"When there is a big event in the Grove, we leave"
This letter is in reference to our story "Do we need all these events in Coconut Grove?"
We are retired and live on our boat at Dinner Key during the winter. We go to the Bookstore, shops and restaurants in the Grove everyday except we avoid all the events. How many retired people live in the Center Grove? We do not go to SoBe except to take our visitors there. We avoid crowds and noise. I think we are typical of our cohorts.
We eat out at least once a day and do not have to worry about the expense. When there is a big event in the Grove, we leave. It annoys us that access and egress are cut off or reduced during these events. We have to plan around them, if for example, we have to go to the airport.
We love the Strut. It is unique. The rest of the events will be found anywhere and if you see it once you have seen all there is to see. The pub crawls are for the 25 and younger crowd. That crowd drives the likes of us away. My family made it in the beer distribution business up north and we have sponsored more Grove-like business builders than any of us could count in the 70 years we were in the business.Take the money and energy spent on small promo events and use it to get the Playhouse open again. We are behind the competition in the performing arts area. The Playhouse is Grove.
The Beach, Gables and Calle Ocho have art film venues. The Playhouse would serve multiple audiences. We could have a small classical music venue to compete with the University of Miami. The single best investment the Grove could make. The Playhouse is an icon that people still remember fondly but it is a wasting asset.
I read your site every day as it keeps us up on Grove events during the up North months.
Terry Fruth
Coconut Grove
We eat out at least once a day and do not have to worry about the expense. When there is a big event in the Grove, we leave. It annoys us that access and egress are cut off or reduced during these events. We have to plan around them, if for example, we have to go to the airport.
We love the Strut. It is unique. The rest of the events will be found anywhere and if you see it once you have seen all there is to see. The pub crawls are for the 25 and younger crowd. That crowd drives the likes of us away. My family made it in the beer distribution business up north and we have sponsored more Grove-like business builders than any of us could count in the 70 years we were in the business.Take the money and energy spent on small promo events and use it to get the Playhouse open again. We are behind the competition in the performing arts area. The Playhouse is Grove.
The Beach, Gables and Calle Ocho have art film venues. The Playhouse would serve multiple audiences. We could have a small classical music venue to compete with the University of Miami. The single best investment the Grove could make. The Playhouse is an icon that people still remember fondly but it is a wasting asset.
I read your site every day as it keeps us up on Grove events during the up North months.
Terry Fruth
Coconut Grove
posted by Tom Falco at 7:50 AM
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31 Comments:
Bah, Humbug!
I love the Grove, the noise, the events, the atmosphere. I live in the middle of everything at the Sonesta.
AT THIS RATE WHY NOT LEVEL COCOWALK AND BUILD MORE HOUSE.SHAME ON YOU BUDDY HORRIBLE ARTICLE.JUST BECAUSE THERES A FEW LAME BORING COMPLAINERS THAT LIVE IN THE GROVE DOESNT MEAN YOU HAVE TO TAKE ALL THE FUN FAMILY EVENTS AWAY.I MISS THE OLD GROVE AND IM 37 AND MY PARENT WHO ARE MUCH OLDER MISS IT TOO.SHAME ON YOU
Are you aware that all caps is the Internet version of screaming in out faces?
And it seems there's more than a few "lame boring complainers.
It also seems that the lame boring complainers ate the one who ate adapting their lives to the current way things are and are trying to find some middle ground where everyone can be happy while all peolple like you are doing is screaming "They won't let us do what we want so they should leave"
Seems kind of unreasonable and one-sided to me. One faction trying for a middle ground compromise and the other faction screaming "My way or the highway"
LIKE I SAID ITS SO SAD SOSO SAD.MAYBE YOU SHOULD PACK YOUR STUFF AND HIT THE HIGHWAY
Terry makes some good points and I agree with much of it. I'm not a fan of the low rent, drunk brawl crowds as well, but there are a free good events like the art fest' and the bed race. Still I would very much like to see a few more upscale, quiet venues in the Grove. The playhouse is a no-brainer, but why only have one? Took some courage to speak up, Terry. Thanks.
Tony
Lol!
Back under your bridge troll.
Terry, while I appreciate your sentiment, A) you are not really a grove resident by your own admission, but merely an occasional visitor, and B) are hardly the demographic that comprises the Grove.
Also, I love that you apparently made your living from the "celebration" business, but now, don't want anyone to celebrate, because it makes it harder for you to leave the grove for the airport.
oi vey...
