So I’m backtracking through familiar territory right now, visiting motels, B&Bs, etc. to get a look at rooms and verify rates as I finish the chapter for the loop north of the Quad Cities. I am not very excited about this part of the project. I am also trying to figure out what kinds of stores to include in the book, and, truthfully, shopping bores the hell out of me.
Both of which made for a thoroughly depressing day plodding around Clinton, Iowa (population 27,772) last weekend. Saturday was a beautiful day, cool for July, with the chance of a stray storm lingering overhead all afternoon. I walked around several square blocks of downtown Clinton with a list of retail stores provided by the local Chamber of Commerce. As I wandered around, I nearly had the entire downtown to myself. If you’re looking for solitude, come to downtown Clinton on a Saturday afternoon.
I soon discovered that several of the stores in the guide had already folded and most others just didn’t interest me. The scrubs store was not open, so I didn’t get a chance to check out their merchandise, but I think it must be a great place if you are in the medical profession or just into playing doctor. The one record store downtown, which is about the size of a doctor’s exam room, still sells vinyl LPs (and bongs). It was so slow that I felt bad for the store. I wanted to spend money on something, so, out of desperation, I bought a CD by a Mexican singer I had never heard of and that turned out to be cheesy Mexican pop music that I hated. The next store I wandered into was Phoenix Gifts and Tobacco, which turned out to be part head shop and part adult video/toy store. Do I include them in the travel guide? It was kinda fun.
And there is my dilemma. I’m just not a shopper, and I’m not sure what kinds of stores people want included in a travel guide. I’m already highlighting every art gallery/studio that features the work of local artists. Bookstores, too, especially used ones and/or independent booksellers get a free pass into the guide. I don’t think it makes sense to include every look-alike antique mall, though, and, really, do I need to include the local organic soap maker for every town that has one? What kinds of shopping do you like to do on vacation? When you are in a new town, what kinds of stores get your attention? Let me know, because I obviously need some direction, although, if your answer is that you prefer stores like Banana Republic or Restoration Hardware or The Mall, don’t bother to tell me. I assume you can find those places without a travel guide.
Today’s Bad Decision: Spending Saturday exploring a very depressing Clinton where I spent all day slogging through depressing, routine tasks, then going out alone on Saturday night to see a depressing, cookie cutter folk singer. Not every day on the road is a joy.
© Dean Klinkenberg, 2008
Sounds like Clinton is your kind of town, nothing to do but get high and play with yourself.
And what is with the new CD collection, are you writing those things off or what?
Like the posts.
Bob
The most fun thing to do in Clinton is to go to the McKinley Street Tavern (an old hat factory) for dinner and then go to a Lumberkings ball game.
Walking by the riverfront is nice in the evening and a day up at Eaglepoint Park is very enjoyable with its great vistas of the Mississippi.
There are some nice houses up around Bluff Blvd.
No, not much shopping to be done there but when I go to Clinton its not to shop. They did have a great old fashioned general store, however, but I don’t know if its still there.
Rather than mention particular stores — listings which will date fairly quickly — why not mention shopping *areas* and describe those. For example, if there is an artsy area with galleries and restaurants (like the CWE in St. Louis), or a funky area (like The Loop), or just describe the type of shops one can find in the downtown area — “a mix of typical Midwestern small town with a few eclectic sprinkles thrown in”.
Just an idea….
If you want, we can talk on Saturday…and you can describe what you’ve found in other areas and see if this idea works.