We Need the keep Old Time Places

The sign for the Gold Dust Lounge

Every time I walk around Powell Street in San Francisco I notice the tourists who are always out waiting in a line for the cable cars. I also notice all of the places for tourists to spend their money. The upscale stores, Starbucks, other chain places. Then I notice the Gold Dust Lounge, I have passed by it thousands of times in my life and only stopped in for a pop a handful of times. Mainly because I am not a drinker.

But I have been reading that their lease is up and the owners of building-the Handlery family wants the bar gone  so they can put a store there. I feel that let the Gold Dust Lounge stay. Every time I walk by it is full of people and it has the charm of old time San Francisco. It isn't a chichi place that today's young, hip and modern people go. It isn't a cool clothes store that will be here today and gone tomorrow as so many stores have done. It is an old-time place that has been in the same location for 47 years and been around Powell St. for almost 80 years.

A view inside the Gold Dust

I think that we need to keep some of the old time places. Earlier this week I wrote about Val's Burgers in Hayward which has been in the same location for over 50 years. A couple of generations have gone and still go to Val's. The Gold Dust is the same place, it has its regulars that have been going there forever.

Every time I have gone into the Gold Dust Lounge, people who are there are always nice and are happy that you are there. Unlike some of the newer, hipper places that are just clueless about anybody who is not like them. The Gold Dust Lounge treats everybody the same-the regular or the if you just want to enjoy an old style and be on your way-as a respected person

The Old Prospector who greets you as you enter the Gold Dust

The Gold Dust will most likely have close their doors in a couple of weeks or so. If it does it will be a sad day as we lose another one of those great old time places