Tucson is like any locale – comprised of various socio-economic and cultural striations. Downtown is definitively a microcosm with its mishmash of owners and renters, business people and artists, merchants, consumers and homeless. On any given 2nd Saturday, it is interesting to watch the proverbial changing of the guard, around 11 p.m., move from a genteel, familial confluence to a party, dance crowd. While the thump-thump late night Saturday scene isn’t my thing, I think it is important to downtown’s economy and diversity to embrace all walks of people, as long as they are peaceful.
I’ve been renting a house in Armory Park since 2000 and have watched the ebb and flow of businesses and folks come and go. Over the last couple of years, downtown seems to have embraced a more refined culinary aesthetic. With the influx of restaurants comes requisite competition. A place like Grill and its Red Room, though admittedly on the other side of refined, was a staple. “Open Later Than You Think” was a calling card for hungry partiers, wanting to sober up on greasy food, water and coffee after bars closed. I have fond memories of post bar crowds at Grill and fond memories of Red Room shows. The Sunday night before it closed on November 22, I ended up at Red Room hanging out with old friends I hadn’t seen in a long time, and moshing with strangers at 2 a.m. When I fell down, a bunch of strangers graciously, happily helped me up. I was a bit flushed with embarrassment but more delighted by the consideration of Tucsonans I had never met. I wondered if I would ever experience the opposite of stage diving in such a supportive environment.
The point being that, in this super uncertain economy, Tucson’s best mainstays may be at the brink of collapse without its biggest fans hearing a whisper before it is too late. Hence, if you can, support your favorite, locally-owned places with our shopping guide (pages 23 to 30), scribed by Monica Surfaro Spigelman. This issue is also rife with the Old Pueblo’s December festivities, from Holiday Happenings (click here) to performances (click here). These events showcase our international community and make me proud to live in this little-big town.
