The no night-life lament

[Schusseur]

This is not a complaint. Just a query. Can't something be done? I just watched the Sugarbush 50th birthday film - great stuff. An obvious theme running through is this: part of what made mascara mountain such a happening place were the parties. I mean come on, really. No Blue tooth? (I guess I got over that one). No Phoenix pub? What? Now what?

Have we really become so fearful? Did the crackdown on the mad mountain tavern just kill whatever was left of the evening spirit? Did those relentless DUI stops achieve what we really wanted? (yeah, yeah I know, 'even 1 accident prevented is worth... yada, yada, yada') Doesn't anyone over 35 want a place to go AFTER dinner?

Alcohol is not a bad thing! Sure, be responsible. Take the mad bus. Get a designated driver. Take a taxi. But can't we find some way to keep the evening interesting with a little liquor and a little music? Somehow this is possible just about anywhere else. And don't start with the usual "people who love the valley don't come here for nightlife...". We know that already.

Let's bring back the parties! Let the good times roll! That's what need right now. Maybe Henri's could be re-invigorated. Whatever.

For now I'll just sit here and watch another Netflix.

[Lostone]

The Castlerock Pub is going to be open Saturday and holiday evenings.

Those who want a place open for late night partying should support it, or it will close, too. Most of the places that were open for partying closed, not because of deputy dog, but because not enough people went there to keep them in business all year.

The Mad Bus will be parking there, when it is not enroute. This year's route takes it past all the other party bars and restaurants.

[ski_resort_observer]

The bar landscape has changed. You still have the Hyde-Away but the Local Home BBQ, Slidebrook Tavern, Purple Moon, Big Picture and the CRP are the places to go now with the the Den coming back online as a sports bar soon. The bar at the Green Mountain Lodge at Mellon usually has music for apre-ski on the weekends. For low key bars you have the bar at MRG, Timbers and the Mad River Barn.

[jwt]

Right there is 10-11 places SRO mentions. If there are ( have heard this number bantied about for years) 6K beds in the valley, and 20% of them go out on a given Friday or Sat night - there is just not the support for as many as we have now, never mind more. I'd also wonder if the 20% actually go out each weekend night as well.

1200 people spread over those 10 places - some 200 and some 20 can keep a business in business, but then you gotta take in to account slow weekends, bad weather, and mud season. Just like retailers who count on 40% of their business in Nov/Dec, these guys hope Dec-March will carry them thru. Even then they have to be good money managers. Taxes are high on property so I imagine commercial property is even higher.

[Schusseur]

I hear you and am familiar with those places. You're right that if the business isn't there, neither is the business. It's just kinda sad that's all. When I came here as a kid my parents were out partying at night. Now I'm a parent and it's just not the same thing. Maybe it's a generational issue.

I know whatever resort I go to, there's this in common: if you're on site and don't have transportation issues, odds are the partying will rule. That's especially true if you count 20 to 40 year olds as a key customers.

As much as I've loved this valley for over 40 years, there's just something missing. Maybe the thing that's missing is what prevents it from becoming like Killington or Stowe, so fine, I get that. I look around at a lot of empty retail space around here. Closed businesses are everywhere. Sure the economy's tough, but this has been going on for years.

The spirit of '68 is dead. The fun is gone. Maybe the powers-that-be ought to look at this fine museum-piece of a community and wonder how the economic base can ever be nourished. High taxes, high barriers and naysayers all have played a role. Btw, I appreciate Win's efforts. I think he's doing his best to bring back the spirit.

[ski_resort_observer]

I think the number of beds in the valley is closer to 2500 than 6000. Noski would know the number. No question there is no place in the valley like the Wobbly Barn at kmart or the Rusty Nail in Stowe or even Gallaghers in Waitsfield but that's not Sugarbush's call. Assume there has to be a reason no one has wanted to open a place like that. Perhaps the goal of being a family oriented resort area is part of the reason.