I grew up here in the 60s. I have many vivid memories. Lyle's getting a 7oz Coke with my dad or buying him pipe tobacco...I could still tell you where everything in the store was located. The department store next to him that sold "old people" clothes. Next to that the Certified grocery store where we bought groceries and when I was around 11 my mom went to work there. On the other side of Lyle's was Tim the barber shop. Next to him was some store that changed hands several times and for a while a Christian store, Next the post office (yes, I remember the combination to our box). Finally (drum roll) Ben Franklin. The roller rink was still operating. Keifer's bait shop. Dairy Queen. Midway Ballroom. Think "A Christmas Story"....the author grew up around the same time in Hammond where my dad worked. There was an A&W down the road and a little further a Tastee Freeze and a hardware store. They were owned by brothers. Over the past 65 years my life was never better than that time.
