SMALL TOWN CENTER STILL MATTERS This column originally appeared on Wicked Local

I was coming back from a successful dentist appointment traveling north on Route 18 on the Whitman-East Bridgewater line when I noticed a line of rush hour traffic going south that was reminiscent of the parade of cars heading to Ray Kinsella’s farm in the movie Field of Dreams.  I found it hard to believe that all of those cars could really be headed for East Bridgewater, a small agricultural town where an exciting day forty years ago meant Johnny the Farmer drove past you on his tractor.  Because East Bridgewater is my hometown and a place that I have been back to only infrequently over the past few decades, I felt that I owed it to myself to take a closer look. 

Driving in past the majestic, once ivy-covered library, the buildings in East Bridgewater center were familiar, but the names of the businesses were unidentifiable for the most part.  In some cases businesses were sadly vacant.  This includes what had once been East Bridgewater’s notable general store called Luddy’s, which later became known as the Village News.  The sign above its door told me that it was currently called the Central Street Café.  The sign actually posted on the door, however, told me that it was closed and not currently in operation. 

The overall appearance of East Bridgewater’s town center remains largely unchanged.  The parking lot constructed for the East Bridgewater Savings Bank is still there with its steep hill spilling out onto Central Street that only the bravest of us would skateboard or bike-ride down after it was completed in 1976.  The old historic building that once housed Swanson-Flood and Baggia Press still stands in close proximity to where Rexall pharmacy once operated, a small town drug store right out of Mayberry.  

East Bridgewater’s Dairy Queen never did re-open, despite the optimistic message on their Central Street sign high above the old stone wall in 1980 proclaiming that they would be back in March, leading us to believe for a succession of years following that they must have meant this March.   At one time, Dairy Queen was a prime East Bridgewater summer destination with a crowded parking lot of local folks with bicycles, customized vans, Corvettes, and motorcycles.  (This was the 1970s, after all.) 

I parked my truck on West Union Street in front of where Nate’s Hardware once was.  When Nate’s was still in business, entering his hardware store was like walking into a Norman Rockwell painting.  It was dark, the old wooden floors creaked with every step, and if you were under the age of thirty Nate would suspiciously follow you around the store leering at you convinced that you were there on a secret mission to steal Wiffle balls.    

I stopped into Towne Cleaners on the corner across the street.  “We’ve been here for 75 years,” said store owner Craig Kambegian.  Asked about changes he has seen over the years in the town center Kambegian said without hesitation, “Traffic!  A lot more traffic and accidents!”  Kambegian went on to say, “A lot of the stores have changed.  Some of the businesses have stayed here.  Russell’s Barber Shop is still here.  He’s been here now for forty years,” pointing across West Union Street.  But when asked about the most noticeable changes that have taken place, Kambegian quickly responded, “For years this center was so busy they had to have a crossing guard on the street outside for the kids.  No more.  Kids don’t walk here anymore; not for school, not for anything.  They used to be everywhere.” 

I walked over to Lil’ Peach, our alternate outlet for Marathon Bars, Wacky Packages, and baseball cards when we were kids, but quickly discovered that Lil’ Peach was now a 7-Eleven.  I asked the man behind the counter how long his store had been operating as a 7-Eleven.  “A year ago April,” he said smiling.  “Before that it was a Tedeschi’s and before that,” a Lil’ Peach we both said finishing the sentence together.  

I consider myself lucky to have grown up in East Bridgewater when I did.  Life was still filled with an element of simplicity, there was still a strong sense of community, and the streets were generally safe for kids (with the possible exception of some bad apple who might be coveting your bike). 

East Bridgewater’s town center had a definitive pulse back then, at least in the eyes of the local kids whose heads were not yet buried in phones and were still able to recognize and embrace the intrinsic value of the world around them. 

“It would be nice to have the town center come back like it was years ago,” said Craig Kambegian nostalgically from behind the counter at Towne Cleaners.

A sentiment to which I totally agree, especially if they finally re-open the Dairy Queen.