Thursday, July 14, 2005

Disappearing Seattle: Gone but not forgotten

By ATHIMA CHANSANCHAI
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER REPORTER

Twin Teepees, the Last Exit coffeehouse on Brooklyn, Herfy's, Chubby & Tubby, the Doghouse and Rainier Beer.

	See photos of some absent Seattle icons.

Seattle misses you.

When the Seattle Post-Intelligencer asked readers, "What now-gone hangouts and neighborhood landmarks do you miss, and why?" it triggered a flood of memories and time-warping that crossed decades and generations, bringing back places from way back in the day to those that met their demise much more recently.

Lists began. Anecdotes spawned more sharing. Soon, "Disappearing Seattle" reappeared with a roar as readers resurrected a beloved all-purpose general store, after-hours comfort food dives (which included post-clubbing sustenance providers), hamburger joints, favorite bars, bowling alleys, cinemas, laundromats and clubs.

Nearly 200 current and former residents wrote about how they pined for bygone symbols like the Twin Teepees (originally the Twin T-Ps and later Power's Pancake House), a recurring name on the miss-you-much list.

In keeping with Seattle's other larger-than-life unofficial landmarks, its eye-catching design reeled in passing motorists. Inside, patrons got used to classic American diner fare -- "good grub and a couple of stiff drinks."

"It was a kind of an archetype of a highway eatery, sort of pre-Denny's, before these things all got standardized," said Walt Crowley, director of HistoryLink.org, an online encyclopedia of Washington state and local history. "There's great affection for these types of places. They're all practically gone."

More names of the dearly departed: Hasty Tasty, Jake O'Shaugnessy's, Farrell's Ice-Cream Parlors, the old Frontier Room, The Vogue and Shorey's bookstores.

"Good lord, what a crushing blow this list is. I'd long been disturbed by a seeming tendency to do away with my favorite places of character in favor of chain stores, condo towers, or just normal things. But I've been in Nevada the past two years and this Cloud Room revelation hit me like a ton of bricks. What happened? Should I yell or just injure myself. I've been looking to move back but Tom Wolf was right. You can't go home again," said a missive written by Cory (no last name given), who later corrected that to Thomas Wolfe.

Some themes started to emerge as readers continued to share: these were hangouts and casual places tied to memorable times.

"They generally were informal community centers and families over several generations developed connections with these places as gathering spots and venues for birthdays," Crowley said.

It's no coincidence, he said, that many of Seattle's most beloved institutions were found on Aurora Avenue, which served as the city's main artery until Interstate 5 was completed.

These places saw rites of passage, whether it was a first date or a first drink. Some sought solace in the silver screen -- like the UA 150 on Sixth Avenue, where Jon H. saw "Star Wars" 15 times during its first run.

More than a few readers bemoaned the gentrification of Fremont, or what was less affectionately described as a Yuppie "hellhole." For one reader, a "Generic Trendy Yuppie Cafe #23" replaced the beloved Still Life Cafe.

For some, there was only one special place that made it hard to say goodbye.

"I know this is really going to date me, but I really miss the Owl Cafe in Ballard. For a brief hazy period, many years ago, this place was just the coolest joint I ever walked into. It was every thing that I thought was cool about Ballard. You could be just a normal person and go in there just about any weekend and just rock your ass off," wrote Omar Croatus. "It's gone, and so are my 20s, and somedays I still miss them both."

JOIN THE DISCUSSION

To read what about what people miss the most, or to share your thoughts, go to Disappearing Seattle.

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