I found old America and its values in the most unlikely place

[DanTMWTMP]

I rarely went to Pomona. But yesterday, me and a friend went to Pomona. At first glance, just about everything is starting to run down, and everything is old. There is a lot of old old architecture, but since the building themselves are old, they don't look as nice as it should've been.

But there was something I did not find here. I did not find any chain stores. In the core area of Pomona, I could not find a fast food place, a pizza hut, a dominoes, a mcd's, a best buy...

What I find instead, was hard working individuals who work hard at their small businesses. They don't work on wages. They work to get your business because they depend on it. They don't look foward to the next paycheck. They look foward to servicing the next customer because their livelihood depended on it.

The place is predominately Mexican. Never have I seen such dedicated, hardworking, nice individuals all sprawled out in an area. They had the initiative to do something about their lives, started small businesses, and work their asses off. I'm hoping the city council in Pomona keeps it that way, and never allows some lame Walmart or any fast food joint to come near this place.

I went into a T-Shirt shop, and the place is filled with independently designed shirts. They had really nice apparel, but the price was a bit steep. But I saw loyal customers come in and out. The place was clean, and the service felt personal. Everyone was very well spoken.

Right next door, was some generic Bakery. I went inside, and it's a mexican-styled bakery. I bought a huge sweet bread I got for 80 cents, and HOLY PHOK. It was fluffy as hell, and they didn't overpower the bread with sugar. It was just RIGHT. I never tasted such a bread ever. It was really good.

The owners were a family, and I saw the mom, her daughter, the grandma/grandpa, etc all working together.

I bought a $1 Tamale and it was sooo goddamn good. I had to order 2 more, and the calm, smiling lady across the counter glady complied, as I gave her 2 more $1's as she said "thank you" in a near-non-accented english.


I look around, and I see a transmission shop across the street w/ cars perked up and workers fast at work at the transmission.


Everyone's doing something.

We ate lunch at a local taco shop. I ordered a couple of el pastors and beef tacos. They're like the street tacos at rubios except they taste 10000 times better.
Horchata FTW.

After driving around for a bit, I came to realize that everything is an independently owned business.

Since a lot of "Minors" live here, I see that as an oxymoron here, which make them the majority. Shiet, at least Mexicans always does something. They'll sell oranges, or flowers on the street, and never resort to "help, homeless" signs.

Now, I'm back on Mira Mesa blvd in San Diego(lined w/ fast food in every block, a best buy, ralphs, albertsons, kinkos, mcds, big lots. not too far from here, 2 walmarts. woooo! I get to face wage-driven employees who give me sh!t service with their half-assed greetings who look foward to nothing but their next damn paycheck :roll: sigh)

 

[mercanucaribe]

:thumbsup:

 

[foghorn67]

I worked at the WaMu building in downtown Pomona, and found that the said Mexican food place and bakery nearby (if we are thinking of the same thing) sucked.
And there health code grade was a C. Scary.

 

[cmv]

Is like 95% of AT OT from CA? Might want to put the state after the city/town/village/t-shirt stand on the side of the highway place . Good post.

 

[foghorn67]

If you want a better old town feel, go to the Orange Circle or Downtown Fullerton. The only thing interesting in Pomona was the antique shops, but you can get those in Orange and Fullerton.
And if you really want to see ethnic Mexicans or just plain Mexicans working hard, go to El Paso, TX. That is a refreshing site after growing up in Southern California.

 

[Syringer]

Since a lot of "Minors" live here, I see that as an oxymoron here, which make them the majority. Shiet, at least Mexicans always does something. They'll sell oranges, or flowers on the street, and never resort to "help, homeless" signs.

Probably because they don't know how to spell it

On a more serious note though, do you have any idea how Mexicans (illegal or legal) are on welfare and even social security, a system they usually have never contributed a dime into?

 

[DanTMWTMP]

Originally posted by: foghorn67
I worked at the WaMu building in downtown Pomona, and found that the said Mexican food place and bakery nearby (if we are thinking of the same thing) sucked.
And there health code grade was a C. Scary.

hmm. both places had A's

Well, there's a ton of taco shops and the like in and around the area, and the one I was at was closer to the BoA.

and yes, there's a lot in the said ethnic group under welfare and what not, but in Pomona, a lot of people seem to be 2nd/3rd/4th generation since their english is not as accented, and more english seemed to be spoken more comfortably here than say, in LA or Miami .

Originally posted by: foghorn67
If you want a better old town feel, go to the Orange Circle or Downtown Fullerton. The only thing interesting in Pomona was the antique shops, but you can get those in Orange and Fullerton.
And if you really want to see ethnic Mexicans or just plain Mexicans working hard, go to El Paso, TX. That is a refreshing site after growing up in Southern California.

heh, that's not the point. Those places are more affluent, and they are more geared to night-life and district shopping. I suppose the same rule applies especially for downtown fullerton, but the rest of OC is just franchised-wage-driven-advertised businesses/corps.

 

[foghorn67]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
heh, that's not the point. Those places are more affluent, and they are more geared to night-life and district shopping. I suppose the same rule applies especially for downtown fullerton, but the rest of OC is just franchised-wage-driven-advertised businesses/corps.

So, just because it's more affluent means that it loses any credibilty?

 

[Ktulu]

Originally posted by: DanTMWTMP
I could not find a fast food place, a pizza hut, a dominoes, a mcd's, a best buy...

You weren't looking hard enough.

And there aren't as many large chain stores because no one wants to develop here, this place sucks. It hasn't been until recently that developers have come in and started sprucing up the place.

 

[badmouse]

Old America and its values? You mean like slavery and stuff? Interesting.

 

[imported_Mike]

Yea, I hate Mira Mesa Blvd too. Only redeeming quality to it is the In N Out on the east side next to the 15.

 

[flexy]

You say you found old america and it's values...and then you talk about taco, tequila and tamale But i see your point of course. Just wanted to point out that irony