Midtown? (Sacramento, Alhambra: living, businesses, place)

[wburg]

How Tacky has been gone for a while now--probably the closest equivalent on J Street is Thunderhorse Vintage, which specializes in 1980s retro:

Thunderhorse Vintage (Marilyn Jen Ayres) | MySpace

There isn't really a present-day novelty/gag-gift shop in Midtown like "How Tacky" was--Wishing Well went out of business, although Evangeline's is still going strong in Old Sacramento. The early 21st century equivalent is perhaps Dragatomi, a designer-toy store that carries Kid Robot type stuff:
http://www.yelp.com/biz/dragatomi-sacramento

Cheap Thrills is still around, although they moved a couple of doors down and the old since-1969 location is currently being turned into a restaurant. Local musician Mike Farrell (of Daisy Spot and the Losin' Streaks) still works there, he is another local legend.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by wburg

How Tacky has been gone for a while now--probably the closest equivalent on J Street is Thunderhorse Vintage, which specializes in 1980s retro:

Thunderhorse Vintage (Marilyn Jen Ayres) | MySpace

There isn't really a present-day novelty/gag-gift shop in Midtown like "How Tacky" was--Wishing Well went out of business, although Evangeline's is still going strong in Old Sacramento. The early 21st century equivalent is perhaps Dragatomi, a designer-toy store that carries Kid Robot type stuff:
Dragatomi - Midtown - Sacramento, CA

Cheap Thrills is still around, although they moved a couple of doors down and the old since-1969 location is currently being turned into a restaurant. Local musician Mike Farrell (of Daisy Spot and the Losin' Streaks) still works there, he is another local legend.

Wishing Well on 9th is gone and on Madison as well? Where are the state workers supposed to shop for holidays, birthdays, wedding and baby showers and retirement parties? If true, that's really sad!

[wburg]

Yes, the whole chain went out of business. Apparently we are now expected to commute out into the suburbs to shop at Michael's and Wal-Mart at the ever-so-convenient power centers in order to find party supplies. For those of us who walked over to Wishing Well for spiffy inexpensive home decor, we're out of luck.

[Curmudgeon]

Originally Posted by wburg

Yes, the whole chain went out of business. Apparently we are now expected to commute out into the suburbs to shop at Michael's and Wal-Mart at the ever-so-convenient power centers in order to find party supplies. For those of us who walked over to Wishing Well for spiffy inexpensive home decor, we're out of luck.

Glad we left! It was merely two or threee blocks from my office at the Bateson Building. Guess another local purveyor fell prey to Furlough Fridays!

[wburg]

No, at least from accounts I have heard and read, it was more of a long-term problem due to competition by larger operations like Michael's and Wal-Mart, not solely a result of Furlough Fridays.

Lest you get the impression that Midtown is folding up shop, for every place that closes, another seems to be opening up--the central city is more busy more often than I have ever seen it. Some stores close, that's just the nature of business, but other opportunities appear and new places open. Rents are dropping, not to pre dot-com boom levels but to a point where Midtown is becoming relatively affordable to students and entry-level workers again, which will hopefully limit some of the exodus of musicians and artist freaks to cheaper neighborhoods like Oak Park. Some laid-off folks, frustrated with trying to find another job in the corporate world, are taking the chance to go into business while rents are cheap. A lot of places that were run-down or semi-abandoned for years are getting repaired and reinhabited, seemingly faceless office buildings are sprouting storefronts, new restaurants and theaters and music venues and even bookstores are opening up.

I realize you take considerable schadenfreude in hearing bad news from Sacramento, Curmudgeon, but from where I'm sitting you left just before the best part.

[Curmudgeon]

[quote=wburg;14293105]No, at least from accounts I have heard and read, it was more of a long-term problem due to competition by larger operations like Michael's and Wal-Mart, not solely a result of Furlough Fridays.

Lest you get the impression that Midtown is folding up shop, for every place that closes, another seems to be opening up--the central city is more busy more often than I have ever seen it. Some stores close, that's just the nature of business, but other opportunities appear and new places open. Rents are dropping, not to pre dot-com boom levels but to a point where Midtown is becoming relatively affordable to students and entry-level workers again, which will hopefully limit some of the exodus of musicians and artist freaks to cheaper neighborhoods like Oak Park. Some laid-off folks, frustrated with trying to find another job in the corporate world, are taking the chance to go into business while rents are cheap. A lot of places that were run-down or semi-abandoned for years are getting repaired and reinhabited, seemingly faceless office buildings are sprouting storefronts, new restaurants and theaters and music venues and even bookstores are opening up.

I realize you take considerable schadenfreude in hearing bad news from Sacramento, Curmudgeon, but from where I'm sitting you left just before the best part.[/QUOTE]

Not at all, wburg, and I'm glad to hear it. There were a large number of downtown/midtown merchants and restauranteurs who knew us well and were most welcoming as we patronized them for many years. In fact, one of my daughters was the first assistant manager at the R Street Safeway before getting her own store. Everyone there and at Peet's, at least up until about eight months ago, knew us.

We'll be back for a visit shortly after the first of the year and I sincerely hope that it's as you say -- coming back. It was my home for almost 20 years. I wish it no ill.

[CityGirl72]

Ahhhhhhh Mr Mike Farrell. I was at Cheap Thrills in Oct looking for vintage clothing for a costume and saw him there - and I was like "He's STILL here??"

He's the high school best friend of my ex. Who I believe was his band's (and many Sacramento bands) manager. When we were together we were often seen at many venues around. Old Ironsides etc. Or over at Brian Wheat's house on J st having a BBQ.

Most people who do recognize me from those days give me a double take with that "I know I know her from somewhere" look.

Mike did that when I was at Cheap Thrills. It happens.

[TygrrEyzz]

Wburg, are you a writer of some kind? You are very descriptive.

[wburg]

Yeah, I write for Midtown Monthly (the magazine I mentioned upthread) and write books on Sacramento history.

[TygrrEyzz]

Awesome.