The Waterhole
There’s a bar here in town called the Waterhole that is cash-only. When we first moved here, I thought that policy was an inconvenience. I don’t tend to carry cash anymore and wondered why they didn’t “get with the times” and accept credit cards. Each Thursday night, I needed to remember to scrounge up some cash or hit the ATM before heading to see that week’s live band.
It’s not the “nicest” bar in town. They don’t serve food. You’d probably get a quizzical look if you ordered a specialty cocktail. You can get a secondhand high from all the weed smoked out on the patio. The staircase and hallways are narrow and there’s next to no seating. But their claim to fame is the killer live bands they bring in, and especially their weekly summer concert series, Party on the Patio. It’s an institution that brings people of all ages and all walks of life into town to let loose, catch up with friends, and dance. It’s a true watering hole. People love it.
It’s a husband and wife team, Kiki and Eric, who run the place. I can imagine if and when someone else eventually takes it over that there would be some changes. Maybe more chairs, or a food menu. Probably credit card terminals.
But I’ve come to see that decision, and many others, not as an oversight, but as an intentional choice with real benefits. Namely that it’s speedy and simple. There are no computers that could glitch or need updates and maintenance. No reliance on an internet connection. No one has to wait for a customer to juggle a wallet full of different cards when one gets declined. There are no open tabs for the bartenders to keep track of, or cards left behind. Everything is in service of quick service, so folks can get back to the main event: the music.
I’m all for the advancement of technology, and you know I love computers. But there are still places where the experience is better without them. It keeps things simple, if less convenient on the surface. And if new owners did come in with modernizations to the Waterhole, I would mourn the loss of what I now consider some of its charm. And even though it makes me feel a thousand years old to say it, I would be among those stubbornly professing that Kiki and Eric did it best.
This is post #1/31 for Blaugust 2024.