I believe that this area, with its history and architecture, is quite unique. If the auto dealership moves in it might start a trend of tearing down smaller properties to build larger ones. If we start losing some of these smaller businesses and homes, they might never come back.

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The Wells Street era ended in the late seventies. It ended because of economics--money got tight and the businesses left. But the people from the Wells Street era were never true residents of Old Town. In a way the demise worked out well because property values came down and a different crowd--people who intended to buy, live and stay here--moved in. They were rehabbers, the first yuppies.

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