Good News on the East Side! (Tucson: home, neighborhood, buying)

[sierraAZ]

Night life on Tucson's East Side is about to get a shot in the arm.

On Friday, Main Street Billiards, 8640 E. Broadway, will officially relaunch as the Main Street Concert and Event Center, a massive club complete with a 2,500-square-foot dance floor, a stage reserved for local and national touring acts, VIP areas and a newly refurbished smoking patio out back.

Me happy! It's nice to have some live music in this neck of the woods with a smoking patio to boot! It's supposed to open today.

Big plans for big East Side venue | www.azstarnet.com ® (http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/aznightbuzzspotlight/296383.php - broken link)

[Chorizo]

I am not so sure about this. Mainstreet was where all the kiddies who are not old enough to drink hung out, because they could bring their friends who are old enough along. In other words, a lot of just out of highschool people hung out there.

I understand they took a huge hit in business when the new smoking laws took effect as well. Maybe this will help, and bring about a new clientele?

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Chorizo

I am not so sure about this. Mainstreet was where all the kiddies who are not old enough to drink hung out, because they could bring their friends who are old enough along. In other words, a lot of just out of highschool people hung out there.

I understand they took a huge hit in business when the new smoking laws took effect as well. Maybe this will help, and bring about a new clientele?

Well, my understanding is this is going to be a different venue just using the existing property. I've never set foot there before. Will see how it goes, I guess. I think it's definitely a good attempt.

Of course all places took a hit with the idiotic bans, but nobody will ever admit it. It's all the economy's fault... I for one would like to go out once in a while, BUT I want to enjoy myself and I don't support discrimination, so I only go to selected few places where I get to feel like a human, too, at least outside.

[Chorizo]

I quit smoking a few years before the bans took place. While I still struggle with the desire to do it, I am pretty sure I will never smoke again (I quit cold turkey and have not had any slip ups - unless you count cigars, but I do not smoke those regularly -its been 2 years or more since my last - and I was not quitting cigars, just cigarettes.)

So, no need to ever smoke in a bar for me - but the bans make me angry. Give them one inch they take a mile you know.

I may be mistaken, but I am fairly certain that the first Famous Sam's that opened here in town, lost so much business they had to close the doors. I remember a news article where they were saying it was a very good possibility it would happen. All of his regular customers were buying six packs and staying at home!

Mainstreet was the place to go because if you were 18-20 you could go in and play pool, smoke like a chimney and still have your not of age, or 21+ friends with you, all in the same place. The 16 and 17 year olds figured out how to stick around past midnight or whatever the cities kurfew was. Just hide in the bathrooms till they are done checking IDs.

I doubt the crowd changed much after I graduated to regular bars.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Chorizo

Give them one inch they take a mile you know.

Well, I don't feel like getting into this discussion right now, but you and I know this has nothing to do with smoking per se and everything to do with control because they're not only infringing on smokers' rights, but at the owners' rights as well. If it were about anybody's health, it wouldn't be a problem to have some entirely smoking places where non-smokers don't need to go. The employee argument is total BS, too. If you don't want to work in such a place, you don't have to.

I may be mistaken, but I am fairly certain that the first Famous Sam's that opened here in town, lost so much business they had to close the doors. I remember a news article where they were saying it was a very good possibility it would happen. All of his regular customers were buying six packs and staying at home!

Yeah, they did. What do you expect? On the one hand, I kind of feel for the owners of these places as well; on the other hand, I'm angry at them because they were too passive. I'm not saying they can win against the government machine, but they didn't do even what they could've... like having at least patios. There's a Chuy's close to my house. I've no idea what their deal is! They have a huge wrap-around covered porch (where obviously you can smoke), but you can't take drinks out! Only in America!

Mainstreet was the place to go because if you were 18-20 you could go in and play pool, smoke like a chimney and still have your not of age, or 21+ friends with you, all in the same place. The 16 and 17 year olds figured out how to stick around past midnight or whatever the cities kurfew was. Just hide in the bathrooms till they are done checking IDs.

I doubt the crowd changed much after I graduated to regular bars.

I don't quite get it... Wasn't it a bar? How could under-age kids hang out there?

[Chorizo]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

Well, I don't feel like getting into this discussion right now, but you and I know this has nothing to do with smoking per se and everything to do with control because they're not only infringing on smokers' rights, but at the owners' rights as well. If it were about anybody's health, it wouldn't be a problem to have some entirely smoking places where non-smokers don't need to go. The employee argument is total BS, too. If you don't want to work in such a place, you don't have to.



