I frequently patronize a small local chain that carries everything from electrical and plumbing supplies to food. It’s kind of a mini Walmart except that it is employee owned and usually cheaper. There used to be an upscale grocery store next to it but it left for greener pastures in an upscale neighbor hood. It was replaced by an Oriental market. The suburban smell was also replaced by the smell of seaweed, fish. soy sauce, teriyaki etc. I used to spend a lot of time in Japan but it has been over 20 years since I have been there. When the oriental grocery opened I noticed the odors were familiar. It took several years but I finely figured out what it was – the strip mall smelled like Tokyo and Yokohama and it brought back many memories. We tend to underestimate the importance of the sense of smell. It might be the perfume worn by an early girl friend or even an X wife. It might be the smell of hot oil from a machine that reminds you of an old job. It might be the fresh mountain air that reminds you of camping trips in your youth. Your sense of smell and your memories are tied together in ways we usually don’t appreciate. Probably more important than photographs.