Walked by the original Shorty's (THE dive bar that blazed the trail for pinball joints in Seattle!) location this AM and final demolition (to the whole block) has begun. SIGH.
Hats off to the new Shorty's (one block to the north), but damn ... the original provided a lot of fun pinball memories over many years!
The original Shorty's in happier days:
This AM:
RIP Shorty's.Played a brand new Twilight Zone there, was blown away and bought one a year later(still have it)Shorty's was one of my favorites for sure.
Why is the block being demolished.
I visited Shorty's a long long time ago now.
Fun place.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
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Quoted from ChrisHibler:Why is the block being demolished.
It's a one story building in a high rent area. I assume they're putting in a large multi-story building. Hopefully they keep ground level retail.
The new Shorty's location is close enough I navigated there without knowing they moved. Only the new inside layout tipped me off that something was different. The ambiance was still the same. Great location. Most games were still $0.50 a play and had a good mix of new games and classics, all in good working order.
Quoted from ChrisHibler:Why is the block being demolished.
I visited Shorty's a long long time ago now.
Fun place.
--
Chris Hibler - CARGPB #31
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https://www.youtube.com/c/ChrisHiblerPinball
http://www.PinWiki.com - The Place to go for Pinball Repair Info
It's being redeveloped, like a lot of other portions of downtown Seattle, into cheap looking, nondescript, ground floor retail/multi-floor residential above, buildings.
Was just at shorty’s the other day. Felt old already. How long ago did they move?
By the way that part of Seattle is a sh!thole. Lots of urban campers, drug deals and ODs on just about every corner between there and china town/ stadium area.
Retail occupancy is way less than 50% not sure why anyone would build more there.
But the pinball scene is great - went to shorty’s, Jupiter, Olaf’s, full tilt, the collective. Now playing up in Alaska.
Quoted from Black_Knight:Was just at shorty’s the other day. Felt old already. How long ago did they move?
By the way that part of Seattle is a sh!thole. Lots of urban campers, drug deals and ODs on just about every corner between there and china town/ stadium area.
Retail occupancy is way less than 50% not sure why anyone would build more there.
But the pinball scene is great - went to shorty’s, Jupiter, Olaf’s, full tilt, the collective. Now playing up in Alaska.
I used to work in Seattle. A once beautiful safe city destroyed by a group of people who never have to apologize or say sorry for creating a dumpster fire and getting people hurt, raped, victimized, killed. I enjoyed Shorty’s back in the day but now would never set foot in that shithole city.
Quoted from Pinplayer1967:I used to work in Seattle. A once beautiful safe city destroyed by a group of people who never have to apologize or say sorry for creating a dumpster fire and getting people hurt, raped, victimized, killed. I enjoyed Shorty’s back in the day but now would never set foot in that shithole city.
Could’ve just said you didn’t care for the weather.
Quoted from timtim:Could’ve just said you didn’t care for the weather.
Why? To sugarcoat it and pretend everything is great. No thanks. I may be an asshole but I’m an honest asshole and I actually like the weather in the PNW.
Quoted from Pinplayer1967:Why? To sugarcoat it and pretend everything is great. No thanks. I may be an asshole but I’m an honest asshole and I actually like the weather in the PNW.
Honesty is one thing - the vibrancy and safety of Seattle's downtown has definitely declined in the last few years. Homelessness continues to be a major problem and the COVID pandemic has now resulted in many downtown office workers (like me) no longer contributing to its economy nearly as much as we used to, due to working from home most days.
But to condemn the city overall as a "shithole" is both inaccurate and unfair. Seattle still has a lot going for it (including LOTS of great pinball FWIW) and the many residents here that love and appreciate the city are working to deal with the challenges it, like other major urban areas, faces. Unfortunately, higher income residential redevelopment (like that which is replacing the former eclectic collection of clubs, restaurants, bars, and small businesses that the original Shorty's block consisted of) is a double edged sword as far as being a solution to Seattle's current problems.
Sorry, watching people smoke meth steps from Shorty’s automatically nominates the area as a shithole. Stepping over piles of feces and passed out urban campers to leave my kid’s apt makes it unanimous.
I used to love Seattle. At least your panhandlers are polite and the addicts don’t chase you.
Quoted from TheLaw:Pour some out for the other lost-to-times Seattle joints!
[quoted image]
What joint be that? Regardless, looks like many a good time must have been had there!
FWIW I think I walked by there yesterday on my way to the new Shorty's.
Between that and Jupiter bar things seemed okay.
Plus a trip to the Seattle Pinball Museum.
Pinball was hopping in Seattle this weeke d.
Change sometimes sucks but pinball seems more popular in Seattle than ever from my short time here.
Quoted from BC_Gambit:FWIW I think I walked by there yesterday on my way to the new Shorty's.
Between that and Jupiter bar things seemed okay.
Plus a trip to the Seattle Pinball Museum.
Pinball was hopping in Seattle this weeke d.
Change sometimes sucks but pinball seems more popular in Seattle than ever from my short time here.
No doubt - pinball in Seattle is okay. In fact, it's way more active than many places for that matter and something to be appreciated!
As someone who enjoyed many fabulous hours of pinball playing over many years, at the original Shorty's with all its unique pinball divebar charm, I just feel like it deserves some special remembrance.
Quoted from TheLaw:Looking thru old pics I actuslly do t think I have any proof i was there
When did the OG close?
2019
shortys-moving-day-clowns_Aaron-granillo_620 (resized).jpg
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