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Tuesday, January 13, 2009

A Question from the Streets of Seattle

Posted by David Schmader on Tue, Jan 13, 2009 at 12:42 PM

"I'm walking downtown at Second and Pike," reported Slog tipper Rebecca to my voicemail mere minutes ago. "Apparently they're putting a Hard Rock Cafe down here. Did you know this? I did not. It's on the same block as Sneaker City and the notice of application is dated November 17."

Dear Rebecca: I did not know this either, but it is true.

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Comments (41) RSS

Oldest First Unregistered On Registered On Add a comment
1
Yeah, this was announced months ago.

God, I remember going to the one in New York in 1988. I was 16 and saw a whole booth filled with Talking Heads memorabilia, including a David Byrne guitar and Chris Franz' snare drum. Needless to say, I was convinced that there was no cooler place in the world. I wore my fucking Hard Rock Cafe hat religiously for the next year. Don't tell anyone, though.
Posted by Jason Josephes on January 13, 2009 at 12:46 PM
2
Let's hope it's at least as successful as Planet Hollywood was.
Posted by Napoleon XIV on January 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
3
There goes the neighborhood ...
Posted by Will in Seattle on January 13, 2009 at 12:47 PM
4
I would almost prefer another Hooters instead. Actually no I wouldn't.
Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on January 13, 2009 at 12:48 PM
5
So, once all the douchebags get inside, can we lock the doors and torch the place?
Posted by Hernandez on January 13, 2009 at 12:49 PM
6
It is horrible. If we can rally to protect gay space, can't we rally to protect junkie space? Bring the Turf home!
Posted by wow on January 13, 2009 at 12:53 PM
7
All this time I thought the chain went the way of Planet Hollywood.
Posted by Dougsf on January 13, 2009 at 12:54 PM
8
@5: No, that's a valuable guitar!
Posted by lusk on January 13, 2009 at 12:54 PM
9
a hard cock rafe?

put it on the hill, anything hard...
yadda..

oh...snap
a gay mafia joint
it could be the new pony we're all wanting.
Posted by msrs dribble on January 13, 2009 at 12:58 PM
10
Wonder what they're going to stock the place with, seeing as Paul Allen already owns every scrap of Seattle-based music memorabilia worth displaying.
Posted by COMTE on January 13, 2009 at 12:58 PM
11
Let's have all of us queers take it over right from the start! Seriously, we will just flood the place 24-7. We can make it the GAY HARD ROCK CAFE!!!
Posted by Cato the Younger Younger on January 13, 2009 at 1:04 PM
12
Finally, a cool place to hang out in Seattle!
Posted by Matthew on January 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
13
Huh. "84-year-old, terra-cotta-clad building"... is this the one that the Slog reported had that covering destroyed on while nobody was looking and before permits could get filed? Was that these douchebags?
Posted by Cow on January 13, 2009 at 1:13 PM
Posted by petenice on January 13, 2009 at 1:16 PM
15
I'm surprised they didn't try for a location closer to EMP...
Posted by Emily on January 13, 2009 at 1:18 PM
16
Awesome! I can't wait not to go there!
Posted by Jay Andrew Allen on January 13, 2009 at 1:24 PM
17
@13, no it's not those particular douchebags. The principal of the company that owns this building is Urban Visions' Greg Smith. He's a second-generation downtown developer descended from anglos who arrived in Seattle in 1868. Greg's thinking of running to become our next ex-developer Mayor.
Posted by tomasyalba on January 13, 2009 at 1:28 PM
18
Their salads are impossibly good, and I don't know why. You'd think combining various greens and veggies with chicken would be simple, but no, they do something extra-special.

Maybe the dressing is made from Nikki Sixx hair drippings?
Posted by AJ on January 13, 2009 at 1:43 PM
19
good timing.....the dead are touring again.
http://www.dead.net
Posted by jerry's ghost on January 13, 2009 at 1:44 PM
20
I went to NYC theme restaurants in the 1990's and it was fun. I wouldn't expect the locals to like it, but as a tourist trap, it should be fun while it lasts.
Posted by douches=MrClean on January 13, 2009 at 1:55 PM
21
The whole purpose of Planet Hollywood was to lose money, as a tax shelter for the rich movie stars who invested. That's why they shut after five years, which is the longest the IRS will let an obviously fixed money-loser to run before they stop allowing the deduction. I have always assumed that Hard Rock was the same way.
Posted by Fnarf on January 13, 2009 at 1:58 PM
22
Hard Rock is strangely legit, permanent spaces, permanent memorabilia collections, etc.

