Store Hours: CLOSED

This is the area I grew up in in northern Ohio. In the 50s and 60s it was one of the largest and fastest growing suburbs in the USA, and the 9th largest city in Ohio. There was always building going on, and the stores were always crowded with shoppers. In the 80s and 90s, upwardly mobile "baby-boomers" moved further out and the population fell from over 110,000 to less than 80,000 today. In spite of it's current economic problems, it's still one of the top 20 safest cities in the nation.

Ohio in general, and northern Ohio in particular have been particularly hard hit by the downturn in the economy and the resulting loss of retail jobs. This was my effort to chronicle the change from the growing, dynamic, suburban area I grew up in to one that is struggling to survive in the 21st century.

~~~~~~~~

MUSIC: "The Green Hills" from the album "Allure of Sanctuary" by Karen Marie Garrett. Composed by Brian Gibson

Visit her at
http://www.kgpiano.com/
http://www.myspace.com/karenmariegarrett

Brian Gibson's website:
http://bgibsonmusic.com/home.html

~~~~~~~~

Category:

Film & Animation

Tags:

• Store Hours CLOSED
• Ohio
• Parma
• recession
• abandoned buildings
• Karen Marie Garrett
• Southland
• Brian Gibson
• The Green Hills
• Parma Hts
• Parmatown
• Pearl Road
• Cuyahoga
• Middleburg Hts
• economic

[TopandTang]

Never been to Ohio but this video is such a sad representation of our great country nowadays. Heart wrenching....

[bereabeard]

@TopandTang - You're right...this could be the scene in so many communities across the land.

[1633checkers]

I wrote this song. Karen Garrett recorded it. You can hear more at bgibsonmusic. com Thanks

[bereabeard]

@1633checkers Thanks for telling me that. It's an honor to meet you. That is one of the most beautiful and haunting pieces of music I've ever heard, and anyone that I play it for has the same reaction. I'll edit the description to give you writing credit, and put a link to your website as well. Thanks again!

[M3XTIZO]

GOOD VIDEO!! ABOUT STORES CLOSING!! IT MADE ME CRY!!!!! :'-(

[bereabeard]

@M3XTIZO Thanks....Me too! It's a sad situation, and it's hard to see my hometown suffering so much.

[bereabeard]

@columbusdinner Sorry to hear that, I haven't been there in a few years now. Not too many years ago I hoped Columbus would be the one success story in Ohio, but maybe not. Good luck down there.

[columbusdinner]

@bereabeard

Columbus is horrible, North, East & West of the city is very trashy & gang infested

My great grandma can't even go outside anymore, someone tried to mug her & she's 77

[bereabeard]

@columbusdinner Yeah...and Youngstown is a disaster. I didn't think Columbus is as bad as the other big cities though, but it's not what it was 15-20 years ago for sure.

[columbusdinner]

Columbus

Cleveland

Cincinnati

Akron

And Mansfield went down the drain, very bad places now, very sad to me ;(