Daylight Update



Helio (with staple gun) and Florentino fight bats and make ceiling magic

 The daylight building continues its transformation with the advent of new sidewalk surfacing and a new look to the underside of the sidewalk cover. Recently I noticed two young men staring across the street with post-traumatic stress syndromic (I know) expressions on their faces. I was standing on the opposite sidewalk in front of the Pembroke building and when I stopped one of them (Helio) ran across the street to show me a (very) small animal clinging to a tree. He insisted - and I believed him - that when the disturbed bat exited the wooden slats he and Florentino were covering, that he looked much larger with his wings spread and his teeth bared, inches from their faces. Who will remember the dangers faced down by these brave men when this building is all shiny and new?

Here they are, hard at work, after the batscapade (I know, I know). They are doing a wonderful job and the underside is going to be beautiful when they finish and the lights are added. Mr. Dewhurst, I hope you are reading this and looking at this photo of two very hard-working men, because they clearly deserve a raise. I'm just mentioning it.

Meanwhile, in the area under the bat sanctuary, businesses are coming to life, slowly. John Black and Amanda Taylor are hard at work documenting the mugs of various Knoxvillians at John Black Photography.

Sarah proudly braving caution tape (Ty is inside) at The Happy Envelope

At the other end of the sidewalk, The Happy Envelope held open house on the 22nd and the crowd packed out the store and spilled onto the street. Stop by and see them for all your invitation and small engraving/design needs - when Helio and Florentino are not blocking the way with their mondo lift machine - I think they are almost finished!

Open House at the Happy Envelope, Union Street, Knoxville, October 2010

Also coming along, is Just Ripe, with a selection of staples and organic and locally grown foods. Here's a couple of pictures of the progress on their space taking shape.

The pace, according to Kristen Faerber, is up to the city. Come on Mayor Haslem, take a few minutes from that campaign (and all that unseemly discussions of guns in parking lots - what's next, guns in bathrooms? Guns in bars? Oh wait - never mind) and get this store open. We're hungry!

Kristen - boothed for now, but soon to be store-fronted!