Closets, Attics, and Other Familiar Places

As a kid, I liked to rummage around attics and closets. Old ones in particular were the best; full of forgotten stuff and remnants from the past…seasoned by time. These nooks of vintage clutter offered escape and solace, a safe space to dream. They connected you to someone, something authentic; a life well lived. Instantly, you belonged and you felt secure knowing that, as cynical as the world was, this place provided respite. Where are they, these safe harbors, now that we are all grown up?

Bars used to be like that I thought. In their heyday, before there was a national chain on every corner, bars were gritty, eclectic and intimate. Every neighborhood had their own, each as different as the ethnic populace it housed. American bars, squared-jawed joints of Genesee Ale and Chesterfield Kings, teak wood chairs, black and white TV’s. You went there to shed the mask, to be part of a community that was familiar and real.

I guess you would call them dive bars today; disheveled and dusty, off the beaten path and forgotten by the masses.

There was a place in Detroit, called the Cloverleaf. Red, pillow tucked upholstery, wood-paneled walls, amber pendants in the corners, bingo on Friday night, looked just like a fraternity house living room. The food was basic and good; greasy New York-style pizza, big juicy burgers, hand cut French fries, and sour pickles. Friday was the fish night. This was the place where life was celebrated, where the locals hung out to commiserate, talk a little politics and watch the lottery draw. First dates, divorces, league championships all unfolded here.

Every town has a local joint. They are the cornerstones of great communities. Bankers and bums side by side in a nonjudgmental setting, it does not get much better than that.

When contrived concepts are created, the human element is tossed out the window. Trends in the Food and Beverage world all point to success for restaurants that offer transparency, variety, experiences, community and all things local. Bottom line, it’s good to be different, fly your own flag and be damn proud of it. Bars and restaurants should really be about giving people an opportunity to express themselves in ways that leave them happy. Cubicles make people sad and agitated; too many cubes in the world.