South Grand & Walsh St.
South St. Louis, MO
Just a few blocks east of the deco streamline building was a typical, unassuming corner store. St. Louis city “typical” means high quality brick laid in a decorative and imaginative manner, because St. Louis was a brick manufacturing town populated with the best brick laying craftsmen. So, even a tiny, workman place like the above was infused with some character simply because early 20th century St. Louis had personality to burn.

And for some reason, the current owners of this building decided to update it with a faux Pueblo plaster finish.
I wish it was socially aceptable to ask owners why they make the choices they do. Is it a maintenance issue? An aesthetic decision? A slick salesman’s fancy work? But whatever this owner’s answer, this building went from being calmly representative of the area to blandly representative of an AnyTown Arby’s.