Oh, wait, I see what you're getting at, now that I look at the store backs you have set up there. In part, I was assuming you were continuing with a theme of sun-belt industrial areas, which is what the photos I posted above would cover. The most recent post is referring to Virginia, which is a different matter. Small downtown brick storefronts like Rix, DPM, etc, are in fact different.[
attachment=10896]Note, though, that this is upstate New York, not California or Texas. Here's something similar from Northern California:[
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In many ways, you're talking about a different socioeconomic situation. From 1960-80, railroads were pulling out of urban and suburban areas that would have the environments most like these (notice, for instance, that the two photos I have here just happen to be taken near tourist lines).
There are several other things to think about: the tenants who run the shops are mostly renters, not owners, so their standards of upkeep might not be as high. And the closer to 1980 you get from 1960, the more of these storefronts or backs are going to be abandoned.
I would say that the areas behind stores, especially where you have these modeled, are going to be alleyways, which are usually asphalt paved. There will be dumpers and collections of crates and possibly other junk, also pallets, but random. You correctly have utility transformers -- you can do with several more utility poles here. From 1960-80, the storefronts with apartments above will have TV antennas (but not anymore, since now there's cable).
Here are two shots of DPM building sides and rear on my layout:[
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