By Myra Myra
The Columbia City Theatre changed hands last weekend and will be closed for the next three months for renovations. During this time, acts like Tamara the Trapeze lady will have to find another venue to perform. According to Tamara, she will be performing at Julia’s on Broadway until CCT reopens.
Every time I hear Columbia City Theatre I think of wasted space and opportunity. This is not a case of beating a theater when it’s been closed down, but a time for real talk. Did you know that the CCT had a happy hour from 6-8 every day and housed one of the funniest comedy shows around? Of course you didn’t, because there wasn’t any advertising. The only way you even knew the place existed was if you walked by, word of mouth or just felt like typing in Columbia City Theatre in your search engine. No Twitter or Facebook pages (they did have a Myspace, but MySpace is done…sorry). We have seen this scenario far too often. Great business with potential close down and everyone is left wondering why? Thankfully, the CCT will reopen, but how can the owners make sure that the same money problems won’t happen again?
Advertising: Facebook and Twitter are two of the most powerful tools of getting the word out there. When is the last time you saw a 21-year old pick up a newspaper to find out about the lastest club? People aren’t’ reading the entertainment section of newspapers, they’re checking to see what their friend’s are fans of and tweeting about .
Check this out. When Full Tilt opened this past summer, people marched down the streets of Rainier and waited for the grand opening. How did they know about the opening when there were no ads or even a sign? Full Tilt created a Twitter page and let everyone know when they could come and get the cold goods. It didn’t hurt that Seattle was going through a record-breaking heat wave.
The key is to get them in the door by all means. If that means offering drink specials or free passes to a show then so be it. The RVP is a great place to advertise free coupons and specials (wink).
All the single ladies: I love seeing all the couples in CC, I really do. It seems everywhere you turn there are lovers feeding each other ice cream at Full Tilt and gazing in each other’s eyes over jerk chicken at Island Soul. But enough already, what about the single ladies? I mean are there any single men in the Rainier Valley? We need a place where we can eye prospective single men (or at least that’s what they say they are). One Friday a month to compete against First Friday’s at the Esquire Club, CCT should have a singles ladies night. Who knows, this single 20 something columnist just might join the rest of you in couples land.
Let them Dance: There is music and hard liquor in Columbia City. There is even dancing at the Royal Esquire Club every first Friday of the month. The problem is that if your under 30, you will be left standing out pleading to get in (trust me, I’ve been there). CCT needs dancing. Have dancing contests, theme nights, heck even a wet t-shirt contest if it will get people moving.
The list of great ideas could go on forever, but what’s next? Emailing this to the new owners of course! Tell me what you think the CCT needs?
Myra Myra on the Wall is a semi-regular column written by a hip, Rainier Valley 20-something who seeks to uncover all the fantastic happenings happenings in Southeast Seattle for those of us who don’t necessarily equate going downtown with having a good time. Email Myra with your favorite south-of-I-90 hang-outs, upcoming events or random observations about hidden south-end spots.
Who to know, where to eat & what to do in one of America’s most diverse zip codes!
{ 15 comments }
Ice cream did much better than a club because there are already several clubs and bars, locally. In addition, people locally aren’t into health food, or nutrition, generally… so ice cream is the perfect comfort food to escape reality. I think this was a poor comparison in your article. If you want to get middle class or rich white people to respond, you advertise online. If you want all other ethnic groups to respond, you use traditional advertising methods and do it in their language.
I disagree that Full Tilt was a poor comparison. It’s a business that wants my business, and I get a reminder from them on Facebook twice a week about new flavors and DJ nights, etc. The reminders work. Similarly the CC Cinema sends me my weekly newsletter, with show times and humor and sometimes pleas for help, which reminds me that they need my business. The CC Theater, on the other hand, was out of sight, out of mind.
I was a huge fan of CC Theater by the way. @Bien: there was an actual big theater in the back, with a stage and nice seating and drink service. The comedy nights there a few years ago were fantastic; the best nightlife I’ve found since I left NYC 10 years ago. I also liked the bar there in the front. They serve real grown-up cocktails, without the noisy, smoky, garlicky ambiance at Lotties. I hope the new owners do a good job with renovations without changing the character of the place, book lot of good talent, and then tell me about it.
The theater is great. Last winter No Quarter, a Zeppelin tribute band, played there and they ruled. Probably better than Zep was back in the old days, cause Zeppelin would have been LOADED.