Tom, I'm not sure what purpose posting this letter serves. I don't think it's representative of anything more than 1 man's opinion, whereas a more sociological perspective is warranted for these issues.
Why are people constantly making it seem as if the Grove has only recently started having bars and nightlife. I think the Grove used to be identified with bars and clubs or now its refered to as where people USED to go out. In the 80s the grove used to be where everyone went out besides south beach. People used to do lines of cocaine in plain sight at most bars. I miss those days.
You've already achieved your middle ground compromise. The Grove has found a way to run out its lifeline. Younger people are made to feel unwelcome. A couple of Saturdays ago the cop driving around with his lights on did nothing but discourage business. Some say he was there to show a police presence. Where's the police presence in brickell, midtown, or downtown? It's all about this being the backyard of our commissioner. They actually wanted to block 27 and 32 av the night he Heat won to stop people from coming here to celebrate. Why is it so important to keep people out of here?
"The Playhouse is the Grove"!Actually nobody, BID, C of C, etc knows what image they want to present of the grove.I have been here since The Grove Pharmacy was the only "entertainment venue" besides the Playhouse.The Grove was always evolving, now its stagnant. It's 2012 people believe it or not. Your competition is wynwood, south miami,etc. not 1960. The grove was always'hip'now its boring.It ain't CS&N and Fred Neil land anymore and never will be.
The 80s are over. Put down the coke and grow up, the troll said from under the bridge. :) Good grief, I think my IQ dropped like 50 points just reading these comments.
Tony
Thank god he leaves. We don't want Terry to ruin every else's good time.
Fred Neil land, hah!
Nice to know someone remembers my dad. :).
He would go on for hours about how commercialization destroyed the Grove.
He always kinda blamed himself for mentioning the Grove in his music.
When he got a few Coronas in him he would tell me ,"If you ever find a place you love don't tell anyone about it"
-Chris
I agree with the op 100% re the playhouse being 10x better for the Grove in the long run. About half the events are good; about half are not, but collectively the confirm the Grove as basically a collegiate party spot. It can be a lot more, but to be more than a 2-hour place to go drink, we need long term institutions and we need to improve our infrastructure as well (roads, enforce speed limits, zoning, sidewalks, bike paths, park upkeep, improve post office, etc). What you want to see here is more diverse and successful businesses (services and offices) and retail (more diverse food and more serious shopping, think design district). Right now, honestly, it's fairly charming but it's basically a bunch of college bars and chain restaurants. It's not quite a complete town, but it has been before, and can be again.
I am SHOCKED at the responses here, so aggressively against this post. Yes it's a little curmudgeonly, but he has a right to his opinion and makes some excellent points. I suspect most of you party-hearty types shouting this man down haven't seen your 29th birthday (if that - prove me wrong). Guess what? This is a residential neighborhood and a lot of families live here...we need a balance.
hi im 64 years old and i live the grove and personaly i miss the old grove and most people i know who moved here years ago because of the old vibe miss it too.its a shme the old people on the bid have run this place to boredom.you know it has to be bad when even hooters and tangos is gone WOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I wonder how much these naysayers, constantly whining if anyone speaks in a voice above a whipser, will like the grove in another 5 years, when it's a boarded up ghost-town, with nothing going on. Do you all know what happens when the business dies out? Your values plummet, crime rises, and wake up one morning to realize you live in a Bayside Detroit.
Anyone who honestly thinks that the grove is too busy, or that there's too much partying going on, has severe mental health issues, and should seek professional help.
Naysayers?
I see no naysayers anywhere.
I see people trying the old Grove residents composing about what's happening to the Grove and trying to work on ideas and then I see others (like you) stamping their feet and throwing out insults and not doing anything to add to this discussion except try to intimidate and frighten.
Wow. Lost a whole section there. I've been scuttled by autocorrect.
I should read,
I see people trying. The old Grove complaining about what's happening... etc etc.
OF
Coconut Grove Complainvine
So folks trying to work out current issues is complaining? You can't get anyone to lose their temper or go off subject or cower in fear of the thought of boarded up businesses so now you attack the site itself?
You complain about people complaining when they're trying to address an issue and still don't actually bring any ideas?
How 'bout y'all come back when you actually have something to bring to the discussion, m'kay?
OF
Oops! Sorry Tony. The troll comment was meant for Mr. ALLCAPS, not you..
My bad. :)
OF
People who speak in question form only should not be taken seriously but as condescending and arrogant.
