Another local landmark is set to shut its doors.
Chelsea’s, a favorite hangout known for its eclectic clientele, as well as its musical offerings, isn’t exactly going out of business. Instead the establishment is moving farther away to occupy the building where the Colonel’s Club used to be on Perkins Road.
The move was inspired by local development group, The Venue Apartments, and its move to expand its share of the upscale off-campus housing market.
While some may cheer the departure of a bar from close proximity to the University, we do not. We believe that regardless of one’s opinion on alcohol, the passing of this establishment, whose 17 years of existence almost matches our own life span, merits sorrow.
Not because of what it was, though it was a good place to be on a rainy night, but because of the reason Chelsea’s has to move.
As far as Chelsea’s goes, what is it? Merely barstools, booths, walls and floors. What makes it special is the diverse group of students, locals and travelers who came by for a drink or a bite to eat. Perhaps it’s also the music, ranging from Cajun to hard rock, or maybe it’s the laid back atmosphere the counter-culture style, that the bar represented.
It may be any of this. But, in the end it is the people, regulars and passers-by alike, whose personalities make this place something special in our University community.
Yes, this can be said of any hangout a group of people love. But, only Chelsea’s is moving.
All around us, we see the hand of modernism creeping into our lives. It is a view that demands conformity, while promising comfort, and it is slowly infecting our University both on campus and off. Whether it is 1,000 person classes or chain stores taking over independent shops, the unique, local existence of college life is slowly being purged.
But it does not have to be this way. Students, whose long silence has made such things possible, can stand up and show their displeasure at the corporatization of their neighborhoods. Attend board meetings on rezoning, write letters to the editor and, most important of all, become a fully engaged citizen in the University community.
If today’s students don’t stand up, there won’t be anything left for the students of tomorrow.
Let’s try not to let them down.