Yeah, they did. What do you expect? On the one hand, I kind of feel for the owners of these places as well; on the other hand, I'm angry at them because they were too passive. I'm not saying they can win against the government machine, but they didn't do even what they could've... like having at least patios. There's a Chuy's close to my house. I've no idea what their deal is! They have a huge wrap-around covered porch (where obviously you can smoke), but you can't take drinks out! Only in America!



I don't quite get it... Wasn't it a bar? How could under-age kids hang out there?

Since you don't feel like getting into the political discussion (don't blame you), I'll leave that bit alone.

About the underage thing.. It is not a bar, but rather was a Pool hall with a bar and kitchen in it.

Before 8 or 9 PM (I don't remember which) anyone could walk in. After that time, they started carding people coming in to make sure they were old enough to be out that late. (I can not recall what ages go with what city/state imposed curfews)

Then whenever the 16 and 17 yr olds curfew came around they'd card everyone inside once again, and tell the youngins to leave. However, if you hid in a bathroom stall while they were carding or just didn't leave - you were likely never found out.

Or if you got in good with one of the druggie waitresses, they might overlook your presence.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Chorizo

Since you don't feel like getting into the political discussion (don't blame you), I'll leave that bit alone.

About the underage thing.. It is not a bar, but rather was a Pool hall with a bar and kitchen in it.

Before 8 or 9 PM (I don't remember which) anyone could walk in. After that time, they started carding people coming in to make sure they were old enough to be out that late. (I can not recall what ages go with what city/state imposed curfews)

Then whenever the 16 and 17 yr olds curfew came around they'd card everyone inside once again, and tell the youngins to leave. However, if you hid in a bathroom stall while they were carding or just didn't leave - you were likely never found out.

Or if you got in good with one of the druggie waitresses, they might overlook your presence.

Oh, I thought under-age kids couldn't go to any place serving alcohol. I'm not familiar with this stuff as I didn't grow up here, thank goodness.

[Chorizo]

I am not sure exactly how it works out but it depends on what type of establishment it is.

For instance -

Mainstreet is (was?) a poolhall, not zoned as a bar - but they had a liquor license. Anyone could be inside as long as they were old enough to be out on the town during whatever hour of the night it is.

Maloney's is a bar, you will be carded when you go in if you don't look old enough - no one goes in there underage at all

Fox and Hound is hybrid, they've got a full bar, and thats mostly what people go there to do, but it also has a full kitchen. Anyone is allowed inside before like 9pm.

As far as mainstreet goes, I am pretty sure that 90% of their profits came from the kitchen, non alcoholic drinks, tabacco (you could get a pack of marlboros there for like 8 bucks!) and the pool tables. They really did not sell that much alcohol from what I saw. Their selection of beers was not all that great (your staples like bud, mgd, corona and they had a few not so common like Killian's) and they had your basic shots and mixers, but the bartenders sucked anyway.

[sierraAZ]

Originally Posted by Chorizo

Mainstreet is (was?) a poolhall, not zoned as a bar - but they had a liquor license. Anyone could be inside as long as they were old enough to be out on the town during whatever hour of the night it is.

This place did look odd to me. I've seen the pool tables from the sidewalk and it looked huge and uninviting...

Their selection of beers was not all that great (your staples like bud, mgd, corona and they had a few not so common like Killian's) and they had your basic shots and mixers, but the bartenders sucked anyway.

In other words, they didn't have beer. Occasionally I like to annoy the vendors at the 4th Ave street fair asking them why in the world they don't sell beer. However, after having gone to a few "sober" fairs in other places in AZ, I learned to "appreciate" having at least some cold "pee" available...

Thanks for the explanation. Luckily/unluckily I'm neither a subject of such limitations nor I plan on hunting for jailbaits and ideally would rather be as far away from them as possible.

[Chorizo]

Originally Posted by sierraAZ

This place did look odd to me. I've seen the pool tables from the sidewalk and it looked huge and uninviting...



In other words, they didn't have beer. Occasionally I like to annoy the vendors at the 4th Ave street fair asking them why in the world they don't sell beer. However, after having gone to a few "sober" fairs in other places in AZ, I learned to "appreciate" having at least some cold "pee" available...

Thanks for the explanation. Luckily/unluckily I'm neither a subject of such limitations nor I plan on hunting for jailbaits and ideally would rather be as far away from them as possible.

Old Chicago has a good selection of beers. Go check it out if you have not been in one yet. Tucson Old Chicago Neighborhood Restaurant and Tavern with over 110 Beers, Chicago-Style Pizza and Pasta (http://www.oldchicago.com/DisplayLocationOC.php?FKLocationID=10044 - broken link)


Old Chicago Beer List – Best beer selection with 110 great beers – home of the World Beer Tour (http://www.oldchicago.com/DisplayBeerItemList.php - broken link)