One of the many Attleboro pages on Facebook posted a photo last week that stirred a number of memories.
The black and white photo, taken by a Sun Chronicle photographer atop the railroad arches, was taken at 7:03 on a rainy Wednesday night back in the late 1970s or early 1980s.
I know the time because the digital clock and thermometer underneath the sign for First Bristol County National Bank was still working, something I miss every time I drive through the city’s center.
I know it was a Wednesday night because shoppers are walking up and down Park Street.
Old timers know that Wednesdays were the only night stores in the city’s downtown kept their doors open late. North Attleboro businesses, on the other hand, were open late on Thursdays, giving area residents multiple nights to shop.
I know it was the 1970s or early 1980s at most, based on the model of cars occupying almost every space.
Sillman’s Shoe Store, Bibeault’s Pharmacy, Floyd’s Executive Discount Clothing, First Federal Savings Bank and First Bristol County National Bank are visible on the south side of the street.
A sign on the east-facing side of the First Federal Savings building, back when city hall occupied the upper floors, made motorists aware parking was available on Railroad Avenue.
I can’t remember — it might have been late July — when downtown stores launched their annual Summer Sidewalk Sales. The sidewalks in front of stores were lined with tables packed with merchandise available at sale prices.
I do remember seeing some stores selling the same items that hadn’t sold the year before.
I vividly remember being scolded one morning after my shift on WARA after saying on-air the Summer Sidewalk Sales were the time of year stores sold the junk they were unable to sell the rest of the year. While true, the comment did not go over well with the station’s sales force.
Years later, the Downtown Attleboro Associates coupled their one night of late closings with the people who organized the Wednesday Night Market.
Park Street from North and South Main streets was closed to vehicular traffic to the intersection of Pleasant and Union streets.
The death of the Wednesday events was accelerated, of course, when the Emerald Square Mall opened in North Attleboro. That facility is now fighting for its life as the evolution of shopping heads in yet another direction.
While Burgundian and Banditos restaurants have helped revive Park Street north of the railroad arches, the south end of the downtown is still struggling to draw foot traffic.
I suspect that will change in the fall with the opening of the renovated Morin’s Restaurant.
While it looks like the massive project is going to take longer than originally planned, I give the Morin family credit for taking their time and doing it right instead of cutting corners in a rush to reopen the portion of the building next to the original diner — which is still open.
That’s not to say they are not working hard to boost the downtown in the meantime.
Three hundred people attended a special event organized by Morin’s and Skyroc Brewery Sunday night on Railroad Avenue. The street was closed to traffic at County Street to the parking lot that decades earlier was jammed with hundreds of Balfour employees’ cars.
Sunday’s High Tide on the 10 Mile had it all. Country singer Timmy Brown entertained patrons enjoying a cold beer while dining on a special menu prepared by the Morin’s staff at tables set up in the middle of the road. Traditions Bakeshop supplied the dessert in the form of cupcakes — I had the Blue Bombardier coupled with a draft of the Blue Bomber.
I understand the original plan was to hold the event at the nearby Balfour Riverwalk Park, but the request was denied because of an apparent ordinance which prevents ticketed events on city property — an ordinance that should be reversed, in my opinion.
The city was represented by Councilor Nick Lavoie, Council Administrative Assistant Virginia Stuart, DPW Superintendent Mike Tyler and School Committee Member William Larson, although I wish more people from city hall had attended.
Out of fairness to those who were not there, tickets sold out in a matter of hours and they may have tried. I have to believe, however, had the mayor or city councilors wanted to attend, accommodations could have been made.
After all, if the downtown is ever going to look like it did in The Sun Chronicle photo I mentioned above, it’s going to take a collaboration of business owners and the people who work in city hall. It is why I hope to see those officials at the next event.
Peter Gay is a Sun Chronicle columnist and executive director of North TV. Reach him at pgay@northtv.net
