clifster

Is there a central listing of these bars? Seriously, this is exactly the problem Hartford has - lots cool places that nobody visiting (or new to) the city ever finds.

LOL. Thanks beerbeer! Actually, I'd say anyone who think the bar scene in Hartford is great hasn't visited enough other cities! Seriously, what have we got SIX total bars in the downtown core that don't close down and reopen every 6 mo's? They're already trying to sell off Up/On Rocks. And the Dickyard: tool cloning facility, c'mon now. Don't get me wrong, I'd love to this all change. I like City Steam and Poor House, but where's the variety and panache? Even New Haven understands you can't have every bar look like the other. In any case, to each his own!

Hey all, Clif here! I'm current over in Manchester livin' large at the Mills. Been here for the past 6 mo's and am now in the process of buying a few multi-fams in Hartford in order to move by base of ops into city next month or so. Very excited! Let me just say these forums are just awesome! It's great to see so many different perspectives on what's going on in a city like Hartford. It's taken me a good 3 mo's just to come to grips with the possibility of moving into the city. For as long as I can remember, Hartford's been a real metropolitan deadbeat - the club/bar district sucked, there wasn't much of a "downtown" feel, and there didn't seem to be much driving new development in the city. That seems be changing now, though I still think there's a ways to go. And that's why I figure it's a great time to invest. Mind you, I moved up here after buying around New Haven. I've spent a good 5 years watching that city go through an urban renaissance. What with Yale buying up half the city and a surge in NYC'ers flowing into the city to escape $3000 rents, New Haven's really taken off. Even now, the downtown district just keep growing and growing. It's also nice to have a city you can park once and walk EVERYWHERE you'd want to go. It's all so central. So... my hope is that that Hartford will take a clue from it's sister city down south... Give people places to eat, dance, and sleep. Make it easy to get around. Know, show, and grow your attractions. Be a cultural mecca. Encourage investment. Stay up late. If nothing else, a city needs to know this: Who am I? I love cities, travel all over N/E, and go out of my way to vaca in cities around the country as much as possible. You look at places like Boston, NYC, Providence, New Haven, Philly. They've all found that something that sets them apart. Now it's time for other cities like Hartford to step up. Honestly, even Pittsburgh's coming back. What's up with that?! Hartford, listen to me closely: Your time is now... or never. Anyway, hello again, I'm Clif, and to everyone here... keep rock'n these boards! PS: The title of this post got me excited that there was actually a group of people, The Hartford Club, that met up to talk shop every now and then. With all the perspectives and expertise here, that'd be a great thing. Hint, hint.