Memory Boulevard

Taylor Rental in its heyday.

This was recently posted on one of our wonderful social network pages, to a wave of comments. While most everyone in town was very fond of the family who owned it, there were several jibes about the rented stuff not working once you got it home. Must admit this tickled my funnybone as well. I remarked that the place was a combination of Green Acres and Sanford & Son. Hope that wasn't too harsh. 

I was 24 years old when this picture was taken. Given the date, it was National Stoner Day someplace. Well, maybe a quick one around back, right at 4:20...

Anyway, yeah, it was a family business, run by two brothers and their Dad. They had one employee, maybe two besides. One of the brothers is a keyboard player, and he and I played in bands together since the beginning--I was 12 and he was 13(the band was called Automated Sound Society--get it?-the brainchild of his older brother, then 16 or so)--and played together while this wonderful business was running. 

Funny thing about this keyboard player. Even long after the Taylor Rental days, he always had at least two extra keyboards laying around his house, in varying states of operability- missing keys, pads, other problems. And of course he'd always try to cut you a deal on one of them. You can take the boy out of the rental center, but you can't take the rental center out of the boy...

There was a bungalow right next door to the rental center which was used for awhile for our band practices(and a party center when we had girls over there), and served as lodging for his older brother later, when he took over the business. That's where I really spent my time when I was over there, although I had spent some time in the rental store. Don't think I ever rented anything from them though..

Macarthur Blvd is my least favorite street in this town, at least between South Grand and Wabash, so I use it as infrequently as possible. But I'll have to take another look over there, when I'm forced to head that way. I think the bungalow(called Revolution in its day--really!)still stands, although a lot better maintained than was the case when it was our bandroom. But Taylor Rental- that cross between Green Acres and Sanford & Son and home to a few vague recollections- is just a memory.