gr retro

If you were born in Grand Rapids, or, have lived here a long time, you'll remember when downtown came to life at Christmas. It was a different time, and many remember what Christmas meant to them.

Tuesday, I posted some historical pictures of some downtown Grand Rapids streets that I found on the GR Retro website. I made it kind of a guessing game asking if you recognized where these pictures were taken, because things sure have changed around here since "back in the day." Well today, I reveal where they were taken and how things have changed.

Downtown Grand Rapids sure has come a long way. It was a West Michigan center for retail, enterprise and entertainment way back when. Then it fell into decay with age, retail moved out to shopping malls, and the streets "rolled up" in the evening. Then, things began to change again, 20 plus years ago, and now it's returned to a level of activity and excitement not seen for many years. On

A couple of weeks ago I posted some film of old Ramona Park, Reeds Lake in East Grand Rapids, from 1946. Well, let's go back there again, this time to downtown Grand Rapids.

The 80's decade seems to hold so much fascination for people. Cable TV was coming into it's own, and early video games were a kick. Thirty-seven years ago I began doing morning radio here in Grand Rapids after several years on TV, and I've never looked back...