The old trolley stop on 5th is a taco stand now, and it hit me weird

Three years ago I used to wait for the bus at that little shelter on 5th and Main every morning. It had this cracked green bench and a schedule sign that was always wrong by at least ten minutes. Last week I drove by and there's a taco stand in that exact spot, with those string lights and a chalkboard menu. I actually pulled over and ordered some al pastor, just to stand on that same concrete pad. It was good, but it felt like the city quietly moved a memory on me without asking. The bus stop got relocated a block down, so now the whole corner has a different rhythm. Has anyone else had a familiar spot flip into something new and felt weird about it, even if the new thing is nice? I can't tell if I'm just being sentimental or if the city genuinely lost some charm.

2 comments

2 Comments

dakota4151mo ago

Is the taco stand actually better because it's good food, or because it's something to do while you pretend the old wait didn't happen? I get that change is fine, but there's a difference between a spot getting nicer and a spot getting erased, and standing on the same concrete doesn't bring the rhythm back. Do you think you'd feel the same if it was a bank or a dry cleaner instead of tacos?

kelly3851mo ago

Man, that's some real change for sure, but I gotta say this is a straight upgrade. That old bus stop was just a place to wait and be annoyed at the schedule, now you get tacos and people actually hang out there. Cities are supposed to change, and if a corner goes from sad bench to food that smells good, that's not losing charm, that's gaining it.