3) RIP - Lobo Saloon

Now, those places that adapted are still open. Bully for them. Really, you can't blame the owners for deciding to make more money. It's understandable.

Witness the latest dive bar casualty: The Lobo. Established in 1972 (or 1974, depending on 1)who you talk to, and 2)their level of sobriety at the moment), The Lobo shut its doors for the final time on March 31st, 2007.

Yes, the neighborhood that surrounds it is changing drastically. Really, though, it was the smoking ban that killed the place dead.

Used to be (god, I'm old), you showed up at around 6:30 and the early evening crowd would be lingering on, and the switch to night crew was about to begin. This was my niche. The 'tween.

I'd come in, relax, and then get ready to do whatever was next on the agenda: date, rehearsal, performance, being an audience member, whatever.

Then came that fateful, cold, December night.

The effect on the Lobo was immediate. Weekday nights were barren of clientele. Bartenders who were once fairly busy, were now watching the M's lose in typically bored fashion. The cute women bartenders were replaced with increasingly humonculous males.

The Lobo didn't even make it 18 months after the ban was enacted.

The majority owner has been bought out, the new head (who has successfully turned a couple of other bars around) is turning it into a sports bar. The place will be named Victory, for pete's sake.

Will I still go? Likely. It's not like there's much they could do to the place, but still...I'm going to have to get used to a lot more "brah" from well intentioned frats/yuppies...

That is, unless I find some other place to go to.

Cherish the Canterbury. Cherish The Comet. The Streamline Tavern. Honeyhole. Bus Stop. REbar. The Zoo.

Yes, even cherish Targy's.

S'long, Lobo.