Almost as sure as the changing leaves indicate the onset of fall, many of us who grew up in the Bangor area have come to distinguish the different seasons and holidays based on the decorations and outfits adorning the display at Dave's Movie Center and Romantic Supermart off of Union Street.

At St. Patrick's Day, for instance, you could always count on the fact that the mannequins would be wearing little green negligees and 4-leaf clovers. The 4th of July, fireworks and red-white-and-blue tassels. Even the back-to-school season had its own decorations; the mannequins would be in "school-girl" outfits, and that huge cut-out of the school kid and the large pencil would go up on the front of the building.

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Love it or hate it, it's just one of those things Bangorians have come to notice. But what was interesting was that towards the beginning of the pandemic, and for the months that followed in 2020, there were no mannequins in the window.

Many residents took notice that the mannequins -- that up until this point had become a permanent fixture in the downtown landscape-- had disappeared!

The windows at Dave's were bare, which led some folks to speculate that they had gone out of business. That was not the case, as the neon "Adult" signs stayed lit.

But the ladies of the window were nowhere to be found.

Cori Skall
Cori Skall
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But then, as a kind of backward Holiday miracle, just before Christmas of 2020, the ladies reappeared--after months of hiding away, out of the public's eye!

Cori Skall
Cori Skall
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There had been theories shuffled around online, even on one Bangor-based Facebook group, as to where the mannequins had been.

One brave soul even ventured up to the building to read the little sign that showed up, which mentioned the ladies would be back soon.

A friend's teenage daughter was the first to point out that they had, in fact, returned. And being a consummate professional, I decided to drive by myself to verify this information.

Lo and behold...

Cori Skall
Cori Skall
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... there they were.

Cori Skall
Cori Skall
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In all their wintry glory...

Cori Skall
Cori Skall
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At least one window was done up with a "Winter Wonderland" theme.

I called Dave's to get the scoop as to why the mannequins had been missing in the first place.

The gentleman who answered informed me "They had to take some time off, and quarantine...you know...cuz of Covid."

So there you have it.

For those who have trouble distinguishing what season we are in, here in Bangor, you need to look no further than your local Romantic Supermart. They're happy to help remind you.

Not only do the windows at Dave's signal the change of seasons, but they also seem to signal the return to a more normal way of life.

Suggestions From Bangor For Bangor

The City of Bangor is asking for your suggestions on how to grow, fix and develop Bangor with short term projects. Suggestions already added include developing park areas, adding pedestrian safety to busy roads and adding traffic lights. Here are just a suggestions put out there with the city's 'Strategic Plan' website where anybody can go on and add their thoughts and suggestions.

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