Granados Column: Melancholy memories

If I had to tell you all of the stores in Old Town Manassas that have disappeared since I moved here in 2006, I probably couldn’t do it off the top of my head. 

However, sitting here writing this, I can list a few:

•  The Cheeky Monkey

• Its replacement, Java Roo

• A hobby shop.

• A barber shop or two.

• O’Meara’s restaurant

• The candy story on Battle Street.

As I said, there are probably more I can’t think of right now.

The list I provided isn’t as sad as it seems — O’Meara’s has been replaced by Center Street Grille and the candy store has been replaced with Oh So Sweet Treats, which, if you haven’t been, has
delicious cupcakes.

But despite some glimmers of hope, it is depressing to see the coming and goings of attempted business ventures. And, of course, in our economic environment, it is hard not to take some of the store
closures as dreary signs of the times.

On Thursday, we had an editorial that attempted to point out something positive about Northern Virginia — namely that its unemployment rate is 5 percent, which is nearly what the Virginia Employment
Commission considers full employment.

We also optimistically pointed out that Prince William County has a relatively low 5.4 percent unemployment rate.

Some of our excitement faded when a letter writer wrote in to say that Prince William County has often had a rate far lower than 5 percent. He also stressed the point that even a relatively low rate adds
up to a large number of unemployed individuals when applied to a well populated area such as Northern Virginia.

Some say the worst of the economic distress is over. Other’s say that is wishful thinking. However you view it, businesses have shriveled up and people are still losing jobs. Statistics do little to subdue
fears when you are the one hurting for money and looking for work.

It’s interesting because, for me, this is all a first. My time in the “real world,” where the state of the economy has a real impact on my life, has been relatively short. Until I began working a few years ago, I
was sitting pretty in college or freeloading on my parents’ dimes.

Whatever was happening with the economy wasn’t so much my concern, at least until it was time for me to find a job.

Besides the fact that for much of this decade, the U.S. economy has been one of financial vigor.

When I used to read newspapers, I skipped the business section. When the TV news discussed the stock market, I faded out. I can’t say the same thing today. 

Out here, on my own in a poor economic climate, each paycheck is crucial and fears of job security are buttressed by poor economic news nationally and locally.

So, I pay attention now . . . and I hope.

I want the economy to level out. I want advertisers to pick up spending. I want businesses to start and succeed. I want to stop worrying.

If I’m going to be honest, my worry is the kind that lurks in the back of my mind, rather than attacking up front. I actually feel relatively peaceful these days . . . at least outwardly. But it wouldn’t take
much more on the economic front to destroy my placid exterior.

The big bold moves by our president aren’t helping me much because money concerns bring out the conservative in me; and whatever else you have to say about Obama, you can’t call his actions on the
economy conservative.

Neither are assurances that things are getting back to normal doing me any good.

You know when things are getting back to normal? When things get back to normal for me. And I daresay that is the case for many people.

Economic malaise is as much a state of mind as it is anything else. In a world where the Stock Market rules, and shareholder perceptions can shake a company to the ground, this should be self evident.

Up until now, I haven’t been able to shake my negative perceptions. Perhaps when I can, things will get better. Until then, I’ll be hoping for more new stores in Old Town Manassas.

Alex Granados is the reader representative and editorial page editor for the News & Messenger. While this column may have sounded depressing, rest assured that Alex still regularly skips when nobody
is looking.