBS Television City at Beverly and Fairfax and seen Bob in person. A couple years ago, my father came to town and hoped we could catch a taping. I obtained "tickets" but learned that admittance was not guaranteed. We would still have to camp out for several hours before the show in order for a shot at getting in the studio, and neither one of us wanted to endure the wait. I have no regrets, as I can cling to televised memories.

Congratulations Bob. Whether you come back on a "temporary" basis or not, you will be missed. The following video expresses the essence of Bob and "The Price is Right" at its best.



Links

After taping last show, Barker offers to fill in as 'Price' host: Fellow blogger and "The Price is Right" fan Steven Swain reports the news.

Oprah vs. Bob: In case you don't know who the REAL icon of daytime TV is.

Sentimental Guy

All of us support and appreciate music as a form of artistic expression that reflects the commonality of human experience. The songs we share remind us that we are not alone. Ben Folds is a brilliant musician and songwriter whose "voice" speaks to me like few others. I would like to share the lyrics to "Sentimental Guy" from his Songs for Silverman album, which I identify with after a tumultuous time in my life.

There's a moment in my mind

I scribbled and erased a thousand times

Like a letter never written or sent

These conversations with the dead

I used to be a sentimental guy

Now I'm haunted by the left unsaid

I never thought so much could change

Little things you said or did

Are part of me

Come out from time to time

Though probably no one I know now would notice

But I never thought so much could change

You drifted far away

Far away it seems

Time has stopped

The clock keeps going

People talking

And I'm watching

As flashes of their faces go black and white

And fade to yellow

In a box in an attic

And I never thought so much could change

Now I don't miss anyone

I don't miss anything

What a shame

'Cause I used to be a sentimental guy

Salute to Smitty's Big Town

Smitty's #1 in 1991 (courtesy Arizona Republic)

One of the most popular posts on this blog is "Remembering Smitty's," a history of the defunct Phoenix-based retailer that I worked for between June 1994 and August 1997, with additional stints in the summer and Christmas seasons of 1998. Smitty's was an early pioneer of the "superstore" concept, selling a full line of groceries along with an extensive assortment of general merchandise in large stores that included a pharmacy, restaurant, snack bar, candy shop, barber shop, bank, and optical store. The chain met its demise in 1999 when its stores were rebranded as Fred Meyer Marketplace and they now operate under the Fry's Marketplace banner.

The "Remembering Smitty's" post has attracted 20 comments since July 2005, mostly from former employees of the company. I enjoy reading their memories and speculate that many long-time residents of the Valley of the Sun also hold fond recollections of the store that billed itself as "putting it all together for you." It may seem strange that people could be nostalgic about a retailer, but the fast growth of greater Phoenix has led to an ephemeral existence in which change is constant. Since it is a place with few civic and cultural institutions, a sense of history and common culture can only be derived from the commercial landscape of shopping centers, movie theatres, and grocery stores. Now that national retailers like Wal-Mart, Costco, and Home Depot dominate the scene, people recall the uniqueness of a place like Smitty's.

Yesterday's Arizona Republic included an article that remembered the first Smitty's, located at the southeast corner of Buckeye Road and 16th Street in central Phoenix. Smaller than the "supercenters" that would follow, Smitty's "Big Town" #1 was a supermarket that did not sell much general merchandise, though it did include a restaurant. Opening in 1961, the store weathered drastic changes in the neighborhood, as the ongoing expansion of nearby Sky Harbor International Airpot led to the condemnation of hundreds of homes, eroding its customer base. The "Big Town" finally closed its doors a few years before the Smitty's name vanished from the Valley of the Sun.

As reported by the Republic, the site of the original Smitty's will soon be transformed into "Yourland" by developers known for projects that have "attracted Valley hipsters." "Yourland" will include a restaurant, a coffee shop, a building supply store, art and music venues, and an "urban farm." The Smitty's building will be retained, which is surprising considering that most redevelopment requires a "blank slate." The developers hope to incorporate photos of Smitty's #1 as well as the memories of the employees who worked there and the Phoenicians who shopped there. "Big Town" nostalgia should be directed to desk@marthaandmary.net.

Smitty's will always be special to me, as I got my first "real job" bagging groceries there at age 15, moving my way up to other positions over the next few years as I learned the value of good customer service and hard work. I am glad to see that other people have not forgotten Smitty's and its proud history of being Arizona's homegrown "superstore."