All the posters on the window make it unappealing, the bar is barely visible from the sidewalk, and the space seems empty. They were friendly the couple times I went, the space just needs someone to run who knows how to run a bar
I performed at Columbia City Theater many times, in the back area, which is the main theater. It is absolutely gorgeous, full of character, and a best kept secret, I wish was not a secret in Seattle. All the audience members I brought to the venue had no idea it was there nor how gorgeous it was. I wish I would have known about the venue when I got married, I would have rented it out instead of The Ruins. There’s an entire recording studio run by the theater as well. Chip, the main recording guy, is phenomenal and always told me about the different musicians that recorded there.
I do hope the new owners advertise and welcome all the different types of entertainment who love to frequent there.
@2 Blacks and Asians don’t use the internet? Locals aren’t into nutritious food? Too many bars already?
Huh?
The real problem, besides the lack of advertising (traditional and nontraditional) is that there are no acts that anybody wants to see. The CCT isn’t part of any scene. Look at the tractor in Ballard, they are the alt country capitol of the NW. Rockabilly at Jules Mae’s, you can follow my drift. Get good local bands and the patrons will follow.
Sorry, but no one really cares about the acts that play there.
I use to see acts on their website, but their ticket prices were crazy high.
Sad to see it go but welcome any changes to come. It is a golden missed opportunity because it is clearly one of the more beautiful venues in town. The previous club often put everything on the performers to draw. Meaning, the bands would be responsible for bringing an audience. The club would demand a guarantee from the bands to cover themselves. How do you expect hard working, hip, broke musicians to potentially pay to play. Take a little risk and there might be a payoff rather than the same acts day in day out week after week……boring….
I am so sad to hear about this! I have frequented the CCT throughout the past 3 years of my residence in this neighborhood, and continued to be pleasently surprised by this place. Free live tunes, great drinks, and the friendliest staff in town! The bartender was always hooking me up with new drink concoctions, or giving me some kind of deal. The staff were all very proud of the history of the theatre, as well as of the recording studio in back — so much so, they offered tours of the place the first three times I came in!
I was here to watch the debates that were held during the 2008 elections (OBAMA!) and although the place is small, a large gathering of community members packed in here to cheer on Barack and to mock Palin at every turn.
I agree that this place was lacking in advertisement, but I loved the fact that it was such an unknown hidden gem in CCity. CCT: please re-open soon, and don’t change too much! We loved you the way you were!!
I agree with Myra Myra that any place with good social media marketing can be packed from day one these days. Full Tilt and Wabi Sabi are perfect examples of this. Even with weak social media skills there are no longer soft openings because your neighbors are lining up your first night (so get your staff trained up prior to opening).
I also agree with Sean K: from the sidewalk the bar doesn’t look welcoming when it’s not filled with people. I puzzle over this feeling because nothing in particular seems sketchy. I don’t know specifically what’s wrong or what I would change. Maybe someone else out there has an improvement.
I happen to know about the new regime that is moving into and must say that the neighborhood should be really excited about what is to come. The new folks moving into the Columbia City Theater are incredibly talented and already have a track record of success in presenting live shows and summer festivals. Their affiliations include Bumbershoot, Doe Bay Fest, KEXP, The Stranger, Sound on the Sound and they already work with the creme de la creme of Seattle’s best music. The previous tenants for so many years have had no grasp of who the real talent in the area were. Instead they booked awful cover and jam bands that only drew their personal friends and not the bulk of Seattle music community. Expect big things
Speaking from experience, I can tell you the opinions expressed weren’t simply made up or designed to be politically correct in order to generate that all-important (and protected at all costs) Columbia City warm fuzzy. If you need a warm fuzzy, get a cat.
The responses I generated were absolutist, black/white, without logic, and without interest in anything other than maintain the warn fuzzy.
So, warm fuzzy onward. Perhaps it’s time to erect a statue to the Warm Fuzzy God in downtown Columbia City.
I’ve only been to the CCT a couple of times and that includes the Michael Rose concert on 2/26. At showtime (midnight!), the place was packed with a friendly crowd of local reggae lovers. I’d certainly go there more often if they had that kind of programming on a consitent basis – and I can get a nap in first!
This is only part of this sad story. Why isn’t anyone writing about the 30-40 people who had rental agreements and not only lost their deposits (my friend lost$750) but have had to scramble to find replacement venues (in this case for a June wedding!!). Because the former proprietors were an LLC, it can’t even go to small claims court. My understanding is that employees were also left holding the bag by not getting earned pay at the end of this debacle.
That sucks.
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