2+ years after Backspace internet cafe closes, and I still think that it was a messed up thing to do. It was a great place for appointment meetings, internet wi-fi, hanging out, playing video games, or just chilling after hours. Had it still been around, I’m sure that Portlandia would have gotten around to filming an episode there.
Wasn’t Backspace supposed to re-open on the east side? Fine, things happen. So where in Portland is the equivalent of Backspace? Someplace *BIG*, unlike the typical claustrophobic coffee shops. Especially not Starbucks, which gets a solid “hell no” because corporate America is rich enough.
Of all the people who are expected to flood into Portland, maybe one of them will fill the void and open a Backspace type internet cafe.
“it was a messed up thing to do”
Hmm, was it? They closed because:
1) They had $10k in unpaid rent and BMI licensing fees and had to resort to crowdfunding. Sounds viable!
2) They wanted to be a venue but didn’t have the funds to install sprinkler systems like every other venue had to;
3) The landlord didn’t want to do business with them (see above).
Sounds like any number of other small business sob-stories.
“I’m sure that Portlandia would have gotten around to filming an episode there”
Does anyone owe them that favor? Fuck, consider it a favor that they didn’t get to film there, since everything they touch turns to shit.
I understand why they folded, but I still would agree that it’s a loss if for no other reason than being a place for minors to hang out. Portland was a hard town to be under 21 in. From a local business perspective, it’s nice to have that sweet, purely disposable income go to something other than fast food and whatever 24 hour Starbucks is closest to their high school.
I stopped caring about the plight of underagers a long time ago… in fact, it was right around the time I turned 21 myself.
I didn’t, because I’d rather they hang out in some coffee shop I’ll never go to as an adult than at breweries who have made the unfortunate choice of allowing minors.
But I guess if you like hanging around 17 year olds…
Martin Cizmar, is that you?
Chunty, we need to talk about your flair. Something about that extraneous “h” in your name. I’m so sorry that everyone rejected you up until your 21st birthday, and therefore you stopped caring about young people the minute you were no longer one of “them”. But don’t feel bad, the truth is we never stopped rejecting you. We just started accepting your money.
There’s always a 35-year-old poser huffing and puffing about What’s Good For the Kids and how venue x y or z is gonna save “punk rock” (their words). Then they get to tell stories about how “cool” they were as a teen– never mind that they were just another dork standing around the teen center in a Green Day shirt pulled off the rack at Hot Topic– but to hear them tell it….. oh it’s too sad, I can’t go on.
I want the Jasmine Tree back.
i’ll be sitting in the corner with a comment ready to go.
You can get it back. Just go lease the space and open it up.
Back space internet is gone. Get over it. It has been gone for 2+ years, and is coming back as medical marijuana dispensary.
They still have pay phones on every street corner in Honolulu, even though all the homeless have iPhones if not O’bamass’ phones.
IA, here’s a novel idea, just grab your guns and fucking occupy it. Take it back. Pussy govt wont do shit, bring your white friends for cover, just in case.