Mossie’s on Merrimack Street closed its doors this week. And while I have eaten there several times over the years, it's always been in a pinch. When my body told me '"eat now or you will pass out on the sidewalk." I'd swing in for a vegetable or turkey roll-up. By no means gourmet, it served its purpose. These old-school eateries are becoming extinct in Lowell. A sign of the times? Perhaps the audience they cater to is no longer here. Working stiffs who need fuel quick and the cheaper the better. While I don't enjoy shelling out $10 for a mid-day repast, there's something to be said for quality food that makes you feel good. Not just a place holder. There are several places to eat downtown that more accurately reflect the street. Life Alive and Mambo Grill are two. The food is fresh and makes you feel you've done something good for yourself, even if it involves cheese and refried beans. When attention is paid to the individual order, which never really happens in the old school joints like Mossies, where the guy would mysteriously disappear in the back and emerge moments later w/ your grub, you feel the difference. So while a general "malaise" is reported to have overcome downtown businesses, I'm not feelin' it. As Lowell reinvents itself, like most companies looking to grow, there is a weeding out process. Really, Mossies had to go eventually. Anyone notice the outdoor cafe at Subway a few blocks West? Not too shabby and highly unchain-like.