If you want to see an example of old-fashioned capitalism at work, haul yourself over to the corner of Eighth Street and Hill Avenue in Vinton and take a look at Pam's Snack Shack.

It sits at the crest of a hill and is surrounded by homes and apartment buildings. It is positioned uphill from Alvaro's convenience store, between it and all of those dwellings.

Read about Pam Pond, owner of Pam's Snack Shack, in Joe Kennedy's column, "Her own boss"