Nightlife in Boston (Wilmington: living, professionals, under 21)

[masssachoicetts]

nightlife and clubs have been dying for the past 10 years, even more so since COVID.

We just need more Bars. If you were born after 1995-1996, you go to Dive Bars/Bars with a small dancefloor/vibe places over going out to the club.

[msRB311]

I feel like maybe people are just different these days? It seems like younger people don't drink as much these days, sobriety, wellness and being healthy seem to play a big role in younger professional people's lives. I'm not saying everyone is like this...but I can see where maybe the drunken late night life isn't for everyone.

I was talking to a girl in her early 30's the other day and she said she normally goes to bed at 9:15pm.

The world is changing. Just because bars/nightclubs were at one point all the rage doesn't mean they always will be. Late nights can take a toll on people.

[GeePee]

I think you're right about that. We were talking to a waiter at a restaurant we frequent the other night, and he said that Dry January has put a hit on their booze sales. I think people realizing how bad our culture was and still is revolving around booze is good for everyone besides the service industry, who could normally see tips on bills that were more than 50% alcohol.

[lrfox]

Yeah, there's definitely a shift. Dry January continues to grow in popularity, and "mocktails" are a rapidly growing part of the mixology scene. It's a great thing.

[msRB311]

Yes there's certainly nothing wrong with not staying out late and getting intoxicated. It will hurt some people's businesses though.

[lrfox]

Originally Posted by msRB311

Yes there's certainly nothing wrong with not staying out late and getting intoxicated. It will hurt some people's businesses though.

Bars are definitely taking a hit, but I think many of them are realizing that they can cater to non-drinkers too. Hence the growing mocktail lists and increasing number of non-alcoholic beer/wine offerings. One of our good friends doesn't drink and is super into live music and dancing. He goes out more and stays out later than we do.

[redplum33]

Originally Posted by BostonBornMassMade

Boston is really NOT a college town never was never will be.

A college town is a town, not a city. Reliant upon college for bulk of its activity and populations one that caters to college students.

it includes thing line 18+ clubs
Big time football
Rallying around 1-3 major colleges
It should be central to the economy and day-to day of most of the town.


For most Bostonians colleges are a thing in the other side of the river, college athletic culture is nonexistent and irrelevant, nightlife is the domain of the well monied and eecidedly non collegiate. And most people don't work for or in colleges.

Boston was founded as a Port City long before colleges then became a textile manufacturing center. Even today there are a number of major cities with significantly higher % of college educated people… Amherst is a college town, Cambridge is a college town.

Boston. Is nonkand grant area, it's a complicated blakanized city that happens to have a lot of disjointed colleges in the area…

I went to Gainesville for a track meet in college. THAT is a college town with a lot of fun nightlife geared to it. Basically the polar opposite of Boston in every way/

I disagree. Boston is known nationwide as a college town. A "college town" doesn't need to be the stereotypical small town that you described.

[msRB311]

Yeah it will be interesting to see how things play out. I personally have seen quite a few restaurants down the cape for example whose food quality went down because really all people care about are the drinks when they go these places. The cape and Nantucket in the summer I think will be ok with alcohol sales...I guess people are in vacation mode when they are there in the summer...but for restaurants in the Boston area to rely so heavily on alcohol sales these days seems questionable.

I am surprised by how much focus young people put on food and well being these days but I think it's a good thing. More and more vegans, gluten free folks...or people who work hard on a skincare routine and alcohol and late nights ruin all that.

[AtkinsonDan]

Originally Posted by redplum33

I disagree. Boston is known nationwide as a college town. A "college town" doesn't need to be the stereotypical small town that you described.

A good mental exercise for everyone would be to imagine what Boston would be without any colleges or universities. Wilmington Delaware? Charleston South Carolina?

[Boston Shudra]

Originally Posted by msRB311

I feel like maybe people are just different these days? It seems like younger people don't drink as much these days, sobriety, wellness and being healthy seem to play a big role in younger professional people's lives.

While this may be true, I think there’s a demographic component at play here. I compared the census data from 2022 (most recent) with 2010 for the city of Boston. Although the total population grew by ~63,336, the number of 20 to 24 year olds actually dropped by ~14,580 during the same period. That age group used to be the largest in the city at around 13.5% of the population. Now, they are 10% of the city population, a smaller chunk than 25 to 29 and 30 to 34 year olds, two groups that collectively account for ~24% of the city as of 2022.

So again, it may be true that Gen Z doesn’t drink as much as the Millennials, Gen X, and Boomers that came before them. However, it’s also true (and my own experience matches this) that young people who might add to the scene aren’t sticking around after college as much as they once did. Hence the transition from easily finding pitchers of cheap beer at local establishments to the now-common $15 lavender-infused mocktails. It may not be so much that “young people’s” tastes have changed so much as said “young people” are now moreso career-oriented young parents rather than college super-seniors.

And this would definitely amount to a self-fulfilling cycle. The more prices remain high and options remain low, the less likely young 20-something’s would stay in the city. Conversely, the less active the traditional nightlife scene is, the less likely the 25-34 crowd would be interested in experiencing it too.