Skip to main content

The Second Chance Needs You

Last Friday morning I was writing a piece to celebrate five years at the Second Chance Saloon, while, at the same time, Cedar Properties in Port Washington, New York, was notifying the Second Chance that they would not be renewing their lease.

Okay, I do not know the exact timing here, but it is pretty darn close. Too close for comfort.

I wrote recently about Facebook being a virtual Third Place. For many of us, the Second Chance is our Third Place. We meet friends there before the school meeting, or after the concert at the Other Barn. A group of moms who practice conscious parenting get together here. So do members of the Oakland Mills Village Board, and supporters of the plan for Bridge Columbia.

Bloggers from all over Howard County converge to chat, eat delicious pub food and refreshing drinks, served by Second Chance's upbeat staff. Friendly, knowledgable, and energetic--if you've met them more than once or twice they know you.

I do not know how a commercial real estate management group in Port Washington, New York, could gauge the value of such a place. How often do they visit? How do they measure success? If it is only numbers on paper, it's not enough. The Second Chance has built up this venue during a recession, in an older Columbia Village which has taken a lot of abuse as an undesirable location.

They--Wendy and Declan and everyone--have proven that Oakland Mills is not an undesirable location. They keep at it day after day, week after week, football game after karaoke nght after trivia night after private party after ordinary family dinner. They bring in folks from the neighborhood and beyond for food, drinks, music, companionship, and fun.

What do we stand for in Columbia, in 2013? Is there still room for the mom and pop privately owned business? We sigh and shrug when Don Pablo's goes, or Chicken Out, but what about the life and times of a local homegrown business whose only desire is to make good in Oakland Mills? Does our future hold nothing but chain restaurants whose coming and goings are dictated purely by numbers?

You may remember golden days of Columbia that were before my time. Or you may be looking ahead to a future Columbia I haven't even imagined yet. Either way, The Second Chance Saloon belongs smack in the middle of what we all believe in. And it won't be there unless we do something about it.

Please read this, from Bill Gray of the Oakland Mills Village Board. And then write to Cedar Properties. And sign the Change.org petition started by Ookland Mills resident Lisa Kehle.

Perhaps Cedar Properties, like Julia Louis-Dreyfus, need a taste of how #AwesomeColumbia really is. Let's give them the best we've got.

Let's #save2ndchance!

 

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Teacher Gifts

Today is the last day of school before the Winter Break. It’s a good time to remember the far-reaching nature of our public school system. You may not have children. You may have sent your children to independent schools. It matters not. You will be impacted one way or another. Yesterday I read a long thread on Facebook about several waves of illness in the schools right now. There’s influenza A and norovirus, I believe. And of course there’s COVID. Apparently in some individual schools the rate of illness is high enough for school admin to notify parents.  When I was little the acceptable holiday gift for a teacher was one of those lovely floral handkerchief squares. (I don’t know what it was for male teachers. They were rare in my elementary years.) These days the range of teacher gifts is wider and I have fond memories of Target gift cards which I have written about before. I think it’s safe to say that giving one’s teacher Influenza, norovirus, or COVID is not the ideal holiday...
1 comment
Read more

Getting Fresh

One of my favorite days in the Spring comes when this year’s list of Farmer’s Markets is released. That happened this week. New this year are markets in Old Ellicott City and the “Merriweather Market” which, according to the address, will be located here . I mistakenly thought at first glance that it was in the new-construction part of the Merriweather District. I find the name confusing considering its actual location. I’m going to guess that this market is an initiative of the Howard Hughes Corporation because the name seems chosen more for branding purposes than anything else.  Alas, the market in Maple Lawn is gone. The thread on the markets on the County Executive’s FB page will provide you with quite the education in who actually runs the Farmers Markets vs what people often think is going on. Short answer: they are not  chosen nor run by the county. Each market is an independent entity, sometimes started by community volunteers, other times supported by local businesses...
1 comment
Read more

They Can Wait

This is not a typical Saturday post. That’s because, in my community, it’s not a typical Saturday.  Oakland Mills High School, after years of deferred repair, needs massive renovation. It’s pretty simple: when you don’t fix a problem it gets bigger. The school system itself said the the OMHS school building was  "no longer conducive to learning" back in 2018.  2018 .  But Thursday the Boad of Education voted to push it out of the lineup of important projects which will be given the go-ahead to proceed soonest.  In my opinion it’s a terrible decision and sets a dangerous precedent. To explain, here’s the advocacy letter I sent in support of Oakland Mills High School. I was rather proud of it. I am writing to ask you to proceed with needed renovation at Oakland Mills High School in the most timely and comprehensive manner humanly possible. I have read the letter sent to you by the Oakland Mills Community Association and I am in complete agreement. You are extremel...
1 comment
Read more