Where Have All The Good Dives Gone?

One comic strip artist traces the "evolution" (or devolution) of dive bars in historic Ballard, specifically Hattie's Hat. Even if you're unfamiliar with the Seattle area, I suspect the following excerpt speaks to most of us, bringing waves of nostalgia for bar days gone by:

These Bukowski clones could barely even squeeze INTO Hattie's anymore, let alone punch people in it, what with all the sudden throngs of black-clad 20-somethings and their dot com dollars hogging up the joint. Soon many of them were taking their business elsewhere, only to have their other homes-away-from-home pulled out from under them time and time again

*** flash forward a couple of panels ***

The windbreaker clad 50-somethings sitting at the Smokeroom's bar hate what's happened to Hattie's and the rest of the Row. They'll gladly rag on all these johnny-come-lately yuppies and hipsters at the drop of a hat. "These young kids spend money like it grows on trees! They never ask what a beer costs. They just order it and drink it! So of course all the bars want to cater to them." Good point! In fact, I'm surprised the Smokeroom's management hasn't 86'd all these cheapskates as well by now, and put a sign in the window saying "Yuppies and Hipsters Welcome!"

No? Then, clearly, you haven't lived. Plus, you just have to love any website called suck.com.