"You see that place that says 'Rib Tips'"?
"Do you think these guys know The Commodores?"
East St. Louis, eh?
I got lost there once. Scary place.
"You see that place that says 'Rib Tips'"?
"Do you think these guys know The Commodores?"
Yep. East St. Louis had its issues even then, but it was nothing like the disaster area it is now. I never felt unsafe going there. People from neighboring towns had no qualms about shopping or working there or going through there on the way to someplace else. Now, the downtown area is one of the most dangerous violent crime areas in the country, and the building I worked in is half-collapsed from neglect.
There used to be a great website about ESL history. It’s almost hard to believe what the place once was like. Although ESL always had something of a roughneck industrial town/river town reputation, and the local mob operated from there, it was at one time a prosperous place and a decent place to live.
I have a certain level of affection for the old place, as it was connected with my childhood and youth. It’s sad how it has turned out.