The Ave
Comments
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I don't think people were saying it is more scary now, but that it is more run down now, and it is more run down now in the public spaces. Sure there might be some newer buildings now in SLU and other places but there are way more people living on the streets now than there were in the 80s, and a lot more super crazy people living on the streets.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
In the 80s it was a few homeless runaways and a couple of down on their luck bikers trying to beg for a few bucks to get their transmission fixed so they could drive to Alaska and score a fishing job for the season.
It is true though that the 80s could be a bit scary. One of those begging biker types threatened to kick my ass outside of Safeway for calling him a bum. And I hadn't even called him a bum. I just told him I didn't have any spare change because I had given my last spare change away to a bum a couple of blocks away.
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I loved going into Off the Wallhuskyhooligan said:80s-90s Ave:
Off the Wall
Second Time Around
Tower Records
Arnolds
Space Port
Always lots of print shops, poster shops.
Big 5 I don't know if it's there still but old timers tell me it was a Nordstrom at one poont. -
Now you're talking the CD, not The Ave.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
Colors, colors....
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and picking up unshaved chicks at gargoyles
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I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave -
I mean it was a little libby 30 years ago, but you know it was a totally different kind of libby. Seattle 30 years ago is completely unrecognizable from today. Back then it was a cool place. Now it's a complete and utter shithole.YellowSnow said: -
I used to go to the Ave to score drugs and a copy of the weekly Helix - one of the better underground newspapers. That will give you an idea of OLD
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"Edgy" Seattle is overrated.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
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Uterus!? Jesus Christ, man, I think you're doing it wrong!Swaye said:The only thing getting assaulted on the Ave in the early 90's was any uterus that was somewhat willing to let me in.
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It was one of the few places one could get a band tshirt. Door said 18 and over but started going late middle school years. There was a bus stop right in front and it had a big opening so people would squeeze in on rainy days.DerekJohnson said:
I loved going into Off the Wallhuskyhooligan said:80s-90s Ave:
Off the Wall
Second Time Around
Tower Records
Arnolds
Space Port
Always lots of print shops, poster shops.
Big 5 I don't know if it's there still but old timers tell me it was a Nordstrom at one poont.
2nd Time around was great because of the posters and cheap cd's and records. Near the end of the posters is where they had all the nude posters and a stack of old noody magazines I'd thumb through. Guy behind the counter never said a word.
Arnolds closed before my Ave ventures but my older brother has stories. Sir Mix A Lot has talked about it in interviews, and I believe the line in one of his SWASS songs is about messing with kids at Arnolds on the Ave, driving volvos or volkswagens.
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Pics?RaceBannon said:I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave
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RaceBannon said:
I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave
Shakey's on the waterfront is where my little league teams would hang out after a big game. Lots of shaved ice in the drinks, substantial matte finished plastic cups.
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Crack cocaine and LA gangs moving in definitely made things interesting, especially in the CD and Souf End. Knew people who were car jacked. Know a couple kids, north end at that, who are serving time. In 1989 kid I got into a fight with in the 4th grade in National Geographic the following year, was running drugs for a gang in the CD/Downtown. He was 9, maybe 10. There he is, crying as a police officer is talking to him. Multiple classmates in elementary, middle and high school represented gangs. Died down a lot though after freshman year after a lot of gang members were locked up, and gentrification started taking hold in the CD. RIP Collins Gold Exchange.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
There were homeless people along the freeway's then too, but they didn't have tents or amass large amounts of trash. They were more hobo, riding rails. I remember under I-5 at Ravenna Blvd people sleeping up under the road, and a few RVs. Soup kitchens in the U District and other places in town have always been the draw. Mennonite church (in the old theater) in Lake City. Blessed Sacrament and a few others in the UDistrict. Heroin was probably a thing, but it seemed mostly alcoholism was biggest issue. Do they even sell Thunderbird or Boones anymore? @Swaye should know.
Watch shows / documentaries like Street Wise was a look at Seattle during the early 80's. Fact is America and society in general was much more open to letting kids run free, and taking less offense or sensationalizing some of that stuff. Now that shit would be front page news. -
Hell I probably saw you thereKingdome_Urinals said:RaceBannon said:I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave
Shakey's on the waterfront is where my little league teams would hang out after a big game. Lots of shaved ice in the drinks, substantial matte finished plastic cups. -
Seattle/WA State DOT should've left The Jungle under I-5 as it was. I think half the shit you see now was around 10 years ago but hidden under the freeway.
