You probably have heard the phrase, “you can never go home again.”

The phrase was authored by Thomas Wolfe, whose novel having the same title was published in 1940. It means that while it is physically possible to return to our childhood home, it will never be the same as once remembered. Nostalgic memories are frozen in time, but time marches on and change is inevitable.

People move on and hometowns are never quite what we remember them being. There was a time when every building in downtown Allen was occupied by a business and people shopped at home. Then the world became more mobile and superstores and malls replaced smaller, independent shops.

Allen is fortunate to have remained self-sufficient. With a grocery store, bank, health clinics and pharmacy, vet, gift shops, convenience stores, insurance agents, laundry, meat market, and variety store needs can be met without ever leaving town. Manufacturing businesses in town provide employment possibilities.