Making the Most of Watertown's West End

From Dave Brigham:

Since the beginning of this year, I have focused my attention on Watertown, Mass., which borders the town where I live. I started with Watertown Square, which features lots of cool old buildings, some murals and redeveloped factory sites (see this post and also this one). I also chronicled the Bemis neighborhood, in which I found some nice old factory complexes, as well as a plumbing museum and some old buildings being converted to apartments (see here). As well, I researched and wrote about the former Watertown Arsenal (see this post). Most recently, I strolled around East Watertown and told you what I found (read this).

In all of those neighborhoods, I found plenty of stuff to shoot with my camera. I found researching and writing about these areas quite stimulating and educational. I wish I could say the same for Watertown's West End.

Don't get me wrong: this area of town is quite lovely, with wonderful homes, a country club, beautiful old cemeteries, small shops and businesses of all sorts, great schools, fantastic parks, etc. I checked out Main Street from Myrtle Street west to Warren Street, and the area north and west to the Waltham and Belmont lines. I ventured along Lexington Street and Waverley Avenue, cruised Common Street and many roads and boulevards in between. I found very little to excite my "backside" mind. What follows are several shots of places along Main Street. If I missed something, please let me know, and I'll be happy to get out and shoot some more.

Located in front of Vahey's Liquors & Metro Mini Mart, this dead phone kiosk was a bit of a surprise. You just don't see many pay phones around anymore.

Not every phone booth, however, can be as cool as the Mojave Phone Booth:

Across Westiminster Avenue from the liquor store is a cool mural on the side of the Behind the Hair salon.

The mural was painted by Margaret Parker, who goes by Illustrator Mags.

Next to the salon is The Spot Cafe, which calls itself a boulangerie (a place specializing in baking bread) and patisserie (a place specializing in pastries). It serves breakfast and lunch.

The mural on the side of the building is a bit faded, but I like the table and chairs on the left, as well as the buckets of flowers by the doorway at the right side of the photo below.

And the PARIS INN sign on the mural below is a nice touch.

Across Main Street is the Halfway Cafe, one half of a two-restaurant chain in the area (the other is in Dedham).

(I like the juxtaposition of the blue back half of the building, with an American flag, and the bright-yellow lettering on the sign on the lower half of the building.

Heading east on Main Street, I found a storefront church.

The Maranatha Christian Church is located in the same building as a physical therapy business and an eyelash extension studio. The congregation believes in "all the doctrines that are taught in the Holy Scriptures of the Old and New Testaments, particularly in all those the faithful Church has always believed in throughout the centuries, especially those related to the Trinity, the plan of salvation by grace through faith in the person of Jesus Christ and in the work He accomplished at the cross of Calvary."

The eastern limit of the West End, as determined by yours truly, is the corner of Main Street and Waverley Avenue, below.

Ricci's Liquors, a three-minute walk from Vahey's Liquors, has a nice internally lit sign that tells me this place has been here awhile. Chulo Restaurant & Bar serves Nepali and Indian food.

The next big intersection heading west is Main and Lexington streets, below.

What are we looking at? From left to right: India Kitchen, Feet Wise, Fit Z's Bar & Grille, Primo's Barber Shop and Mimi's Roast Beef & Seafood. A little further west along Main Street is Choice Cleaners & Tailors.

Or is it Choice Cleansers?

Last, but certainly not least on my tour, is Grace Chapel, which is a non-denominational, multicultural Christian church that welcomes everyone, per its web site.

I've been unable to find out the history of this building.

In the near future, I will finish my Watertown series with a comprehensive look at Coolidge Square.