Slog - Comments on Overheard at 1st & Pike

Comment by Derek

Derek — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:05:36 -0800

That second floor porn shop was the last in the city to have $.25 movie booths

~sad trombone sound~

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:07:36 -0800

Nothing in the history of the universe could be "classed up" by Johnny Rockets.

Comment by joel

joel — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:14:11 -0800

Maybe they will finally lower the rents and let some small local shops move back in.
Maybe?

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:14:32 -0800

Fnarf is absolutely correct. That's why I think it should be called Johnny Schlockets.

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:19:42 -0800

Wasn't Cold Stone on the next block up, where Mae Phim is now?

Sad to hear about this SBC, though. Of course, there's still the one on 4th.

I concur, Johnny Rockets is ass. Overpriced ass.

Comment by Bellevue Ave

Bellevue Ave — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:20:19 -0800

@joel, does simply seattle count?

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:20:29 -0800

I failed to mention Seattle Coffee Works, also on this block, which is totally awesome.

Comment by KCip

KCip — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:23:03 -0800

because im oblivious AND i work a few blocks away, what is their plan, dan?

Comment by kerri harrop

kerri harrop — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:24:36 -0800

That porn shop was pretty amazing, they sold those crappy pulp novels that have the best titles ever.

I still have my copy of I Like To Come somewhere. I really appreciated the proper spelling and, honestly, who doesn't like to come?

Comment by Fnarf

Fnarf — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:25:56 -0800

Wasn't that space Brooks Brothers for many years? I wish they'd move back in.

Comment by tomasyalba

tomasyalba — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:26:46 -0800

Maybe, joel @3. It's been owned forever by the Samis Foundation, though, and its board mostly does what Bill Justen says. They'll need to get somebody in, but how quickly they lower the rent is anybody's guess. Samis has an interest in the giant, soon to be ill-occupied Opus condo tower over other side of the alley too, so not happy days for them.

Makes me wanna see "Streetwise" all over again; that block is a great slice of the low life. Junkies call it "the Blade."

Comment by Joel S.

Joel S. — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:39:55 -0800

Wait, the second location of Mae Phim finally opened?!?!

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:51:40 -0800

#12, I think it was several months ago. It took a bit for them to get warmed up but they're pumping out the same quality as the other location. I think I went there 4 times the first week and go there at least twice a week now. The manager recognizes me and gave me free house soup the other day (which was unfortunately a bit too salty, meh, but I had it a few days earlier and it was good).

Comment by Paul Constant

Paul Constant — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:55:17 -0800

Mmmmm, Mae Phim.

Comment by gnossos

gnossos — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 17:57:46 -0800

@11...actually among old timers the area between 1st and 3rd along Pike was always known as Penney's corner -- even through the late 90s.

No one down there ever called it the Blade until after Eric Scigliano called it that in an article in the Weekly sometime around 1989-91 (? not in their archives). At first folks started using it as a joke and then it caught on.

I remain convinced that he either made it up or someone was shining him on a la the grunge-speak hoax on the NY Times.

Comment by RainMan

RainMan — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:09:35 -0800

Of course the closing of Liberty Loans helped clean up the area just a bit.

Comment by Joel S.

Joel S. — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:12:01 -0800

Oh shoot, well I'm going to have to get down to "Penney's Corner" soon to check out the new Mae Phim.

THANK YOU SLOG, for making dreams (information)come true

Comment by stinkbug

stinkbug — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:32:26 -0800

Maybe mention the Planet Hollywood that's being built up the block. Or at least take bets on how long it'll last.

Comment by stinkbug

stinkbug — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 18:34:29 -0800

wait, I got my restaurants confused, did I?

Comment by Matthew

Matthew — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:19:03 -0800

Another Planet Hollywood? Really? Now? Really?

WTF?

Comment by JC

JC — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:22:41 -0800

Don't worry, folks. A Hard Rock Cafe is moving into the ex-pawn shop. Summer 2009.

Comment by 1st Ave. Drunk

1st Ave. Drunk — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 19:25:10 -0800

The porn store is closing? I spent many lunch breaks tossing off on my six pack. Yes I am Joe Sixpack for the record.

Comment by vklahti

vklahti — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 20:54:53 -0800

According to the now-empty SBC's Baristas, this space is turning into a Starbucks. Because the four block walk between the Starbucks in the market and the one at Third and Pike is just too, too far for any civilized person to actually walk.

Comment by COMTE

COMTE — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 21:25:24 -0800

Are we getting Hard Rock Cafe confused with Planet Hollywood? Because seriously, considering how badly PH tanked the first time around, I can't imagine they'd try that again anytime soon.

Why not just have The Turf just move back into their old space?

Comment by Tiffany

Tiffany — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:08:19 -0800

Because The Turf was not in that space, COMTE, they were across the street.

Comment by tomasyalba

tomasyalba — Tue, 21 Oct 2008 22:53:58 -0800

I love that my middle-aged junkie friends use a term the Weekly originated - you made my day, gnossos!

Comment by Scott Dow

Scott Dow — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 03:04:22 -0800

Why was it called "Penney's Corner"? Please do tell more.

The Mirror was one of the spookiest bars I have ever been in (across the street from the turf.

Comment by CommonKnowledge

CommonKnowledge — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 07:55:45 -0800

my co-worker remembers when JCPenny was near that corner.

Comment by w7ngman

w7ngman — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:22:15 -0800

#23, there's one in Century Square, too. And in front of Benaroya Hall, and near Macy's, and...

Comment by max solomon

max solomon — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 09:33:02 -0800

does "The Blade" come from the well-known-downtown-schizo-off-his-meds-waving-a-samurai-sword-so-block-off-the-streets-for-several-hours-while-you-blast-the-crazy-fuck-with-a-fire-hose incident that happened at second & pike? that was late 90's.

Comment by pretentious

pretentious — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:07:42 -0800

i watched the samurai man from my vantage point atop the parking garage at 2nd and pike. i left long before the 11pm hosing. bittersweet memories...

Comment by elswinger

elswinger — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 11:52:08 -0800

Is the SBC near the downtown library still open? The last time I was there (more than a year) they started making their own cola which was way better tasting than Coke or Pepsi (but a close second to RC on tap).

Comment by gnossos

gnossos — Wed, 22 Oct 2008 13:10:57 -0800

@28 has the origins of Penney's corner correct...where the Newmark condos now stand @ the SW corner of 2nd and Pike once was JC Penney's.

I'm not sure when it closed down (late 70s?). But by the late 80s it was a boarded up hulking wreck and it was all the city could do to keep it from turning into the largest squat/shooting gallery on the West Coast.

Anyone who thinks that area is dodgy now is either too young or too new.

There were some really frightful places down there. Prime among them the donut shop @ the SE corner of 1st and Pike and Gunther the infamous child pimper.