Third Street in the Town of Lake Shore

Third Street in Lake Shore
Third Street in Lake Shore is my 1:12 scale street that I've been talking about making for almost 30 years. Two weeks ago I emptied out a spare bedroom and decided to finally get started on it. The buildings are all ones I made (out of foamcore), and are all 1:12 scale. They've just been sitting in my basement for the past few years.

The entire street scene is set up on two 6 foot tables, giving it a total space of 5 ft by 6 ft. There is a small diner, a long retail building with 3 small shops on the first floor and a large apartment on the second floor. Across the street is a red brick apartment building with three tiny apartments in it. Next to the apartment building is a vacant lot. I never got around to furnishing any of the buildings, adding people or accessories, so I think I'll be busy for a while with this. If you check back every few weeks, you can watch the progress I make on my little street in Lake Shore.

	on the west side of the street... On the corner is a small diner, called "Cheap Joe's Diner". It's owned by Joe Wollinski, who also owns the duplex across the street. After naming his diner, he earned the permanent nickname of Cheap Joe. No surprise there - he should have seen that one coming. Next to the diner is a strip mall called the "Lake Shore Shops on Third". It isn't much, but to the people of Lake Shore, it's a mall. The shops are being renovated, old signs taken down and new ones being made. Above the strip mall is a large, roomy one bedroom apartment.

on the west side of the street...

On the corner is a small diner, called "Cheap Joe's Diner". It's owned by Joe Wollinski, who also owns the duplex across the street. After naming his diner, he earned the permanent nickname of Cheap Joe. No surprise there - he should have seen that one coming.

Next to the diner is a strip mall called the "Lake Shore Shops on Third". It isn't much, but to the people of Lake Shore, it's a mall. The shops are being renovated, old signs taken down and new ones being made. Above the strip mall is a large, roomy one bedroom apartment.

	back view of the Lake Shore Shops building This is a view of the roomy apartment above the Lake Shore Shops, and the three shops below. The apartment has an outside stairway along the side of the building, leading to a large balcony. Room enough for a barbeque grill out there. The kitchen is large, with an eat-in counter and lots of cabinets. There is a wide archway to the connecting livingroom. A short hallway takes to you the spacious bathroom and large bedroom at the end. The flat top of the building is also available to the apartment tenants, for some lawn furniture, planters, or whatever they like. The three shops below are empty and ready for tenants. The windows need cleaning, but the floors are shiny and the walls are nice and white.

back view of the Lake Shore Shops building

This is a view of the roomy apartment above the Lake Shore Shops, and the three shops below. The apartment has an outside stairway along the side of the building, leading to a large balcony. Room enough for a barbeque grill out there. The kitchen is large, with an eat-in counter and lots of cabinets. There is a wide archway to the connecting livingroom. A short hallway takes to you the spacious bathroom and large bedroom at the end. The flat top of the building is also available to the apartment tenants, for some lawn furniture, planters, or whatever they like.

The three shops below are empty and ready for tenants. The windows need cleaning, but the floors are shiny and the walls are nice and white.

	and the east side of the street... This red brick apartment building was originally a duplex, with first and second floor apartments. Cheap Joe (the landlord) decided he could finish off the attic without spending too much money, and make a third apartment up there. So the building is still referred to as the duplex, but there are actually three apartments in it. These apartments are pretty small and kind of dated with their avocado green, harvest gold and coppertone appliances, but the rent is really cheap, so he always has tenants. The first two floors have two small bedrooms, and the third floor has one, larger bedroom and a larger balcony with double french doors. Because of the larger bedroom and balcony, Cheap Joe charges more for this upper apartment than for either of the two lower units. Next to the duplex, there is currently a large vacant lot. It is for sale or lease and will most likely see new construction going on before too long.

and the east side of the street...

This red brick apartment building was originally a duplex, with first and second floor apartments. Cheap Joe (the landlord) decided he could finish off the attic without spending too much money, and make a third apartment up there. So the building is still referred to as the duplex, but there are actually three apartments in it.

These apartments are pretty small and kind of dated with their avocado green, harvest gold and coppertone appliances, but the rent is really cheap, so he always has tenants. The first two floors have two small bedrooms, and the third floor has one, larger bedroom and a larger balcony with double french doors. Because of the larger bedroom and balcony, Cheap Joe charges more for this upper apartment than for either of the two lower units.
Next to the duplex, there is currently a large vacant lot. It is for sale or lease and will most likely see new construction going on before too long.

	a peek inside the duplex This is the little kitchen in the top apartment of the duplex. It may be a little outdated, but it's clean, everything works and the rent is cheap. Cheap Joe gets some complaints about his choice of carpeting, but he always says it stays - according to him, it goes with everything (or maybe it goes with nothing, Joe).

	Mrs. Mueller's apartment Mrs. Mueller teaches piano in her little third floor apartment. She uses the same ratty old piano she learned on as a child. Her faithful students show up every week, like little Alexis, hard at work here. They're careful not to mention her gawdy carpet or green appliances, or they can forget about a homemade cookie after their lesson!

	A shop is opening up in the strip mall. The center shop of the little strip mall, once going to be a hobby shop, is now opening up as a yarn and fabric shop, called the Textile Emporium. Their new sign isn't up yet, but the local old knitting biddies have discovered it's a perfect place for their Thursday night knitting guild meetings!

	relaxing on the bench Elmer feeds the pigeons every morning before reading the morning paper and working the daily Sudoku puzzle. His eyes are on the birds, but it looks like Agnes on the next bench might be giving him the eye! I thought she was supposed to be inside knitting!

	two trees are added A couple of good sized trees have finally made their appearance on the street. Elmer immediately makes sure his pigeon feeding bench is parked right under the largest one. I see Agnes had to follow suit...

	Lillith gets to work As soon as the warm weather hits, Lillith begins her annual self-imposed mission to beautify Third Street. If she sees a bare spot of dirt, you can bet she'll be planting something in it!

	The artist in the park Madra has her own ideas of how to beautify Lake Shore, and in her eyes, what better way than to work on her paintings in the park. She's sees this as double-duty beauty - people can see a lovely artist at work, plus all her finished masterpieces!

	The jump rope girls Of course, if you just want to have fun on Third Street, nothing beats a good round of jump rope!!

	The fly guys Josh, on the other hand, got a new kite for his birthday and has the perfect day to try it out. He gave his old balsa flyer to his little brother Jimmy, who has to tag along wherever Josh goes. But since he laughs at anything Josh wants him too, he's an okay little guy.

Studio M Designs, P.O. Box 1467 Brookfield, WI 53008-1467
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