And their salads, I discovered, are also made with hair leavings of Axl Rose. Yum yum.
Posted by AJ on January 13, 2009 at 2:10 PM
23
@9
Not only is the mandatory post preview a great opportunity to proof read your post, it's also a good time to make sure it's more than incohearant babble.
Posted by Iain on January 13, 2009 at 2:13 PM
24
They make their drinks with Guns n Roses Lime Juice...

If we're going to have a craptastic, retro 80's food chain, I'd rather have a House of Blues...the food is better and they have live entertainment...also, my old House of Blues t-shirt is getting rag-baggy and I need a new one.
Posted by michael strangeways on January 13, 2009 at 2:15 PM
25
Wow, a Hard Rock Cafe, that's so....80s. Should I pull out my leggings and leg warmers for the grand opening?

And, can I just say, about the cafe at EMP, the food there is not good and I don't know why people rave about it.
Posted by PopTart on January 13, 2009 at 2:16 PM
26
Maybe I can finally get my mother to come visit.
Posted by Gitai on January 13, 2009 at 2:20 PM
27
If you or Rebecca had read the comments in the following October slog thread then you would have known about the Hard Rock Cafe on Pike:

http://slog.thestranger.com/2008/10/over…

Posted by stinkbug on January 13, 2009 at 2:23 PM
28
Fnarf, are you really the Google back end library in disguise?
Posted by sandeep on January 13, 2009 at 2:36 PM
29
That should bring the much needed Spanaway crowd to downtown Seattle!
Posted by very bad homo on January 13, 2009 at 2:53 PM
30
The point is, that area needs SOMETHING. ANYTHING. Pike is dead/dying from 1st Ave to 5th Ave. Its ridiculous considering its proximity to the tourist corridor of Pine Street. I will support any business that has the balls to open something on that stretch. I don't care how many bleached-hair douchebags I have to tolerate.
Posted by JesseJB on January 13, 2009 at 2:56 PM
31
Sandeep @28: Yes. Yes, I am. For the price of a couple of rum cocktails I'll even show you my server farm.
Posted by Fnarf on January 13, 2009 at 3:08 PM
32
I hope they have Sound Garden Burgers.
Posted by Skip on January 13, 2009 at 3:27 PM
33
Oh, man. This is going to rule so hard. I can feel myself getting cooler already.
Posted by Greg on January 13, 2009 at 3:54 PM
34
Not sure what to say about this...

Hate the whole chain thing but when I was living overseas in the 80's, the hard Rock cafe in London was the only place you could go to for a much needed "American Meal".

Have fond memories of The Hard Rock back then.
Posted by Paul in Ballard on January 13, 2009 at 3:55 PM
35
I doesn't particularly bother me. That area is basically a mall spread out into different buildings already. So be it. If people are already down there to go to Fox Sports Grill, the Adidas store, Niketown, Benneton, Banana Republic, etc., etc., more power to them at the Hard Rock.
Posted by Lloyd Clydesdale on January 13, 2009 at 4:02 PM
36
Their food sucks.
Posted by JJ on January 13, 2009 at 4:31 PM
37
Is this part of Nickels' City of Music plan?
Posted by moxie on January 13, 2009 at 5:21 PM
38
I'm having one of those moments where there are so many snarky comments going through my brain that I can't choose just one.
Posted by violet_dagrinder on January 13, 2009 at 5:32 PM
39
Lemme know when James Taylor and Kenny G. are ready to open their Soft Rock Cafe.
Posted by NapoleonXIV on January 13, 2009 at 5:42 PM
40
Should help to keep the summer tourists corralled safely in their special "zone", where they can experience the REAL Seattle of Nordstrom, Westlake Center, and the Cheesecake Factory.
Posted by MarkyMark on January 13, 2009 at 6:02 PM
41
@39,

I'll go if you threw Seals AND Crofts in.

But actually go to a Hard Rock Cafe outlet in Seattle when I can still go to the Central and El Corazon (i.e - places where actual hard rock history occurred)?

No.

Posted by Mr. X on January 14, 2009 at 12:34 AM

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