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Close to KIRO 7 and the old union halls. A protected enclave. The closer to the waterfront the worse it got. I'm talking ALL the way from the water up through the Pike Pine corridor. Desolate, predatory.RaceBannon said:I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave
Pioneer square and open air drug market, the smell of booze, cigarrette smoke, and soiled garments permeating every enclosed space.
South Lake Union, a bunch of disused wearhouses. Ballard, a mostly vacant mecca to boredom.
I guess you could say the Ave. compared favorably at one point. -
Swaye said:
Back then it was a cool place. Now it's a complete and utter shithole.YellowSnow said:
Unfortunately this appears to be too long to be my new signature.
so, new bored motto?
...actually, no - not that new.
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If you didn’t get asked to buy weed on the Ave in the 80s you didn’t go to the Ave. teriyaki and weed. Can’t remember the name of the main teriyaki place. But when you walked in they would ask chicken spesher? As for record stores in the 80s I was all about Cellophane Square. Tatsumi down by the Weinerschnitzel had great karaoke. Big Time Brewery was one of my favorite places. And in the early 90s there was a place that had a thing called the Rasta Punch. It was right on the corner $4. 4 kinds of rum or some shit. Years later Tom Leykis would have listener parties there. Good times.
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Since we're talking drug issues, it's important to point out that the last decade (and especially the last 5 years) have seen a massive spike in the drug problem. It's really nationwide, but especially amongst the homeless in major cities like Seattle. King County has a 0.3% homelessness rate but 11.3% of drug related overdose deaths are among those "unstably housed". Probably safe to correlate increased OD's to increased usage. There's a reason @PostGameOrangeSlices is getting his window smashed in.huskyhooligan said:
Crack cocaine and LA gangs moving in definitely made things interesting, especially in the CD and Souf End. Knew people who were car jacked. Know a couple kids, north end at that, who are serving time. In 1989 kid I got into a fight with in the 4th grade in National Geographic the following year, was running drugs for a gang in the CD/Downtown. He was 9, maybe 10. There he is, crying as a police officer is talking to him. Multiple classmates in elementary, middle and high school represented gangs. Died down a lot though after freshman year after a lot of gang members were locked up, and gentrification started taking hold in the CD. RIP Collins Gold Exchange.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
There were homeless people along the freeway's then too, but they didn't have tents or amass large amounts of trash. They were more hobo, riding rails. I remember under I-5 at Ravenna Blvd people sleeping up under the road, and a few RVs. Soup kitchens in the U District and other places in town have always been the draw. Mennonite church (in the old theater) in Lake City. Blessed Sacrament and a few others in the UDistrict. Heroin was probably a thing, but it seemed mostly alcoholism was biggest issue. Do they even sell Thunderbird or Boones anymore? @Swaye should know.
Watch shows / documentaries like Street Wise was a look at Seattle during the early 80's. Fact is America and society in general was much more open to letting kids run free, and taking less offense or sensationalizing some of that stuff. Now that shit would be front page news.
This is OD deaths in the last decade in King County. Fenty and Meth are getting out of control.
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Real Change?
Thank you Sir -
Thunderbird got disco'ed for like a year then was relaunched. It's no longer the 20% powerhouse of the good old days. Watered down ass now. Tbh, I still think it's around 15%. I'll probably drink some tonight even though I hate it. TYFYS. Dick.huskyhooligan said:
Crack cocaine and LA gangs moving in definitely made things interesting, especially in the CD and Souf End. Knew people who were car jacked. Know a couple kids, north end at that, who are serving time. In 1989 kid I got into a fight with in the 4th grade in National Geographic the following year, was running drugs for a gang in the CD/Downtown. He was 9, maybe 10. There he is, crying as a police officer is talking to him. Multiple classmates in elementary, middle and high school represented gangs. Died down a lot though after freshman year after a lot of gang members were locked up, and gentrification started taking hold in the CD. RIP Collins Gold Exchange.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
There were homeless people along the freeway's then too, but they didn't have tents or amass large amounts of trash. They were more hobo, riding rails. I remember under I-5 at Ravenna Blvd people sleeping up under the road, and a few RVs. Soup kitchens in the U District and other places in town have always been the draw. Mennonite church (in the old theater) in Lake City. Blessed Sacrament and a few others in the UDistrict. Heroin was probably a thing, but it seemed mostly alcoholism was biggest issue. Do they even sell Thunderbird or Boones anymore? @Swaye should know.
Watch shows / documentaries like Street Wise was a look at Seattle during the early 80's. Fact is America and society in general was much more open to letting kids run free, and taking less offense or sensationalizing some of that stuff. Now that shit would be front page news. -
New look Thunderbird.
I don't discuss Boones because that's chick shit.
