J. W. (Joseph) Hayman died in 2004 at the age of 90. According to the woman living across the street (and in whose driveway I’d parked), the business shut down upon his death.
Even after 15 years of abandonment and decay, there’s a modesty and dignity to this building - with the RV parked carefully along the side - that I can only think was reflective of the man who worked here. It left an impression strong enough that I turned around after driving by, to go back and look more carefully.
Why are you taking pictures? the woman across the street wanted to know. I like the mood here, the feeling, I said. Mood, feeling - she shot me a look. Why are you taking pictures? History, I said. Yes, history, she responded. There’s a lot of that here.
