When Chain Stores Move to a Better Neighborhood

Originally a Lowe's, it became a Furniture Factory Warehouse, all 8 locations have closed due to bankruptcy.

Another shot of the old Lowes, it's a Texas Thrift, I think they sell furniture there too.



Ahh, the side of of the Furniture Factory Warehouse: Only closed for 1 week, I noticed the tag on my way home from work last Tuesday.  I'm slightly impressed becaused a spray gun and a truck almost HAD to be involved.  However, it is a sloppy tag.  Jesus, if you have access to a spray gun and a big truck, take some pride for fucks sake.  Is this an ad for the Democrats during a hotly contested election season?



Side view, this is a HUGE building.

This was a Wal-Mart.  This is much tackier than Wal-Mart.  Fiesta FUN Mall? Not freaking likely.

Impervious surface, in disrepair.

More impervious surface and the billboard touting the "wonder" of Windcrest.

Um, Six Flags of the Fiesta Fun Mart?  But due to the bad economy, only four flags fly.

More crappy parking lot: there's no way know how much shit runs off this lot when it rains.

The old Windsor Park Mall sign.  Rackspace has taken over part of the mall, but it's mostly the beginning of the largely abandonded and derelict Walzem Road.

Abandoned Cleaners

Dry cleaners are notorious areas of toxic waste.  The chemicals (once used, hopefully not being used by modern era cleaners) are probably still lingering at this site, years later.

Located at the corner of East Elmira and West Josephine, the cleaners is located 1 block from the San Antonio River and across the street from an elementary school and has been vacant for at least 2 years.

Other versions:

The last in carnation was Slater-White.  The white truck was new, for 2 years no one came around. The architecture is beautiful for what was a dry cleaners.

Of course, it's been "tagged".

 Abandoned tank of probable chemicals.



Was the first incarnation the "Family Laundry"?

The roof, advertising and another giant tank.

Taco Land

There was a time between 1989 and 1992, I was pretty much running around in the streets, seeking "fun" (mostly dangerous and illegal). Looking back on it, now, I steal the term, "The Wilderness Years" from writer, chef, tv personality, Anthony Bourdain. I could not come up with a better term on my own. Part of that history is Taco Land and its owner, Ram. Once upon a time, Austin, Texas was not The Hipster Douchebag center of North America. Me and the rest of my "punk" friends had to go up the road to San Antonio to see big shows. No trip to S.A. was complete without a trip to Taco Land. Fuzzy memories: Ram was a kind man, welcoming us into his little corner of paradise. Ram was gunned down June 24, 2005, during a robbery. Two of his other long employees were shot during the robbery, his doorman, Gypsy Doug was also murdered that night also.

Here's what is left:






What do you do with this space? It's a historical space (god only knows how many bands played here), it is also the scene of a double murder.

It is also on the fringe of the San Antonio River Museum Reach.

The empty Taco Land looking over The Pearl redevelopment at the Josephine Street bridge.

Here's some outside links:

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=113892215

http://placeandmemory.org/index.php?title=Taco_Land

50 years is NOT enough:

http://www.mysanantonio.com/news/local_news/Taco_Land_suspect_pleads_guilty_gets_50_years_in_prison.html