WELL THERE GOES THE NEIGHBOURHOOD

My neighbourhood is changing and I'm not sure it's for the better. The Highgate/Mt Lawley strip used to be awesome, but then like all good strips it was screwed over. The popularity caused by it being just a little grotty, a lot hip and a cool spot to hang is the same thing that is destroying it. Landlords see how busy it becomes and they decide they need a slice of that pie. So rents go up, and soon enough all the businesses that gave this strip its edge are gone.

Soon to be no more as the landlord develops the arcade into who know's what
hood3
Planet has faded away, just like this photo
Other businesses see an opportunity to grab the emptying spaces and cash in on the areas vibe, they're prepared to pay the high rents because they'll be charging higher prices and the crowds which are big will pay ... won't they? Maybe, but be assured that even if you have the big crowds it wont be the same crowds. The people that made the strip what it is are moving on, looking for somewhere else. Cheaper, grottier, cooler.

I watched this happen to Leederville a number of years ago, I used to go there a lot but no longer. In fact I've probably been 5 times in the last 5 years and most of those were to the cinema. Not the cafes or restaurants or the shops. They don't appeal to me. Now I'm feeling disconnected to Beaufort st and it's a familiar feeling.

soto01
Soto is gone
No matter, there'll be a new spot wont there? Well that's the problem you see. Perth doesn't have many more villages left that can offer what Leederville used to and Highgate is struggling to hold onto. There simply aren't many more spots left.

desert cafe
Okay this one's not very fair, it shut down 20 years ago, ha
I don't want to sound like a person who's against change or progress, I'm not, but not all change is  necessarily good. Sadly this pattern is so very familiar and there is an air of inevitability on Beaufort st these days. Maybe once your street's festival becomes so huge that it devours itself then the writing is on the wall. Look out Angove st, you might be next.

elmars 2
Not Elmars! God I hope not

Comments

Unknown said…
For me, Soto will not be missed. Terrible coffee, and even worse service in the end. A tragic shadow of what it once was, it ended up making itself obsolete, because of the competition, not because of a little cafe struggling to beat out big corporations, but the competition frankly, was better.
stu said…
It's not about individual businesses, I simply placed a few examples in pictures without prejudice. I could have gone on about antique/bric a brac shops being replaced by crappy flowers shops etc etc

The point I'm trying to express is that the atmosphere is leaving, the feeling of that street is changing and not all of it is good.

It's Leederville MK2
Tiff said…
I miss those secondhand stores. They were my lunch time shopping fix. But it's nice to see heaps of new eateries blooming on the trip. Soto was great when it first started out. Amazing staff, amazing coffee. I always wondered how do the flower shops afford rent each month. That's a whole lot of buds to sell! :)
stu said…
I heard today that Barolo is closing too :(
Tiff said…
Oh yes. Closed. Word on the street an Italian pizzeria is taking over. And same peeps are taking over Soto's old spot as well. I forgot what they are doing there.
stu said…
Yeah chatting with someone last night and it's some guys from Cantina, & El Publico. I may be wrong about Cantina shutting down, just a rumour I think