What Happened to the Neighborhood Pub?
Lately I’ve been infatuated with the idea of the tavern as a meeting place, where people and minds gather for more than just talk about sports. Where people come together for camaraderie and to share ideas on politics or business. Where people are drawn to simply be with friends for a round or two of beer.
This interest has been sparked by the history books I’ve been reading (and the re-runs of Cheers I’ve been watching on Amazon Prime). In David McCullough’s biography on John Adams, he talks about how the revolution was born out of taverns. Our Founding Fathers came together over a pint of ale or glass of madeira (John Adams preferred beverage) and unified on a cause that launched the birth of this great nation. Paul Revere was even sent out of a tavern – The Green Dragon Public House – for his famed freedom ride. In C. S. Lewis – A Life: Eccentric Genius, Reluctant Prophet, author Alister McGrath describes the conversations between C.S. Lewis and J.R.R. Tolkien at the local watering hole. It was over a pint that Tolkien presented his idea for the Lord of the Rings to Lewis.
What’s happened to these watering holes where ideas are creatively discussed over a round of beer?
In the times previously mentioned, the corner tavern was an extension of the family living room. Under the advent of technology, people have been drawn away from the tavern and into the comfy confines of our living rooms where we sit mesmerized by smart devices. Our drawn out conversations on the state of the nation have been condensed into 140 characters of name calling. Our writing ideas are forced into sporadic comments in a Facebook group.
When we do head out to a tavern, it’s most likely to catch a game. I’m not knocking sports as I do enjoy watching my Carolina Panthers and Miami Hurricanes play in the company of others. Sadly, this seems to be the only reason bars exist anymore. There used to be a romanticism, an art to the tavern that appears to be lost in today’s society.
On a recent trip to Boston, I stepped out to find the great American pub.
Surely, in the city that gave us the American Revolution and Cheers, there had to still be a bar where everybody knows your name. For the most part, my mission failed miserably. Admittedly, I pretty much followed the Freedom Trail tourist path only popping into pubs for a bite to eat or a quick pint along the way. I stumbled into The Tap where locals were cheering on Boston teams in front of giant televisions and Cheers where I found the tourist trap that I was expecting.
Last, I wound up at Sevens on Beacon Hill. Here was a bar that more closely resembled the neighborhood gathering spot. Conversation was lively throughout and everybody seemed to know each other’s name. However, it was after midnight on a Saturday, and I wasn’t sure how much of the conversation had morphed into meat market pickup lines. I still wasn’t sure I found that great American tavern.
I believe that as people we crave the human interactions that technology has taken away from us.
One of the today’s buzzwords is mastermind group. According to Pat Flynn at Smart Passive Income, “A mastermind group is just a fancy term for a group of people with a common goal that meet (in person, on the phone, via Skype, chatrooms, meeting software, etc.) to share and learn to improve what they do.” I am in two myself – one for business and one for writing. The difference between the masterminds I’m in and the ones Pat Flynn describes are that mine meet in person. Regularly we gather at someone’s house and over a case of beer or bottle of wine discuss ideas. Even MeetUp.com exists to drive various types of mastermind groups.
As I type up a conclusions to this post, I sit at NoDa Brewery in Charlotte, NC and am heartened by what I see. It’s 5:00 on a Thursday and the place is jammed. Part of that is because they brew the best beer in town, but part of that also has to be for the camaraderie. The tap room is buzzing with conversation. Craft breweries are popping up in neighborhoods throughout the country. Could they be leading the charge to revitalize the great American tavern?
Tell us about your neighborhood watering hole!
When I lived in Elizabeth Jack’s was my neighborhood place. I miss that 🙁
Can’t say that I’ve ever been to Jacks. I hear the food is good… As Elizabeth has grown, I imagine it has lost that neighborhood feel. My friends from all over Charlotte drive to visit Jacks.
A M E N! A M E N! Or maybe I should ask you to kindly get out of my head! Just the other day, there was a group of us discussing the exact same thing. We weren’t thinking of the political angle, or rather just polite open discussion of diverse ideas, but were just trying to think of a local place in South Tampa where we could go, hang out, have a few drinks and a nimble, and linger over good conversation, all the while being able to actually hear each other. But, alas, we weren’t able to come up with any place where we wouldn’t feel like we were being pushed from the table to make way for the next potential tip. I think you have a brilliant business plan looming in your future.
I guess that maybe what we are both describing exists in coffee shops. But what fun is coffee?
Are there any breweries you can visit? Cigar City maybe? Breweries do seem to be the new pub.
I don’t think you’d ever find a problem like this in Ireland – thank god! It’s so normal to me – it’s the centre of a place. And not for the booze but for the interaction.
I went to a ‘bar’ in Riga today. You weren’t actually allowed to drink in the bar. They put your beer into a bottle and you had to leave the place. Goes some way towards explaining why Latvians are so bloody odd 😉
The Irish don’t go to a bar for the booze? Having a hard time believing that… 🙂
Booze – and conversation 😉 I went to a Latvian bar yesterday – you couldn’t actually sit down in the place. They poured your beer into a plastic bottle and you had to leave. So normal 😉
Oh, check out my new post – it will give you a taste of what’s to come when you visit this part of the world 😉
I’m confused. You wanted me to check out a photo of you in leopard-print? Or was there a post I’m missing?
https://expateyeonlatvia.files.wordpress.com/2014/08/2014-08-02-16-02-35.jpg
It’s preparation for when you get here! That’s just the tip of the iceberg – to get your eyes accustomed to the horror that awaits 😉
I kind of liked it 😉
You and everyone else – sometimes I wonder about people 😉
I can’t agree with the expat more, you still find this in Europe for sure! I would love a neighborhood spot where you know you can walk in, find a cozy corner and be able to have a meaningful conversation with your friends and colleagues. The closest I can think of in my neighborhood would likely be Gin Mill. There are some nights where it reverts to club-like status on the thumping bass drowns out any hope of conversation, but on other nights it is a nice, cozy dive. Still not the romanticized picture I have in my head of a grisly barkeep and worn leather sofas, but, it’s something.
Please don’t stroke Expats ego. It’s already large enough…
I would never imagine Gin Mill as a neighborhood joint. I thought it was more of a pub. Your neighborhood had the potential for the local watering hole but it is becoming a bit over commercialized with chains like World of Beer moving in. I’d still take it over Ayrsley though… What about Common Market? I dig the vibe there.
Huff 😉
I used to enjoy going to a local pub and play NTN trivia, talk with people, play some pool, while talking with a person the bartender/manager overheard what we were discussing and told me to stop and that I was no longer welcome there. Haven’t been to Baseline Pub on 152nd since, as there are many other great places in White Rock!
Censorship in a pub is something I have never heard of before. I would probably boycott the place as well. Great job on holding your ground!
The neighbourhood pub is alive and well T GreenTimbersPub in Surrey/GreenTimbers! The staff is excellent! Lots of Soccer, football, baseball, etc., & NTN trivia!