See? Cantu & Sons did get a 1988 stamp, eventually. This is a curb cut at the corner of Leslie and East Kalamazoo Street, on the south side of Kalamazoo crossing Leslie.
E. Kalamazoo St., Cantu & Sons, 1988
James St., Moore Trosper, 1988
This is my first report from outside the east side. I had a virtual 5k to do which went from the Turner-Dodge House (in Old Town, on North Street) to the RE Olds Museum and back.
I took a few minutes after my race to do a quick look around the Turner-Dodge House for interesting sidewalk stamps. I was hoping to find something old or at least a company I haven’t seen yet in my walks around the east side. I didn’t find much on the sidewalk in front of the house (just two stamps from our friends from yesterday, BBRPCI, both dated 1993), but the sidewalk there all looked suspiciously newer. The sidewalk along James Street (to the east of the house) looked promisingly worn, but I didn’t find anything especially old there either. I did find one from 1988 with a name I hadn’t seen yet: Moore Trosper.
Moore Trosper are still in business. They’re a general contractor based in Holt, an unincorporated community south of Lansing. According to their Web site, they were founded in 1982 (making them a young company when this stamp was made) by Harold Moore and James Trosper, and are currently run by Moore’s sons.
E. Michigan Ave., BBRPCI, 1986
Michigan Avenue on the east side of Lansing bears a lot of 1980s stamps from B.B.R.P.C.I. I find them invitingly cryptic. This example is on the north side of Michigan between Magnolia and Hayford.
The letters didn’t mean anything to me, so I tried Googling “BBRPCI” and had no luck. I figured “I” probably meant “Inc.” so I tried “BBRPC”; still no luck. For some reason I had a hunch that the core company name might be BBR so I tried “BBR” and “concrete.” That paid off, as I discovered the existence of BBR Progressive Concrete Inc. They have that sort of remnant Internet presence of a company that survived long enough to have been incorporated into various online databases but not long enough to have any Yelp reviews. The only thing I can tell you about them is that they were located at 10463 Nixon Road in Grand Ledge, which today looks to be just another 1960s-ish home in a rural neighborhood. (It’s across the street from a private drive – a rudimentary two-track – called Penny Lane, which seems like it would just be inviting the hassle of having one’s street sign stolen.)
E. Kalamazoo St., L & L, 1984
It’s a little hard to read but this is L & L Construction, Holt. I like the oval. I believe it says 1984; it looks like they decided to just have a stamp for the decade and write in the last number. Maybe Cantu and Sons should have considered that approach. L & L seems to still be in business, but as they don’t have a Web site I can’t say much more about them.
This slab is actually a curb cut on the southeast corner of Shepard and Kalamazoo. It’s in front of this building, which used to be a halal market.
The storefront has been unoccupied for years and the building is a deteriorating eyesore. I was surprised to notice a light on, meaning someone still lives in the upstairs apartment. I wouldn’t want to walk out on that suspiciously saggy-looking balcony.
Regent St., Cantu & Sons, 1988
This is another one on Regent St. between Kalamazoo and Elizabeth. Cantu & Sons have stamped more sidewalks in Lansing’s east side (my neighborhood) than any other contractor by a wide margin. Most I have seen are dated 1987 or ’88, suggesting the neighborhood or perhaps the city had a huge sidewalk replacement project at that time. It’s hard for me to imagine now, as during my walks I have seen countless damaged, crumbling, and heaved-up sidewalk slabs and can’t recall ever seeing one being fixed on my own block in 20-plus years of living here.
It’s a little hard to read but the date is 1988, with the stamp reading “1987” and the final 7 manually overwritten to become an 8. I have seen this adjustment on a large number of the Cantu & Sons slabs. You might assume they just never bothered to get a new stamp for 1988, but it’s not so: I have seen ones with a 1988 stamp.
Some of the Cantu & Sons stamps add “CEMENT CONT” as a second line. I can find a “Cantu and Sons Cement Contract” [sic] listed in the 1984 US Small Business Administration Annual Report, with their city given as East Lansing. They do not appear to be in business anymore under that name, but I do find a Cantu Builders on Lake Lansing Rd. Their Web site states, “We have been in business for over 30 years, with our roots in concrete. We have since branched out and are experienced with remodels, painting, siding, commercial and residential building, tile and fine finishes. Although our name has changed a couple times our excellent work and customer service has not.” Sounds like I’ve found them. (Yes, I know cement and concrete are not the same thing.)