Squint Shot 073110

We all need to live under some rules -- and as shown in yesterday's squint shot -- we are at the Fowlerville Community Park. As shown in the sign, you better be prepared if you are going to exercise. Personally speaking, I have taken our lovely KC Dawg for many a walk around the Rotary Mile and thoroughly enjoy the quiet time we have while getting in our exercise.

Squint Shot 073010

Yesterday's squint shot showed a sign from the Fowlerville Family Fair, shortly before I turned north on Grand Avenue. Once I was traveling along, I realized this particular sign had not been documented -- the Fowlerville Community Park. A few years ago, the Fowlerville Rotary dedicated itself to helping to rebuild this park years after it had been initially put together by the Rotary in the mid-1960s. This sign is at the street side, and just west of the sign is a considerable amount of equipment for children to climb on, jump off of, slide down, and generally have a great time.

Squint Shot 072910

The fair is long gone, but not forgotten. As I drove through downtown last week, this banner caught my eye. I have wondered, on occasion, if I am going to become a hazard at some point. As I sat in the left turn lane to head north on Grand Avenue, I hurriedly pulled out my camera and snapped a photograph. For all those reading this blog, please forgive me if I make you shake your head!

Squint Shot 072810

As with yesterday's squint shot "sign" picture, this for sale sign shows the possibility to be envisioned for the lot on the east side of North Ann Street if storefronts were to be built and occupied. The lots, unfortunately, are now becoming fields of weeds. There have been rumors of possible purchases, but as we all know, in this economy, we will wait and see.

Squint Shot 072710

There are two signs posted (well, really three but I don't want to advertise for a real estate business) that are posted at the lots now vacant where Bob Smith Ford's Used Car lot and the Fowlerville Lumber buildings used to stand. This particular sign is on the lot on the west side of Ann Street and shows the possibilities if buildings were built on each side of Ann Street. I, for one, am rooting for something to be built on these lots.

Squint Shot 072610

In our continuing look at various signs around town, this one for Danny's Pizza Shack has caught my eye many times. I finally pulled into their parking lot, rolled down the window, and enjoyed how comical the delivery guy looks -- rushing to get that pizza deliver before it cools down.

Squint Shot 072510

Fair week is coming to a quick close but at least one squint shot "sign" needed to be posted. "Fat Balls" were being advertised at some of the food carts -- seemed similar to an elephant ear, which is what I stuck with. The fair was, as always, a mixture of sights, sounds, and smells from glittering and blinking lights to the delightful screams of the daring passengers on the carnival rides to fried foods and barbeque meats tantalizing our tastebuds. My yearly list has always included either a corn dog or an elephant ear but next year, "fat balls" might just have to be added. We'll see . . .

Squint Shot 072410

In my travels recently, I looked up and what did I see? A Joe Hune sign; which soon became my squint shot for this series of sign shots. This huge poster is plastered to the grain elevators next to the Gladiator Junction building, south of the tracks on the west side of South Grand Avenue.

Squint Shot 072310

Fowlerville has a store, "Granny Green Thumbs," in the second storefront facing East Grand River from South Grand. This portion of the building that formerly housed and portion of Ruth's Resale, and before that different offices, has also been the location of a gift shop, bible book shop, and Jazzercise. In this series of squint shot "signs," their business logo is shown.

Squint Shot 072210

Yesterday's squint shot showed some signs on the building of the Keg 'n Cork. In our continuing looking at signs, here's the sign for the storefront. Do you ever really take time to look at all the signs around town? There will be plenty more in this series of looking at signs. Be sure to check out all of the other squint shots that have been posted over the last couple of years.

Squint Shot 072110

As we continue our look at signs around town, this squint shot shows the side of Keg 'n Cork, advertising the best deals. I've never really noticed these signs but now I'll be checking to see if they change on a regular basis.
With EasyRiders coming next month, this will be one of the busy storefronts in town.

Squint Shot 072010

The Farmers' Market is held every Wednesday in the parking lot in the northwest quadrant of the downtown area, from 2 to 7 pm. Sometimes this sign moves in the wind, other times it has balloons attached to it to catch your attention.

There is a movement in this country of sustainable communities -- producing and purchasing locally. So now today's squint shot of a sign should remind you to head downtown and pick up some fresh fruit and vegetables.

Squint Shot 071910

For the last few weeks the squint shots have been of the backsides of the buildings in the downtown area. But it is time to move on. I drove around town and took pictures of signs -- so that's what will be shown for a bit.
Today's squint shot sign is at the top of the grain elevators by Herbie's Fowlerville Feed and Pet Store. To be honest, I had never noticed it until just recently, which now makes me wonder exactly how long it has been there. Anyone know?

Squint Shot 071810

In all the years we have lived in Fowlerville, I honestly never noticed the back entrance for the Bloated Goat -- I'm assuming for employees only. It is tucked neatly between the expanded rear portion of Save-On and the laudromat building.

Squint Shot 071710

Yesterday's squint shot showed Sweet Sensations; today's is of the rear entrance of Save-On. Personally, I love this store. I hate to sound too much like a commercial but "go, go, check out their meat, oh, and salads too, and don't forget the thick-sliced bacon" -- I could go on and on. I wander into this store at least once a week for something great to put on our table.

Squint Shot 071610

As we turn back to the "backside" shots of the storefronts on the north side of East Grand River, this is the back entrance for the owners of Sweet Sensations. Customers use the front entrance. A few months back, numerous inside squint shots were shown of how Sherrie and Les Pardee refurbished the inside of this chocolate store. Take a look back at all the squint shots through the months -- it is an interesting trip!

