Lost City: Wisconsin Edition: The Land of Vacuum Repair

One of the hallmarks of small city living, I've become convinced, is an unwillingness to throw away old vacuum cleaners. These frugal folk do not rush for the nearest Target when the dust-sucker goes on the blink. They bring the appliance to the vacuum repair shop.

"The what, now?" you ask. You heard me right. The vacuum repair shop. Such stores are difficult to locate in Gotham, where a malfunctioning vacuum is a dead vacuum. Like most sorts of repair places, they've gone the way of the Dodo in this disposable society. But not in Wisconsin, where you'll find a vacuum repair dude not just in every small city, but smack dab on the Main Street.

The one about is in Sturgeon Bay. Below is a shop in Algoma. And far below one in Two Rivers. None of these cities has a population over 15,000. And yet there are enough vacuum owners to support these businessman. It's rather awe-inspiring.