Chiodo's is a Homestead landmark. Located on the corner of 8th Ave. and the Homestead High Level Bridge, it served the mill workers from 1947 until the mills closed in 1986. Since then it serves former steelworkers, Homestead neighbors and others looking for a decent fish sandwich and a microbrew to wash it down. Now the newspapers report that the land at that corner has been sold, with plans to raze the bar and nearby Subway Sandwich shop, and to erect a Walgreen's drug store.

We wanted to visit Chiodo's one last time before it disappeared. We filed through the dark, busy, noisy bar side to the "dining room" -- also dark and busy, but not quite so noisy. We ordered our sandwiches and beer and watched as Joe Chiodo, the owner, was made his way through the room, stopping at this table and that. Most customers appeared to be regulars, people he knew well.

It's a good question, and we have to agree with him. He deserves whatever money Walgreen's offers. But Homestead will be poorer for his leaving. It will exchange a neighborhood bar with character, and a friendly proprietor, for a sterile square box drug store just like a hundred others around town.

It's progress. In this case, I don't like it much.