Live Music on Main Street
Posted by Chap at 8/17/2007 9:04 AM and is filed under uncategorized 
There was a good article in the Post yesterday on T.T. Reynolds on Main Street and whether its ownership can survive in the current market.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081500880.html
For those of you who didn't grow up in Fairfax or attend Mason, T.T.'s is an institution in our community. It has always featured local bands, both good and bad (and I've seen both). On a summer night in Fairfax, you can hear the Deep Purple or Jimi Hendrix wafting through the air.
Back in the day, our crowd would meet at T.T.'s to catch up. It was the classic hometown bar. Friendly bartenders, loud music, a short walk home.
Like many downtown businesses, T.T.'s is a sole proprietorship. It's not a chain. Not Friday's, not Bennigan's, not Hooters. The owner is on site. He may be in the back washing dishes.
With the welcome renovation of the City's downtown, the question is whether small businesses like T.T.'s will be priced out of the market. Let's hope not.
In an historic downtown, the small business is key. Major chains cannot fit their products into narrow streets or spaces. You need the flexibility of a small business. You need the accountability of an owner at the business every day.
The owner of T.T.'s is trying to buy his building so the business can stay. As a candidate, my position is that government should not pick winners and losers in the market place. That's for consumers to do.
But as a private citizen, I'll say -- let's keep T.T.'s!
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/08/15/AR2007081500880.html
For those of you who didn't grow up in Fairfax or attend Mason, T.T.'s is an institution in our community. It has always featured local bands, both good and bad (and I've seen both). On a summer night in Fairfax, you can hear the Deep Purple or Jimi Hendrix wafting through the air.
Back in the day, our crowd would meet at T.T.'s to catch up. It was the classic hometown bar. Friendly bartenders, loud music, a short walk home.
Like many downtown businesses, T.T.'s is a sole proprietorship. It's not a chain. Not Friday's, not Bennigan's, not Hooters. The owner is on site. He may be in the back washing dishes.
With the welcome renovation of the City's downtown, the question is whether small businesses like T.T.'s will be priced out of the market. Let's hope not.
In an historic downtown, the small business is key. Major chains cannot fit their products into narrow streets or spaces. You need the flexibility of a small business. You need the accountability of an owner at the business every day.
The owner of T.T.'s is trying to buy his building so the business can stay. As a candidate, my position is that government should not pick winners and losers in the market place. That's for consumers to do.
But as a private citizen, I'll say -- let's keep T.T.'s!
And note - the Fairfax City Council decided to buy the property for $1M dollars... I'm sorry, but I have a problem with the City constantly spending tax money on buying and reslling property in the CIty to developers. It smacks of cronyism - much like the Mayor's new Ice Cream Parlor and soon to be located pest control service right next door to it. Honestly Chap, you grew up in this City - do you think our current City Council and Mayor all have their light bulbs screwed in all the way? I doubt T.T. will survive which is unfortunate - I used to go there when friends of mine had a band called the Rain and it has always been a classic site in Old Town. Much better that we have the Mayor's Ice Cream Parlor though... oh yeah, its owned by his wife isn't it? That makes it smell just a bit less like bad cheese.