[milwaukee-electric] Re: This and that ~ Speedrail

[Don L. Leistikow]

Ken and list:   Your reference to outlying shopping centers was preceded
by Ed Shuster and Company with their three Shuster Department Stores
anchoring three retail business districts.  They were located at 12th
and Vliet, 3rd and Garfield and 11th and Mitchell streets.                    

Downtown Milwaukee had strong retail department stores operated by the
Boston Store, Gimbels and the upscale T.A. Chapman store on E. Wisconsin
Avenue.  The first run Theater District on the Avenue, included the Fox
Wisconsin, Palace, Warner and Riverside, while he Strand picked up the
two first run films from the Wisconsin and Palace by combining them into
a second run, less expensive combined showing.                   

The Alhambra had been shut down but, was reopened about 1944 as it too
ran both first and second run films.  A small all news theater also
anchored the 'avenue' during WW 2 and survived for quite some time.                                       

Off the Avenue was the Miller which catered to third run features, news
and sports at discounted prices.  It later was remodeled into a first
run entity as the Towne theater on 3rd street.  Up the block were the
Whitehouse, Princess and of course the Burlesk theater.  Whitehouse and
Princess ran various films old films at 10 cents per person.                                 

It was the Freeway that killed the Central Business District, enhancing
the small shopping malls into mega-malls with virtually endless parking
lots.  Even the three Shuster stores fell as those shopping areas slowly
succumed to oblivion.  The last attraction on Mitchell street was
Goldmann's, a two story department store that continued to attract
business from across the Metro area.  It also folded not too long ago.
Their cafeteria served the best Ice Cream Malted Milk in town.                                  

Rule of thumb.. the Freeway supports diversion and its underlying sprawl
whereas, electric rail transit and light rail operations, support
Central Business Districts and in turn, a strong tax base with
flourishing businesses.  Clean air is an additional benefit from
electric rail transit.  Freeways pollute the air that we breathe.                                                    

Don L.