In praise of Park Street

On leave from the Associated Press, Rich Eggleston devotes a cover feature to Park Street, "a main artery into Madison that runs straight through some of the city's oldest neighborhoods," including his own. He touts its "eclectic but practical" business array: "You can buy flowers, antiques, artificial arms, beer, Egg McMuffins, fancy women's underwear, running shoes and canoes. There are printers, barbers and real car mechanics. You can buy breakfast at 3:30 a.m. You can shop in an American supermarket that stocks the latest microwave delights or in an Asian supermarket that sells vegetables you didn't know existed. You can get your skirt hemmed, your shirts starched and your hair done. You can get a gold crown, a back operation or a legal abortion." Though some old businesses have since been replaced by new ventures, others have survived, and Park Street remains a vital artery.