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Is it a Chardonnay that drinks like a Cab?Swaye said:New look Thunderbird.
I don't discuss Boones because that's chick shit. -
I work with a guy who's... a little off. I'd picked up a few things over the years that would suggest he took a mental health break in Alaska for a while and that he'd been shot. I guess I just assumed it was PTSD from participating in that limited skirmish in the middle east. I found out just a few months ago that I'd been wrong that whole time. He was in the shack telling the story about catching a bus to Alaska while still fresh off the operating table to fix up where a bullet went through his abdomen. I asked, "Where were you when you got shot?" expecting an answer like "Kandahar" or "Fallujah."huskyhooligan said:
Crack cocaine and LA gangs moving in definitely made things interesting, especially in the CD and Souf End. Knew people who were car jacked. Know a couple kids, north end at that, who are serving time. In 1989 kid I got into a fight with in the 4th grade in National Geographic the following year, was running drugs for a gang in the CD/Downtown. He was 9, maybe 10. There he is, crying as a police officer is talking to him. Multiple classmates in elementary, middle and high school represented gangs. Died down a lot though after freshman year after a lot of gang members were locked up, and gentrification started taking hold in the CD. RIP Collins Gold Exchange.Kingdome_Urinals said:For members of a degenerate website, a lot of you are true blue suburban squares.
"Seattle sucks, it's just depressing." You probably think Anthony's Home Port is how all restaurants shoule be.
Most of you don't know shit about Seattle, I can tell.
The waterfront, downtown, capitol hill, U-district has always been full of homeless people.
1980's Seattle was actually scarier than 2021 Seattle. Seattle has become so gentrified it's ridiculous.
You guys have no basis of comparison. And are mostly lame.
There were homeless people along the freeway's then too, but they didn't have tents or amass large amounts of trash. They were more hobo, riding rails. I remember under I-5 at Ravenna Blvd people sleeping up under the road, and a few RVs. Soup kitchens in the U District and other places in town have always been the draw. Mennonite church (in the old theater) in Lake City. Blessed Sacrament and a few others in the UDistrict. Heroin was probably a thing, but it seemed mostly alcoholism was biggest issue. Do they even sell Thunderbird or Boones anymore? @Swaye should know.
Watch shows / documentaries like Street Wise was a look at Seattle during the early 80's. Fact is America and society in general was much more open to letting kids run free, and taking less offense or sensationalizing some of that stuff. Now that shit would be front page news.
His response? "What? Uh, Seattle."
"You got shot in Seattle!? What the fuck were you doing!?"
"Uh, I was bangin', man..."
What followed was one of the more fascinating couple of hours of my life, listening to stories of walking through the door of his dad's house right as bullets from a drive-by started flying, wasting his buddy on the porch who hadn't stepped inside yet, watching from a window as his older homie get executed in the street for killing one of the guys involved in that drive-by. Hell, the story of how he got shot was pretty hilarious, with him "zigging when everyone else zagged," getting stuck immediately in a corner, reaching for his gun only to realize he wasn't carrying it that day, then getting shot.
I told him I had no idea gang warfare was even a thing in Seattle. He said it's a big deal (at least was then), with lots of competing gangs who form and break alliances and generally kill each other a lot. He left the hospital early to get the hell out of town, and his trip to Alaska was mostly to hide out and start over. Seattle's still off-limits to him, as he'd rather not be murdered. -
biak1 said:
Pics?RaceBannon said:I lived in a 4th floor walk up on 4th and Vine downtown in the early 80s
Not scary at all
And a Shakeys on the waterfront
Met my wife at Sydney's a club on 2nd Ave
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Spare a cigarette? Buy me pizza?HuskyJW said:Real Change?
Thank you Sir -
I remember that dude posted up outside of Safeway on Brooklyn near 50th.HuskyJW said:Real Change?
Thank you Sir -
I remember that dude posted up outside of Safeway on Brooklyn near 50th.
I do not but I'm not sure of the timing. I lived on 52nd and Brooklyn for two years. We spent a lot of time in the back alley, between the Ave and Brooklyn, throwing the turbo nerf. For a while we had a small group of homeless dudes who would lurk around hoping to watch us so they could commentate and say things like ZOOM! or ZIP! when someone would throw. I got to be pretty fond of them. They'd offer a puff off a joint and a pull off their bottle too. Never asked for a dime.
The bummer part was that I came across two of those guys dead over the course of a month or so. One was hit by a car on the Ave. When I saw him he was partially covered but the cops weren't there yet. Blood everywhere. The other died in the alley. Our neighbors found the body and I called it in. Heroin, I think.
