Wing Wahs and Gigantic disappear, Andy loses sound, and Jake's online - by N.L. Belardes
Wing Wahs is boarded up. I looked in the windows a few minutes ago and saw vague shapes of tables in the smoke covered darkness. Just a few days ago Jake of Downtown Records ran outside to see fire engines surround Wing Wahs like a bunch of covered wagons, all in a circle, with Injuns having shot fiery arrows past them into the Wing Wahs kitchen. Jake saw smoke pouring out, then went into the Alley Cat Alley to see more smoke billowing from the roof. When he came back around firemen were breaking the windows to get inside, causing more smoke to dump over the downtown scene…
Gigantic is moving. That’s five customers in a year according to Jake at Downtown Records. No tenant will stay over there. And that’s two stores down and out from fiery knock-out punches. Gigantic is still reeling from the baseball bat threats and the complaints to their landlord which burned the downtown Indie music scene, but not to a crisp. Those Gigantic dudes seem determined. They’re supposedly moving out of their downtown locale in a few days. Yet I wonder: is this the Tutenkhamen curse of the store next to Jake’s? He’s been around for three and a half years. Not bad. I hate to say it, but you have to ask if it is bad business when a downtown store like Gigantic just ups and leaves?
Maybe not. Even though no one at Gigantic writes to me for defending them from the ball bat of poor consciousness, I still think they made the right decision. Maybe they won’t get the downtown traffic, but I believe they had loyal clientele who are going to hang out at Montgomery World Plaza. It will be an interesting Latino/counterculture crossroads. It’s not like Dagny’s stays open late anyway. It’s not like you can get Chinese Food at Wing Wahs anymore. Besides, all those Gigantic folk will now have Carl’s Jr., Vincent’s Pizza, John’s Burgers, Josephs, Rosemary’s and more, all within walking distance. Maybe there’s an F Street scene about to happen, about to explode to compliment the ball bat Rock and Roll Farm and the totally happening Sunday night Rileys Indie fest.
Another downtown business that’s gone, (has been for several months) is Andy Noise records. Remember back in the 80s? Paul Anderson ran it and I used to hang there when I was a high school punk looking for the latest from the Church, Waterboys, New Order and the Pogues. Years later, Paul relocated Andy Noise to the Haberfelde. Then he sold out to Ronald of Underground Records before Jake could even think about pouncing on it. Jake subsequently opened his own shop, a wise decision he admits. Andy Noise went online and then opened the Andy Noise love shack on Eye Street because he needed a business address. I think he just couldn’t leave the scene. Now nobody I know has any idea where Andy Noise has gone to. Funny for a guy with a business name like that to leave without a sound.
One last note. Downtown Records is selling online now. So click here, or go talk to Jake.
Gigantic is moving. That’s five customers in a year according to Jake at Downtown Records. No tenant will stay over there. And that’s two stores down and out from fiery knock-out punches. Gigantic is still reeling from the baseball bat threats and the complaints to their landlord which burned the downtown Indie music scene, but not to a crisp. Those Gigantic dudes seem determined. They’re supposedly moving out of their downtown locale in a few days. Yet I wonder: is this the Tutenkhamen curse of the store next to Jake’s? He’s been around for three and a half years. Not bad. I hate to say it, but you have to ask if it is bad business when a downtown store like Gigantic just ups and leaves?
Maybe not. Even though no one at Gigantic writes to me for defending them from the ball bat of poor consciousness, I still think they made the right decision. Maybe they won’t get the downtown traffic, but I believe they had loyal clientele who are going to hang out at Montgomery World Plaza. It will be an interesting Latino/counterculture crossroads. It’s not like Dagny’s stays open late anyway. It’s not like you can get Chinese Food at Wing Wahs anymore. Besides, all those Gigantic folk will now have Carl’s Jr., Vincent’s Pizza, John’s Burgers, Josephs, Rosemary’s and more, all within walking distance. Maybe there’s an F Street scene about to happen, about to explode to compliment the ball bat Rock and Roll Farm and the totally happening Sunday night Rileys Indie fest.
Another downtown business that’s gone, (has been for several months) is Andy Noise records. Remember back in the 80s? Paul Anderson ran it and I used to hang there when I was a high school punk looking for the latest from the Church, Waterboys, New Order and the Pogues. Years later, Paul relocated Andy Noise to the Haberfelde. Then he sold out to Ronald of Underground Records before Jake could even think about pouncing on it. Jake subsequently opened his own shop, a wise decision he admits. Andy Noise went online and then opened the Andy Noise love shack on Eye Street because he needed a business address. I think he just couldn’t leave the scene. Now nobody I know has any idea where Andy Noise has gone to. Funny for a guy with a business name like that to leave without a sound.
One last note. Downtown Records is selling online now. So click here, or go talk to Jake.
This entry was posted by N.L. Belardes, on
Tuesday, March 29, 2005.
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