An interesting look back in time

Bar at the Argonaut. Photo by Inked78.

In "Bars and Neighborhoods" the In Shaw blog links to some research about the link between alcohol sales, density of establishments, and crime and disorder.

The interesting thing is this isn't any thing new, I testified about this very same issue (citing research by Dennis Gorman and others) in 2002. (The testimony is reprinted in this blog entry, "Local involvement is so much fun" which was written in response to my being called a liar in discussions about these kinds of issues, where my focus has been on interdicting the sale of alcoholic beverages more likely to be consumed in public in a manner that contributes to disorder, vs. alcoholic beverages sold in restaurants and consumed on the premises.**)

The efforts of people like myself, Jessica Ward, Earlé Rand (now deceased), Roland Chavez, and others were written up in the Post in 2003, in the article "Northeast Neighbors Aim to End Sales of Single Beers," subtitled "Activists Say Restriction Would Help Clean Up H Street, but Merchants Decry the Effort as an Attack on Their Businesses." Since then, ANC6A in particular has been very active in this effort.

In the Spring of 2005, I wrote about that distinction extensively in the blog entry, Restaurants and liquor licenses--How much is too much on H Street?, which was in response to the Joe Englert "invasion" on H Street.

Typical of the neighborhood, there was tremendous outcry on the email lists. The "Palace of Wonders" was alleged to be a strip club proposal etc. My blog entry and various emails were designed to raise the bar in discussions on the matter, helped to bring attention to an upcoming ANC Commissioner's meeting which was designed to inflame rather than inform, etc.
1300 block of H Street NE. Current conditions of much of H Street's retail building stock, which must be protected from the onset of outsiders and restaurants and clubs that sell liquor. Photo by Inked78.

Think of things today--about 16 months later.

Write-ups for these places (H Street NE places!!!) in the Washington Post Weekend section of how hip they are ("Sideshow or Rock Show? On H St., You Decide" and earlier, "Plans to Set The Bar High On H Street NE.") Discussions on DCist and the Express and in other blogs. Full-page ads in the City Paper promoting the Red&Black music club, the Palace of Wonders, and the Argonaut, and the Rock and Roll Hotel about to open.

But the issue does come down to demographics and middle-class vs. street-culture as discussed in the book Code of the Street by University of Pennsylvania Professor Elijah Anderson. H Street places tend to focus on a different demographic than Adams-Morgan and U Street, and the late night violence potential on H Street is likely to be much less, compared to other places in the city.

Main theater at the Atlas, near completion. Theater photos by Inked78.

Plus, as the theaters open at the Atlas in the next few months, complementing their other facilities and the H Street Playhouse, more people will be patronizing the street than those merely looking to drink and pick up members of the opposite sex (more politely worded than the anonymous comment in Frozen Tropics by a guy explaining why he goes to bars...).

** Note that I told the City Council in my testimony that Dr. Gorman said he could perform a similar analysis-study for DC for under $15,000. Sure would have been nice to have some data to forestall the various fights throughout the city over these issues. (Although Adams-Morgan has other deeper issues than the typical neighborhood adding additional evening options.)
Sword swallowing at the Palace of Wonders. Flickr photo by Furcafe.

Then again, if you want look farther back in time...
Matchbook cover, probably from the 1940s. Image courtesy of Peter Sefton.

Index Keywords: late-night-economy; arts-culture