I can't help but wonder how much more revenue would be flowing into the Dauphin Street area if a few more establishments were open in the afternoon. My daily forays into the world of lower Dauphin and surrounding environs found several places closed until 5:00 PM. For example The Royal Scam restaurant opens at 5:00 PM, so no lunch served. The Haberdasher bar opens at 4:00 on weekdays and 5:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday. Some of the beer breweries do not open until 2:00 PM or after. Oyster City does open at noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. Braided River Brewing opens at 3:30 PM weekdays, 2:30 on Friday and noon on the weekends. Iron Hand Brewing on the other hand opens at 11:00 AM on Friday and Saturday, 10:00 AM on Sunday (closes at 4:00 PM on Sunday) and closed Tuesday and Wednesday, open 4:00 PM on Wednesday and Thursday.... ..and finally, the fourth brewery downtown - Wingman Brewing, opens at 1:00 PM Monday-Thursday , noon on Friday, Saturday and Sunday. It closes at 8:00 PM Monday-Thursday and Sunday, 9:00 PM on Saturday and Sunday....if you are making a special visit to a business downtown it's best to call first and confirm hours...
I can remember many years ago when friends visiting from another country were in town and I took them downtown on an early Sunday evening in hopes of finding an open restaurant. None were to be found. Things have of course drastically changed since Mike Dow created the String of Pearls and the next mayor Samuel Jones added a few beads, but it's the current mayor, Sandy Stimpson who has knocked those pearls out of the park with amazing energy into downtown the likes we have never seen. I'm not saying it's all been without a few hiccups, and even those of us who may have different political views in general still have to give credit where it is due. Long strides have been taken and words and promises have been fulfilled. He's going to make us love downtown Mobile whether we like it or not...
As a native Mobilian I think I have a hand on the pulse of our native social habits...and while there is a robust younger crowd who patronize the pubs, bars and restaurants downtown after work and into the night, a significant number of Mobilians - and here is a term that was very popular about 30 years ago - they don't care if you roll up the sidewalk a bit after dark and on Sunday. They are going home and putting on a pot of lima beans... But if they are off work a day or so during the week, or out of school, who is to say they wouldn't ride downtown and have lunch at some of the places that are currently closed except for dinner? A quick look at popular restaurants in New Orleans, for example Brennan's and Antoine's show both open in the morning...I'm not trying to encourage anyone to actually drive to New Orleans...they tried to take Mardi Gras from us and I have never forgiven them...
While recently in Paris (yes, I say that a lot, as if I'm the only Mobilian to ever visit Paris) I found a lot of restaurants open for lunch but then close around 3:00 and open again at 7:00 for dinner. This seems like a profitable, logical schedule...and this is not to say there are not a very fair number of excellent restaurants who are open for lunch downtown, (Grace, Slurp Society and Squid Ink immediately come to mind) so it's not like you are going to go hungry...maybe there is already enough business to support evening hours only for these exclusive businesses...
Speaking of breweries like I was, don't forget Braided River is throwing a huge part starting at 4:30 to 8:00 today...it's all about kicking off Mardi Gras and if you are a true, a real Mobilian then you are already over New Year celebrations and ready for the next party... and while you are downtown you will have a chance to see Poseidon's Kiss at Moe's BBQ,(the one downtown) to see Lagniappe's co-pub/editor Rob Holbert strut his stuff as a musician...
For you Eli Howard and The Greater Good fans, the band will slip into Mobile after a show in Oklahoma City, performing on January 18 at Callaghan's...
Is it just me or has Facebook slowed down like an old country mule with it's "up-to-date" algorithms?... I typed "Dauphin Street" and received a post for the Brickyard Dauphin Street from 2015...and several other posts for various businesses were lagging behind...don't tell me it's my cache because I have plenty of money...
Today is the last day for college kids to apply to be a paid intern with the City of Mobile (unrelated to my site. Their web site is cityofmobile.org...)
I saw a joke on social media that seemed funny at the moment.. from Culinary Anarchy..."Breaking News: Kid Rock fans cheer as he chokes on his beer mistaking it for his new single..." You know you laughed...
The City of Mobile announces it's 10th annual MLK Day of Service on January 13, 2024. This will be a city-wide community clean-up in all seven council districts, beginning at 8:30 AM to 11:00 AM...Visit the city's web site www.cityofmobile.org for more information....
Speaking of cleaning up, I'm going to put a wash rag to my underarms and rake a brush through my hair real quick and take a walk...for those of you reading from other parts of the world, you may need Google translator to understand that...
The featured photo reminds me of a street in Paris but it's one downtown Mobile taken the other day...
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