They Paved Paradise and Put Up A Walmart

A little known fact about my home town of Cottage Grove, MN is that we have, or make that had one of the last few remaining drive-in movie theaters left in the state.  It was old, it was charming and I know I was only there a few times in my adult life, but it was fun.

 

After a few years of battling the city, home owners behind the theater land and I would assume a majority of the residents of Cottage Grove, the other side finally won (or possibly our side gave up?). I am sad to say that in this charming site where people once flocked to on warm Friday and Saturday summer evenings, a huge conglomerate that will more than likely be open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, will rear it's ugly face.  Yes, I am sad to say that a Walmart will be in its place.  

This is not the actual building yet.  This was borrowed from Google images.

I unfortunately have to drive by the excavation site twice a day and ever since the first backhoe appeared, I can't help but think of Joni Mitchell or the Counting Crows singing Big Yellow Taxi..."They paved paradise and put up a parking lot" almost every time I drive by.  What used to be covered with trees, dusty gravel and old posts with speakers that were no longer needed is now covered with power equipment, huge holes and trees missing as far as you can see.  I can now see houses from the highway that I could never see before.  It's so depressing.  It also reminds me of a line from You've Got Mail, when Kathleen Kelly has to close her book shop.  She says: "My store is closing this week.  I own a store.  It's a lovely store.  And in a week it will be something really depressing...like a Baby Gap."  

Why these people are clapping on the ground breaking day, I have no idea.  They obviously forgot what a little gem this was not only to our city but to our state. 

This is an actual still from the video the local paper shot during groundbreaking.  Credit goes to the South Washington County Bulletin.

I suppose this could be a good thing.  I mean the closest Walmart stores are a whole 10 miles away in either direction.  Heaven forbid we travel any further than necessary to get to a place where you can buy milk, a bra, sliced ham and a bathmat all at 3:00 in the morning.

One more thing before I close, I am going to share a little text message exchange from January 10, 2013 with one of my friends.  He has a good sense of humor and well, here is our exchange.  It's like a little foreshadow of what's to come:

Me: It's 39 degrees outside and I just saw an overweight woman in shorts and sandals.  This doesn't surprise me as I am at Walmart.

Drew: Well at least they'll be invading the old drive in now...the level of spandex and oversized t shirts will be going up exponentially in CG

I couldn't have said it better myself.