The new Runnings store and the expansion to Hy-Vee and the other businesses in northwest Austin are great! Austin also needs more businesses downtown.

Over the ears, there have been many that are no longer here; Wold Drug, Peoples Drug, Lane Pharmacy, Cleveland Hardware, Erickson Hardware, First Bank, Austin State Bank, Security State Bank, Montgomery Wards, Sears, J.C. Penny, K-Mart, Dime and Dollar, The Town House, Blueplate Special, Midtown Café, B and E Grill, Oak Leaf, The Rose Room, Pizza Hut, Gendlers Auto Supply, Gamble Store, Woolworths, Kresges, Jupiter, Wallaces, Fantles, Buttrey’s, Leutholds, Gildners, Hurshs, Smith Shoes, Austin Bakery, Federal Bakery, Nicol’s Hobby Shop, Arett’s Dept Store, Scoville Jewelers, Austin Paints, Cooks Paints, Fox Hotel, Grand Hotel, Austin Hotel, two office supply stores, two gas stations, and more.

The businesses that have stayed here for years are the Tendermaid, Hastings Shoes, Paramount Theater, Knauers Grocery, Georges Pizza, Steve’s Pizza, Firestone, Brick Furniture (Meir Wolf), Usem Chevrolet, the Hallmark Shop, Philomathian, Home Federal, and Apold Music. No doubt, there have been others that have come and gone or stayed. But how about more shopping downtown?

Lillian E Fetterly

Austin