It's such a shame that there are people that think like this guy. I live in the grove and I spend most of my time in brickell/midtown area or Merrik park since there's so much going in there now. There's nothing to do here in the grove it's just so boring. I am in my 30s and have kids and the only things we do here are go to lulus/greenstreet for brunch or the park during the day. I wish there were better places to eat and drink here! Just something exciting! There is nothing attracting young people to the grove anymore. They have all been scarred off by people that think like Terre.
I don't understand people's reasoning here. The anonymous poster above me states that people are scared by pdolls like Terry and I can't figure out how someone leaving during event "scares young people away".
The people who open their stores (seem to) rely on the foot traffic in the Grove for their success and when their horrible business concept fails they blame the residents or the CoC or the City of Miami.
The people who are pro- changing and rebuilding the Scotty's area are even more confused. Their logic is : The Grove is having hard time financially and shops are failing and closing so let's tear down a successful business and put up... well, let's face it, we have no idea what they're going to put up.
I think the insane parking prices and aggressive police presence have also contributed to some of loss of business.
And that whole pesky world economic collapse thing mentioned by another poster upthread.
What I don't think is contributing to the decline in the Grove is people like Terry who live here, pay taxes and pay into the local community and voice their opinion when they have difficulties with the current way things are done.So many local business owners and investors saying," If people don't like how we do thing here, leave" and then stand there dumbfounded wondering where everyone went.
Read my lips. Sustainable. Business. Model.
(that doesn't mean another sports bar or upscale accessory store or flavored popcorn shop)
"People who speak in question form only should not be taken seriously but as condescending and arrogant"
So.... no questions or addressing the issue. Just personal attacks and complaining. under an anonymous flag. Gotcha!
BTW- It's called the "interrogative" and it's how we find answers. Your facilty with the English language and obvious grasp of the community's concerns leaves me speechless.
/sarcasm off
Old Fart
The problem with people like OF is the belief that their opinion on what is happening in the Grove is far superior to anyone else's. Sorry, but Old Farts have killed the Grove. People who live in the past and cannot adapt to new times will constantly fail to keep things fresh and up to date. Instead, we see nothing but complaining on this website. So you complain, and pretend like you have the ultimate answers and opinions on how to run Coconut Grove. When the truth of the matter is that you are just as incompetent as the next person. This is what has happened to the Grove... Nothing but complaining and grasping for the past. You all cannot enjoy what we have now. It is sad to see, but people here are stuck in the past. Move forward, not backwards.
The problem with our community is that we are all mean to one-another. I think need to learn to be nice to each-other.
Why all the hostility?
If people are attacked every time they speak their mind what kind of society are we building?
I think there is enough room here for all us to get along and enjoy our community.
The only reason I live in the grove is the events. Which are not all of interest to me, but many are.
The art walk, the art festival, the 4th of July events and the many parades is part of the reasons we like it here.
Wish we had some more night clubs where we could go dancing till the sun rises like we used to but those days are gone.
We go out for coffee every saturday and watch the crowds walk by. We go out to eat in the local restaurants and shop in the local stores.
We like both the quiet and the noisy days and we would love to see the playhouse return as well.
I do not see why the two are mutually exclusive. If you ask me, we need more events, not less. It keeps life fun in our home town.
I would like to see more events focused on our rich history and more businesses that offer more exciting shopping and dining. I would like to see more entertainment and longer hours - why does everything open so late and close so early?
But the economy is what it is so we do the best with what we have.
I see many people trying and many people criticizing. We are never all going to have the same opinion, but we cannot mock the ones who are doing something, at least they do something. If you don't like it, do something else, don't just yell and rand and throw insults and hostility, this does not make a better community.
I moved away from the north grove (close to española) about a year ago - i was there about 15 years. There was just nothing exciting to keep me there and the neighborhood was turning into a dump full of renters and multifamily homes (illegal I'm sure) full of more renters and didnt feel safe for my kids anymore. I now live in pinecrest but still work in the grove and I am much happier here. I ride my bike to south miami and the gables and there is just so much more to do there and a better sense of community. I hope the grove changes for the better as I have many fond memories living there. Maybe one dayif things change I will move back!
To Anonymous troll 12:46
If you feel that your position is valid back it up with facts..or..SOMETHING other than ad-hominem and catch phrases.
Or continue to complain while offering no ideas.
Whatever flicks your bean. :)
-OF
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