Redmond, that is.
The article in the Bulletin about downtown Redmond was a bit of deja vu for me. It reminds me of downtown Bend in the '80's, on the verge of a big comeback.
I've maintained before that the downtown Bend core comeback was not a foreordained conclusion. I think we were somewhat lucky in the timing of renovations and the arrival of certain investors and the combination of stores. You had to be there.
Bend was actually smaller at that time than Redmond is now, which is astounding. But I believe Bend had more core businesses than Redmond has -- Redmond is a bit of a satellite of Bend, and a bit of a bedroom community. (Don't take offense, Redmonites.)
The title of the article is "Redmond Looking Younger."
Well, I'm not convinced of that. I would look instead at the idea that Redmond has more beginning hardscrabble from the groundup type businesses -- which coincidentally means that more businesses are started by young people in the prime starter age of 28 - 40.
I've noticed that bohemian type businesses -- started on a wing and a prayer -- are most often started by people in their early 30's. I was 32 when I bought Pegasus Books, for instance.
Bend really doesn't have a place for these type businesses anymore. The rents are simply too high in downtown Bend and the Old Mill.
So Redmond seems to be filling that need. They are getting the Funk that Bend used to have but which slowly drained away to jewelry stores and art galleries and high end restaurants.
Stealth & Shadow, a goth and punk store, Sweet Peas N' Me, children's clothing and toys consignment shop, Urban Legends, Atomic Music, The Hive, all those kinds of business.
Good for them. I think they are in for a grand adventure.
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A bit of followup in the Bulletin this morning about Redmond and their 20 year plan.
I got news for them -- most of the existing businesses won't be around by the time this has a major effect.
Even the beginning changes will take years.
Most of the initiators of downtown Bend were gone by the end of the 90's.
It's all good. But take care of your own business and don't expect much.
Redmond and long ago LA-PINE where always where the poor lived, ... and so again, ... so that's where the Bend rich will go to have fun.
Who will have fun in Bend? Nobody, the music scene is dead.
DUI laws make it such that all the kids that work the bars in Bend and and live in Redmond, must stay in Redmond at night, so nobody will bother to go to Bend at night.
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