That only makes sense, because for most of the city's history, Broad Street was where you came to buy and sell.

Before the shopping centers and before the mall, Broad Street was the place to go.

Talk to people who remember it in its heyday, and watch their eyes light up.

Without prompting, they will begin to describe a retail wonderland of department stores, such as the venerable JB White's, drug stores, toy stores, shoe stores, sporting good stores, hardware stores, candy stores and clothing stores.

And when you were done shopping, there were restaurants and places to eat, and movie theatres in which to relax, or dream of a world outside of Augusta.

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There was so much downtown that you might have to go uptown - west past the 1000 block - to escape the traffic.

Imagine a Broad Street with trolleys and buses and cars parked at angles taking up every spot down the middle of the road.

If you wanted it, Broad Street probably had it.

And Christmas was always special.

"This is going to be the biggest week in our history," boasted a full-page J.B. White advertisement in December 1910. "Literally train loads of merchandise are on display," it said.

"Toyland" and "Dollville" were advertised on its fifth floor.

Yes, Broad Street was special.

Economies rise and fall. Shopping patterns change.

But there are still people who remember when Broad Street was unique.

In their minds, it always will be.