Westdale Mall has been on the decline for years. Circa 1993, it was a nice place to be, but after the demise of Montgomery Ward, everything started going downhill. Today, many shops are vacant and closed up. One of the busiest spots seems to be the city’s lone Chick-fil-A franchise, with many customers entering the [...]

Finally! Guitar Center has opened up shop in Cedar Rapids! I had been to one of their stores in St. Louis several times, and was always impressed with the quantity and quality of in-stock merchandise. The store in Cedar Rapids seems to be about the same size, and nearly as well-stocked. I look forward to [...]

Being something of a camera nerd, I tend to a more-than-average amount of photography equipment. I usually shop mail order, especially from B&H Photo in New York. But this weekend I decided to support my local camera dealer and buy a new lens from them. I’m very happy that I did, as I got to [...]