Historic downtown BFE

[markvid]

I always giggle when I hear local radio or TV commercials, wherever I am, urging a visit to the jewelry store or furniture shop or antique dealer in "historic downtown (Name Your Small Town Here)."

The point is that few people want to venture into the decayed downtown area if they don't have to. They'd much rather shop at one of the new malls at the edge of town, with free parking and all. So the downtown stores need to find a reason to lure people back to the deserted city center. What do we have downtown? Old buildings! Come down and see them! They're historic!

They're mostly vacant and boarded up, but come on down to see the plywood!