Hillyard can, at best, be called an eclectic place, and at worst… Well, “less than classy” comes to mind, but I’m sure we could find worse adjectives than that. Anyway! While heading up to North Point  the other way, I snapped a couple of pictures of locations that one very easily could classify as eclectic. I give you…

Ma Barker’s Country Cookin’ Café. And yes, that is a machine gun in the sign. As it seems, Ma Barker’s — and a colorful history it had — has apparently closed down, and I’m bummed I never got to try her “country cookin’.” The gun is just so Hillyard too. Here’s hoping whoever takes over the café (I love that they classied the joint up with the “é”) will keep the sign.

Look a few feet down the street and you’ll learn that you can, indeed,”live the high life in Hillyard.” I assume you’ll have company of the of the man so expertly superimposed into the sign, while you sip your Miller. And hey, $5 Bloody Mary with biscuits and gravy on Sundays? Can’t beat that.

I actually quite like Hillyard. As Downtown and its surrounding neighborhoods will fulfill its potential over the next few years, there will highly likely be a desire for the young creative class in Spokane to find a new neighborhood to call its own; I don’t see why that couldn’t be Hillyard. The place already has its own city center, there’s plenty of room for expansion, and the housing is, for now, very affordable. Add the fact there often are events going up there, and the foundation is laid and the poential is there.

Plus, hey… Cheap 16oz cans of Miller.