M2 Photography and second floor progress

MISSY MYERS HAS opened her photography studio on the second floor of our historic Dodd Building. We are excited and the progress up there is nothing short of astonishing.

Missy takes beautiful photos. Now she has a studio in a space with character, charm and history oozing from the walls. Speaking of the walls, they've been spackled and sealed. Missy, her four hilarious young kids and her husband stripped old glue off the floor to reveal the original 1897 pine floors, and they are gleaming for the first time in years.

Missy put her M2 studio on the entrance window. They preserved the old Fischer Jeweler sign, and you can still see the jewelry decal in the corner.

Her husband, Kirsten, took out an old deadbolt lock from one of the doors. Inscribed on the lock was the date it was made - 1897. So it went back into the door.

The ceilings are being redone as we speak. Within a couple of weeks the space will look great from the top to the bottom.

Bee U Ti Ful

Last night I went to the second floor and heard children laughing and Missy excitedly talking to a customer about baby pictures. I'm used to going up there and to the floors above and hearing nothing but silence, a sad silence, really.

This building bustled with activity for 65 years, but when Mercantile Bank moved out in the early 1960s, it started a long and slow decline.

I always get the feeling somebody or something is up there. I've never heard anything, or have any proof, though the Pepper Spray photo provided some interesting evidence.

Last night Missy asked me if we were happy. I was flabbergasted and told her we were over the moon.

"Well, I want you guys to be happy with what we are doing up here," she said.

Happy doesn't even begin to describe it. We have a great business as a tenant in the perfect spot, and more plans down the road.

Yup. Fifth and Maine is starting to bustle again.