Squint Shot 071510

Before turning back to taking pictures of the backsides of the buildings on East Grand River, I just had to snap a shot of this old garage behind the former location of Butler Gun. Does anyone know what this might have been used for? It looks like it has been well-used at best.

Squint Shot 071410

Before continuing eastward on the block of the buildings that face East Grand River, I swung my camera around to take a picture of the back of the building that used to house Butler Gun. It would appear to now be empty. The back of the stone house that can be seen at the right side of the photograph has served as living quarters for various doctors through the years, but now I'm not sure who is using it. My curiosity moves in the direction of what does the old Butler Gun building look like inside.

Squint Shot 071310

Just east of the pharmacy is now a location for another physical therapy storefront, making two of these facilities in one block. Formerly, this was the back entrance to Curves until they relocated to Gladiator Junction at the railroad tracks. In my travels around town, I have noticed people leaving one therapy place to head to the other -- are they maybe associated?

Squint Shot 071210

As we continue down the East Grand River block looking at the "backside" of the buildings, we come to the rear entrance to the Fowlerville Pharmacy. It is now associated with Health Mart, but no matter what the change in name, the same great service is offered for prescriptions and a myriad of other items.

Squint Shot 071110

While we are still checking out the rear portions of the northeast quadrant buildings, this particular squint shot shows the area right at the corner. The rear entrance in the small building is for the physical therapy and there is no back entrance for the Edward Jones offices. The "doorway to nowhere" at the center of the picture? Not sure what that is all about! The large wooden rectangle at the right of the picture was shown in an earlier squint shot and has been related to me that was formerly a large picture window for a photography studio located on the second floor.

Squint Shot 071010

These "backside" squint shots have now cover three of the four quadrants, which leaves us with the final block -- the northeast corner facing North Grand and East Grand River. This particular squint shot covers three different businesses; Dr. Park's at the far right, Olden Days just south of that, and the remaining the rear of the future home of Maria's School of Dance. In the near future, there will be additional pictures of the inside of the second floor of this building as renovations have unearthed additional treasures.

Squint Shot 070910

The last "backside" squint shot for the southwest corner is the rear of a wooden building. Years and years earlier, a three-story (2 1/2 above ground) brick hotel stood at this corner. Over the years since then, a gas station has been here and, until just a few years ago, it has stood empty. Herbie Auto Sales used the building for a few years selling used cars -- it was always fun to stop in and have a chat with him (which, of course, you can still do if you head to Fowlerville Feed and Pet Store). Over the roofline at the left is the Harmon building and at the right side of the picture is Gormley & Johnson's building.

Squint Shot 070810

As soon as I was finished taking a "backside" squint shot of Curtis Grocery, I turned toward West Grand River. In the past, I have shown pictures of this building but usually just portions. This building is the old Ford garage, built in the early 1900s. It now houses Jeffrey's Automotive. From the back view of the building, the arched roofline is still visit (the front of the building has a facade on the front). Just to the east of this building is an empty building that used to be a part of the gas station operation at the corner. Over the roofline of these buildings, the tops of the dentist's office, hardware store and three-story Harmon building are visible.

Squint Shot 070710

I believe I have heard this building is around 15,000-17,000 square feet, soon to re-house a grocery operation of the Curtis family. For years, this was Frank's Foodliner, then Frank's IGA. A few years back, the Curtis family sold the grocery store to Chris Rosati and it became Rosati's MarketPlace. But now, after extensive remodeling, this summer the village of Fowlerville will be able to shop at Curtis Grocery once again. This "backside" picture shows the loading dock and northside parking lot. Once all of the signs have been put up in the front, no doubt there will be a few squint shots of those.

Squint Shot 070610

The last building in the northwest quadrant on West Grand River (now that the lumber yard no longer exists) is a two-story building that houses a dentist's office. This "backside" shot shows a small lean-to used by the hardware store for equipment storage. The dentist's building has living quarters upstairs, with the offices on the first floor. Tomorrow we head to the southwest quadrant to look at the backs of the buildings that front on South Grand Avenue and West Grand River.

Squint Shot 070510

There is a small alleyway on the south side of Lucky's Pub which was created a couple years ago when work was done in the west portion of this quadrant. Harmon's building is at the far left of the picture. What is shown is the "backside" of the Fowlerville Hardware store. In past squint shots, I've photographed the second door/window from the left as a "doorway to nowhere." The Fowlerville Hardware uses two storefronts, with the rear entrance at the left and an unloading/loading dock at the right.

Squint Shot 070410

Lucky's Pub is the next "backside" squint shot. Before taking this picture, I had not noticed the new sign above the rear entrance. My curiosity of why it is covered, at least partially, was answered in a recent letter to the editor in the Fowlerville News and Views. It would appear there is some debate with the village council over this sign. Some days I notice it is covered and other days partially uncovered.

Squint Shot 070310

Years ago this building was converted into five apartments -- one large one on the first floor and a part of the second floor, and four other smaller apartments. Before that it served as other storefronts, including a meat locker. I had the opportunity a few months back to step into the back door -- a very thick door -- and see a portion. It certainly doesn't look like a meat locker but a perception of thick walls and a quietness surrounded me. One of my very early squint shots was of the wooden tulips at the right side of the photograph.

Squint Shot 070210

Continuing south from the township offices and the pet grooming facility, this "backside" squint shot shows the rear entrance to Reggies Barber and Beauty Salon. A few years ago, Reggie Talbot redecorated both the inside and outside.

Squint Shot 070110

As we continued our "backside" squint shots, the rear of a grey building that fronts on North Grand Avenue is next.

Just south of the two buildings housing the Handy Township offices, stands this two-story building. The back shows former windows that have been bricked and boarded up. The first floor at the front is a pet grooming storefront. From what I've heard, years earlier this was the location for the telephone company.