Baxter Lomax's interview with old coot owner of Ye Old Town Inn

Thanks again for coming to this interview and being allowed us to ask some questions as owner of a simple bar. You have owned the Ye Old Town Inn for a number of years and we admire your courageous fight against village leaders constantly trying to shut down your charming establishment.

 Mr Curtis:  all right

BL.  How long do you think small bars that play music will continue given this climate

Tc.  Then the village makes it hard. All right. They don't want a simple place in their suburbs that serves the young and working crowds. 

Bl : can you elaborate


He. They all want large chains with a track record of throwing money to near by projects. These village leaders all over Chicago land and the suburbs want to bulldoze any building older than thirty years and put up a large window strip mall with parking for twenty spots and spots that will be empty.

Bl     What  is the key of keeping a business that is on the reader from so many?

TC.  All Right.  You got to let folks know the history of the building and how it means something. A strip mall put up in 1999 means nothing and looks no different than a strip mall put up today. Many of these malls can't even get clients to opens up businesses and all you see are nail stores and Chinese kitchens. That is basically who is willing to put up shop in these suburban malls . Asians.

Bl. The Ye old Town Inn is a classic old bar. It is much like the Itasca Inn. We both saw the horror of a fire on a building that was very similar down the corner. What gives?

TC.   look around. Anything new being built is like ten stories or more and condo. There is limited space in Mount Prospect's downtown and any structure that is under three stories in endangered. These morons don't know how to construct a town that people will want to go and spend time. All right. Why so many people and young folks take trains on weekend and go downtown Chicago. Mount prospect is a boring town with bad strip malls and the only place for teens to do is become mall rats at Woodfield.



Bl: What were your feelings when you heard that part of the German colonial style building like yours was burned in downtown Mount Prospect?

TC: I knew dam well it was that Sushi Place. That place was a powder keg just ready to go and I am sure they had some encouragement.

Bl. What is it with live music that really gets on the nerve of people on village boards?

TC: These are people who are old and gray like me. They are to into their private world and don't want a young hip place to rock out at. They don't want others to have a place near by where their McMansion is to be able to rock out. That is why they burned down the hillside hideout. This is why they put codes that are anti entertainment and put out so much red tape for music places in their sleepy villages.

 BL village officials don't want businesses like ours. Basic old pubs that serve a young constituency.

TC That is basically the story. A generational conflict and why you see so many of ours nations young in cities. If I owned a Ace Hardware store in downtown Mt Prospect instead of a bar they would leave me alone

BL Ace Hardware.?

TC Yea an Ace hardware is a place that all old people go and hang out and blow the shit. It is an old people's place and they hang out talking about their gardening or toilet fixtures and so village officials can relate to this. They welcome a business like that and harass a business like mine where young people want to rock and play music and have a fun time. Go to an Ace Hardware say in A Lombard or a Glen Ellyn and see all the geezers hang out and talk. 

Bl  I have been commenting and blogging for years how it is all the cool places with young folks that seems to burn down. You never see like a worthless family restaurant in the suburbs that are popular with grandma .....you never see these lame Greek owned family restaurants  burn to the ground. Why is it the attached old buildings with businesses and apartments above seem to take the brunt of accidents and destruction's?   

TC. They want their villages to have a certain Waffle House type of look. Many buildings that should of been preserved were "accidentally"  or declared unfit and destroyed while their crummy stand alone eateries and outdated restaurants  remain preserved. The only businesses they want in their skummy villages are corporate Ace Hardware's and humongous Home Depots. As owner of the Ye Old Town Inn I will always be a thorn on their side and battle these fuck heads for a certain type of urban look and business that will test the sound of time.

BL Sound of time. OK Mr Curtis thanks for the interview
 
TC All right and come this weekend. We have Flash bang playing on stage. Hope to see you there Baxter.

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