Quote:
Originally Posted by WT Sharpe
The store still looks great! In this country, we'd have ragged that building in 30 years, tops.
One of my grandfathers at one time used to live in back of his store; a small local grocery. Later, while still running the store, he bought a duplex and lived in the bottom floor of half of it while renting the other half to my father. The floor over him was where his sister lived with her husband. It was a nice way to grow up, with so much of the family there in one place.
|
When my great grandfather moved into this building they also lived behind the store, upstairs was (partially) rented to two ladies. There was also a printer at the back and, before or after, a spring manufacturer, although I don't know when. We recently uncovered the wallpaper in what was my grandfather's bedroom, which is now part of the store.
Growing up above the store has its pros and cons. Yes, my father was always there but with the store only being downstairs it always felt that the store was more important than the family. We never really went on vacation, we went to a vacation cottage owned by my grandparents every summer and my father would travel between that and the store all summer. Even now my parents hardly ever go away, the last time was 3 years ago for a long weekend (I managed the store). OTOH, if a light bulb burns out or I need a battery I only need to go down a couple of stairs to get it and my father was, and is, always up to helping with technical projects.