PRINTNew tenants and critters
June 19, 2008 | 12:00 a.m. CST
A brand-new storefront in downtown Columbia isn’t a rare occurrence. Recently, it seems businesses are moving in or closing up shop at a moment’s notice. Still, a few weeks ago, when walking by a Ninth Street store that I’d never seen before, I surprised myself by stopping for a while to peek in the windows. This was necessary to decipher the entertaining messages and pictures decorating the colorful fabric circles arranged on the wall. I never knew window shopping in mid-Missouri could be so exciting.
Acme’s trade isn’t original; custom T-shirt printers have been outfitting softball teams and drama clubs for decades. But it’s not about the plain white tees in this shop. Instead, Acme’s broadening its appeal by making T-shirts a creative form of self-expression and an artistic outlet. “The art of T-shirts” looks at a few venues in town catering to the designer or the casual clothing-wearer in all of us.
Ragtag Cinema’s move earlier this year has also altered the look of downtown. And although the theater has gone a little ritzier and has more to offer, it’s still serving the same Columbia independent film scene and giving moviegoers that special Ragtag experience. In case you haven’t been to the Hitt Street location, “Ragtag: The extended version” details the changes.
Not all change is as refreshing. Armadillos have moved into Missouri and even further north as the Midwest’s climate has warmed. As the story “Armored pests” explains, the animals can destroy flower beds and manicured lawns. And their defense strategies are no match for motor vehicles, so they’re about as treasured as possums and skunks. Despite the nuisance, the mammals are protected. So armadillo advocates out there, head over to a T-shirt store near you to make a statement. At least the critters will look cuter on fabric.
