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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jd8yxiz wrote

Reply to comment by Carinth in 8 new restaurants are opening in Hampden. Yes, you read that right. by federal_thrill

My point is that even though they serve food I don’t think of them primarily as a restaurant. It’s an actual activity in addition to eating, something that Hampden needs.

Lots of shops are closing down. Seem to be being replaced by restaurants or some weird legal title company or whatever is in Trov

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TaterTotz8 t1_jd9gx3y wrote

Cotton Duck Title was in Hampden and on the Avenue for years before they moved into the trohv space. It’s not as a fun as a store, but we locals are happy that the space is filled by another local company. Bonus is that they do put some effort into the window styling! Can’t beat the Trohv decorated windows, but we do have Watermelon Sugar for that as well 😄

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jd9va3k wrote

I can also add when it happened I had been living in Hampden for 10 or so years. Definitely wasn’t happy it wasn’t something that added value to the avenue.

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jd9l413 wrote

They were sort of off avenue. Yeah they were there but they add nothing to the avenue experience. Hey, let’s go look at some windows. How fun.

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Wolfman3 t1_jd9tetv wrote

Experience? Hampden isn’t Disney World.

Cotton Duck provides a service for the neighborhood and surrounding community. And they were and continue to be literally on the Avenue; the moved from the 700 block to the 900 block of 36th Street.

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jd9u4b4 wrote

You don’t think the avenue exists to provide entertainment through goods and services to locals and tourists? Lol.

I know where they were. A tiny little place past where most people go. They’re now in a big place that used to be fun.

Lived in hampden over a decade. Never used them once. But I’m sure they’re tons of fun. 🙄

People used to like visiting in part because hampden was fun. Now? Meh.

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Wolfman3 t1_jd9vc6q wrote

Yes, I do think the avenue exists to provide goods and services. Cotton Duck provides a service. Just because you did not use it during your time in the neighborhood does not negate its usefulness for others.

If you don’t think Hampden is fun anymore, cool. We don’t want you visiting anyway.

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jd9wmy2 wrote

Wow. That’s just special. Why don’t you want me visiting? Can’t tolerate someone with a different view from you?

Cotton duck absolutely provides a service. But it takes away from the avenue. I’m sorry you don’t have the neighborhoods best interest in mind and want to keep the neighborhood purity or whatever. People who believe in “purity” tend not to like me (or really any Jews) anyway. Something a bunch of people in hampden can work on.

I’ve found butchers hill a lot more, accepting and warm.

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rosspok t1_jdaobgb wrote

The avenue isn't, and as far as I know has never been, strictly a "restaurants and shops" place. Rather, it's the heart of a neighborhood and as such it has plenty of mundane businesses. Off the top of my head it's got a church, a dentist, multiple barber shops and hair salons, a pediatrician, at least one bank, a coworking space, and a family center. That's part of what makes it vibrant. If places like those and the title company were prevented from being there it would be feel like (and really, be) just another soulless, master-planned entertainment district. I don't think there's too many people who want that.

> People who believe in “purity” tend not to like me

You're the only one I see here arguing for any sort of purity. You're the one suggesting that certain types of businesses shouldn't get to be on the avenue.

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jdaq8k1 wrote

Who is talking about preventing certain types of places from being on the avenue?

Did you just get all angry about comments you made up in your head. Because I never said nor implied

>certain types of businesses shouldn't get to be on the avenue.

Just that I was disappointed that a bunch of stores have left and non-stores took their place. That there are now fewer stores. That's it. That's the post.

Imagine if you went to a zoo and they sold all their mammals. It's still a zoo. But you can still be bummed there aren't lions and elephants and stuff. That doesn't mean you hate birds.

Did everyone forget how to read today?

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2020steve t1_jdb490m wrote

>Imagine if you went to a zoo and they sold all their mammals. It's still a zoo. But you can still be bummed there aren't lions and elephants and stuff.

I've been living here for 20 years. I think people enjoy living here is because it's generally pretty useful. There are two grocery stores, three mechanic shops, a solid hardware store, and a nice nightlife. It's very walkable and the parking's really not terrible when you remember that you are in the middle of a large city.

These are all practical concerns. The nightlife is practical in that it helps people bond which can help build a sense of community which, in turn, maintains the safety and livability of this neighborhood.

It only took a couple years to get annoyed at the 34th street lights thing. Are you trying to go somewhere in Hampden on a Sunday in December after the Ravens pound the shit out of the Steelers? Forget it. My aunt and uncle lived on Keswick and it was bad back in the 80's too. Some years are worse than others.

Maybe the knee-jerk reaction is "Well, don't go there if you don't like it" but I live here. What's the alternative? I go over to the Waverly Giant to buy groceries?

If 36th street was a wall of bars and foofy restaurants, that means I'd have to go elsewhere for practical things. I gave up drinking years ago, so why stay in a neighborhood geared towards entertainment?

To paraphrase the Wu-Tang, Hampden has diversified its bonds. If we had all our eggs in the drinking/dining basket, we'd go bust every time the economy tanks. The population would be far more transient. But because we have a lot to offer to different kinds of people, it's pretty stable, which makes it a place you'd like to hang out in.

I hate this "purity" thing you're talking about because what I'm talking about is SO far from some hipster hangup about "authenticity" or whatever. I just want this place to serve its residents well so that it can stay nice.

Check out The Death and Life of Great American Cities by Jane Jacobs. Cities exist primarily to serve their residents and when they fail to do that, they begin to fail in other ways.

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jdcha6k wrote

> I think people enjoy living here is because it's generally pretty useful.

Many neighborhoods have grocery and hardware stores. Hampden offered a good mixture of fun and practical. The fun has diminished with the avenue stores closing imo. That’s my point. There was a balance and it’s being lost.

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TaterTotz8 t1_jd9xrdn wrote

What the fuck. I post a comment about appreciating a local business and now you claim that? Sir, this is a Wendy’s

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Expendable_Red_Shirt t1_jda1aun wrote

I actually didn't claim that about you. I was talking to someone else.

You didn't tell me

>We don’t want you visiting anyway.

did you?

Then that clearly wasn't directed at you.

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