Death of the Neighborhood Bar

Every time I drive by an Applebee's, I'm appalled at the gall of referring to their crappy chain establishment as a "Neighborhood Bar". I cut my teeth on neighborhood bars, I know neighborhood bars, and Applebee's is no neighborhood bar. The fact that it's located in the parking lot of a mall ought to be the first clue. Ba-BING!, Rule Number ONE of Neighborhood Bars: They should be located in a NEIGHBORHOOD.

I was pissed off enough when the Milwaukee Icon known as the National Liquor Bar was torn down and replaced with the evil McPharmacy, Walgreens. In fact, I was livid. Not only did they kill every Mom n Pop pharmacy within 25 square blocks, they took down something so uniquely Milwaukee as the National Liquor Bar with it. Chain franchise by chain franchise, we are losing our identity and heritage in this country, and the Moron Collective that makes up our populace embraces it. Is it any wonder that Milwaukee Magazine's reader poll elected The Olive Garden as Best Italian Food a couple years back?

Well, the latest chapter in my Loathe Of Things Called "Progress" was brought to me by fellow blogger and musician, Guy Lannewehr. Guy informed me that the Brookfield (Milwaukee suburb) iconic establishment, "For Pete's Sake" at 14640 W Capitol Drive had been bulldozed in the name of Progress. Granted, Pete sold the joint about 3 years ago and I think that they had changed the name, but it was a true neighborhood bar nonetheless. In fact, it was about the only true neighborhood bar for many, many blocks in a town that is almost entirely comprised of McBusinesses like Starbucks, Noodles & Co., Einstein's Bagels, that focking Mexican place that puts rice in it's burritos (rice is cheap, their burritos are not), so on and so forth.

Pete's was a place where I'd often go for lunch, back when I worked in Brookfield. I'd also go there to interview potential band members, meet fellow musicians after work for a mug or two of beer, etc. It had a funky smell. The bathrooms stunk. It wasn't particularly charming, and therein one found it's charm. It was unique, and uniquely Brookfield, and there was no other For Pete's Sake on earth.

I can't for the life of me understand why people would travel to another city, state or part of the world and dine at some McChain that they have right next door at home. It goes along with how I can't understand how someone would go to a beautiful place like Hawaii and spend all their time golfing. Greens and fairways are greens and fairways, wherever you go! It's grass! Get over it!

Well, Pete's is gone, as is the National Liquor Bar and hundreds of other local, colorful restaurants, bars, pharmacies, bakeries, grocery stores, etc. All replaced by faceless corporate stamped-out chains that deliver an inferior product, mass-packaged for the mass idiots.

Krispy Kreme, anyone?