Midtown is the oldest indoor shopping plaza in the United States. It's not surprising that Rochester, New York holds this distinction considering our weather. And it was only natural to put this thing indoors if they expected anyone to come. My mother took us downtown to see the clock when it first opened. I remember waiting for it to move more than I remember what was revealed when it finally did start spinning.

The design of this place is clearly not based on any tried and true, friendly, European plaza or town square. And it is going down the tubes fast. It needs to be completely redesigned. But this may be too tall an order for a a mere designer. This is the heart of a city.

Illustration by Chris Schepp

All of the locally owned department stores are gone, same story across the country, but the chain stores that moved in are also leaving. It's starting to look like the Village Gate (formerly Peddler's Village). There is not even a good newsstand down there. It's sad and I can't help but think they deserved it - those security guys with the brush cuts in red blazers that used to keep you moving and acted like they owned the place. The sign at the right pretty much sums up the hostile welcome mode of the place.

The Food Court is not for everyone but it does seem to be a hub. Only certain people get to hang around Midtown all day. Most are told to move along. Teenagers have to keep moving - towards the exit. I had a paper route and if the papers were delivered to me late or if I felt like skipping school, I'd use the paper route excuse. I'd take the bus downtown and have another breakfast at the Cavalier. They tore that whole block down for the Lincoln Rochester building. I'd wait for Jays Record Ranch to open at 10. They'd take 45's down from behind the counter and let you check them out in a listening booth. Next door on Clinton was a joke store with fake barf in the window. I'd buy the garlic gum and switch wrappers with Juicyfruit and pass it out back at school. They started playing movies at the Paramount/RKO around noon so I might take in a movie too. We didn't even want to go into Midtown. It has never been friendly.

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