Where have all the students gone?
Jackson Shoaff-Bembry
“More and more I can’t even go to the bars because I look in my wallet and realize I have rent due in a week”
Ian Jones walks into the bar and a look of disappointment instantly crosses his face as he scans the crowd before him. His demeanor becomes standoffish and it seems as though someone just told him his dog had died. The bar is by no means empty but it is also no close to being full.
This is a trend that has been making its way throughout most old town bars in recent years. Jones isn’t the only one to be stricken by this inexplicable wave of disappointment upon entering a bar.
In actuality all of downtown Fort Collins seems to have fallen prey to this sweeping depression. What could be the cause? That seems to be the question everyone has been asking.
Throughout the past two years old town bars have seen a steady decline in the amount of patrons that frequent their establishments. Even the new bars have outgrown the honeymoon stage and are beginning to feel the pressure. So what happened?
The students are still here and there have been some of the largest classes in school history going through Colorado State University, so where is everyone? Many opinions have been brought to the table but the leader seems to be the economy. With the decline in expendable resources many believe hard times means less fun and less money spent at the bars.
Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill used to bring in between 700 to 900 people through the door on an average Thursday night. Currently they will be lucky to see 300. They aren’t the only ones. Drunken Monkey, Tony’s, Lucky Joes, Beach House, Bondi Beach Bar, and even Sports Exchange have all seen declines in persons through the door. Bar owner Shane Belcher believes the economy may be one of the largest factors to the decline in business.
“Everyone knows the economy is down and without their parents helping them out students might just be realizing they have other things they need to spend their money on,” says Belcher.
Even students are realizing that hard times mean cutting back on certain recreational activities. CSU student Ian Salmela believes it is about deciding what is important rather than what is fun.
“More and more I can’t even go to the bars because I look in my wallet and realize I have rent due in a week,” says Salmela.
Some believe it may also be due to self-preservation. With old town being a long walk for most students and with so many DUI’s being handed out around campus many students are choosing to go out closer to home. West campus seems to be the new destination for students as CSU student Nate Fitch believes.
“It’s closer it’s cheaper and I have less of a chance to get in to trouble on this side of town,” said Fitch referring to west campus.
Bars such as Mo Jeaux’s, C.B. and Potts, Road 34, and Ma’s Juice bar have been seeing increases in their numbers even with the slow economy. Specials such as four for ones and dollar beers have become the staple of what students on a budget have been thriving on. West campus is slowly becoming the new down town, a trend that worries many bar owners in old town.
The economy and convenience seem to be the leading reasons for the lack of participation in old town bars but there is another reason that others are taking stock in. Students in general seem to be more focused on their academics rather than the stereotypical party scene so prevalent in movies relating to college. When asked where all of his friends were, Ian Jones was quick to answer that the majority of his friends have taken up to studying on Fridays and Saturdays. Jones classified the trend of studying as lame and crazy.
“I remember going to the bars when you couldn’t even move, and that was every bar in town,” Jones said, “Saturdays are supposed to be a day to relax not study, I just don’t get it.”
Some students may not like it and the bar owners definitely don’t like it but perhaps this new trend of academics over partying is a positive thing. With some of the highest DUI arrests in the country and with incidents in old town such as the riots after the Earth Wind and Fire concert, maybe it is time for a change in what it means to have the college experience. Maybe with these hard times we will see a social shift that promotes the student who is more about getting good grades than being hung-over every Sunday.
Jackson Shoaff-Bembry
“More and more I can’t even go to the bars because I look in my wallet and realize I have rent due in a week”
Ian Jones walks into the bar and a look of disappointment instantly crosses his face as he scans the crowd before him. His demeanor becomes standoffish and it seems as though someone just told him his dog had died. The bar is by no means empty but it is also no close to being full.
This is a trend that has been making its way throughout most old town bars in recent years. Jones isn’t the only one to be stricken by this inexplicable wave of disappointment upon entering a bar.
In actuality all of downtown Fort Collins seems to have fallen prey to this sweeping depression. What could be the cause? That seems to be the question everyone has been asking.
Throughout the past two years old town bars have seen a steady decline in the amount of patrons that frequent their establishments. Even the new bars have outgrown the honeymoon stage and are beginning to feel the pressure. So what happened?
The students are still here and there have been some of the largest classes in school history going through Colorado State University, so where is everyone? Many opinions have been brought to the table but the leader seems to be the economy. With the decline in expendable resources many believe hard times means less fun and less money spent at the bars.
Washington’s Sports Bar and Grill used to bring in between 700 to 900 people through the door on an average Thursday night. Currently they will be lucky to see 300. They aren’t the only ones. Drunken Monkey, Tony’s, Lucky Joes, Beach House, Bondi Beach Bar, and even Sports Exchange have all seen declines in persons through the door. Bar owner Shane Belcher believes the economy may be one of the largest factors to the decline in business.
“Everyone knows the economy is down and without their parents helping them out students might just be realizing they have other things they need to spend their money on,” says Belcher.
Even students are realizing that hard times mean cutting back on certain recreational activities. CSU student Ian Salmela believes it is about deciding what is important rather than what is fun.
“More and more I can’t even go to the bars because I look in my wallet and realize I have rent due in a week,” says Salmela.
Some believe it may also be due to self-preservation. With old town being a long walk for most students and with so many DUI’s being handed out around campus many students are choosing to go out closer to home. West campus seems to be the new destination for students as CSU student Nate Fitch believes.
“It’s closer it’s cheaper and I have less of a chance to get in to trouble on this side of town,” said Fitch referring to west campus.
Bars such as Mo Jeaux’s, C.B. and Potts, Road 34, and Ma’s Juice bar have been seeing increases in their numbers even with the slow economy. Specials such as four for ones and dollar beers have become the staple of what students on a budget have been thriving on. West campus is slowly becoming the new down town, a trend that worries many bar owners in old town.
The economy and convenience seem to be the leading reasons for the lack of participation in old town bars but there is another reason that others are taking stock in. Students in general seem to be more focused on their academics rather than the stereotypical party scene so prevalent in movies relating to college. When asked where all of his friends were, Ian Jones was quick to answer that the majority of his friends have taken up to studying on Fridays and Saturdays. Jones classified the trend of studying as lame and crazy.
“I remember going to the bars when you couldn’t even move, and that was every bar in town,” Jones said, “Saturdays are supposed to be a day to relax not study, I just don’t get it.”
Some students may not like it and the bar owners definitely don’t like it but perhaps this new trend of academics over partying is a positive thing. With some of the highest DUI arrests in the country and with incidents in old town such as the riots after the Earth Wind and Fire concert, maybe it is time for a change in what it means to have the college experience. Maybe with these hard times we will see a social shift that promotes the student who is more about getting good grades than being hung-over every Sunday.
Quote lead is interesting and captures the essence of what the story is about, which is rare for a quote lead.
ReplyDeleteGood story, and so true with the economy now. It's not as exciting when you can't afford to do it. Interesting angle that covers the plight of Old Town bar owners, and I haven't read about this before--nice job.
ReplyDeleteI had never really thought about the West side becoming the new downtown for college kids,buts its totally true! Really interesting spin on the same old sucky economy stories that have been around forever. Ending seemed to leave me hanging a little, but overall it was really interesting!
ReplyDeleteI actually noticed last week when I went out to the bars just how dead it was. I hadn't thought about the west side of campus becoming popular, although I live west of campus so I should know! I like how you talked to some bar owners and got their opinion on the situation. Nice work!
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