Howard Mini Mart & Deli

As one approaches the intersection of Howard and Washington from the North, a brightly- colored commercial building boldly stands out against its relatively ordinary background. As the structure emerges from behind a screen of trees, it presents itself almost like an exotic rectangular mushroom sprouting from the crumbling concrete lot on which it sits.¹ After crossing Washington, one steps onto a deteriorating sidewalk facing what appears almost to be a tiny corner park. At the corner is grassy triangle with trees jutting up from the edge, and in the middle a scraggly pine sapping attempting to survive in the shadow of its taller neighbors. Looking to the foreground, there looms a large, rusting, dull-yellow signpost – an old gas station sign, maybe?² Glancing to the back right corner of the plot, one might notice a similarly-colored lamp post facing the parking lot of the establishment.

Approaching the building itself, one’s attention will likely be drawn to the prominent North-facing wall painted half red and half blue with a protruding bright-orange header. The windowless wall rises up from a narrow cement ledge abutting the parking lot, as if it were built on peninsula protruding from the strip of sidewalk into an ocean of asphalt. It bears various forms of graffiti, including “Police” scrawled toward the top on both sides in large black lettering and a large white-bordered bubble letter tag to the left. At the top left, a red and white sign affixed to the protruding roofline calls out “We Accept Food Stamps & WIC,” beckoning the viewer to continue past the corner.

After crossing over the unusually-wide curb cut joining the street to the parking lot, the front of the building comes into view. Here, should the business be open, one is presented with a striking array of signage plastering nearly the entirety of the front windows. Posters striving to promote the business and its products as approachable, affordable, and desirable abound, with signage8 such as “Krispy Kruncy Chicken $10 Deal,” “EBT Accepted Here,” “ЯR For the Hustle,” “We Sold a $100,000 Winner!,” and “We Accept Food Stamps.” Others attempt to maintain order amongst patrons, with warnings such as “No Ski Masks Allowed Inside,” “No Trespassing,” “No Loitering,” and “No Soliciting.” On a weekday afternoon one is likely to encounter customers entering, exiting, or just standing around.³ After hours one would be confronted with a bright yellow, graffiti-covered security gate10 sealing off the building from its potentially hostile surroundings.