Comments on Overheard at 1st & Pike

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

~sad trombone sound~

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

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

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

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.

@joel, does simply seattle count?

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

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

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?

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

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."

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

#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).

Mmmmm, Mae Phim.

@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.

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

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

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

wait, I got my restaurants confused, did I?

Another Planet Hollywood? Really? Now? Really?

WTF?

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

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

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.

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?

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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...

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).

@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.