Spring Break
Fry Street is gone - and it's about time
Jon Liptak
Issue date: 4/19/07 Section: OPINION
I know I'm probably going to catch a bunch of crap for saying this from the vast emo population on this campus, but at this point, I don't even care. I think it needs to be said: Fry Street as we know it is going away and it is not coming back. And it's about friggin' time, too. When I came here as a freshman, I was not as enamored with Fry Street as were the hippies in this town. As a matter of fact, I saw it for what it was: a filthy cesspool of concrete populated by whores, drug dealers, drunken steroid users who start fights for no reason and dropout teenagers that are an inch away from robbing somebody.
People started saying that Fry Street is what made this town unique, and the little shops and restaurants made it seem more like Austin. Too many people in Denton want this town to be "mini Austin," but that can't happen. Little shops and independent businesses don't make this town unique. The fact that there's a big damn college right in the middle of it is what makes it unique. You're supposed to come to school to learn, not because of independently owned shops and local music, and if you want Austin, then you need to go to Austin.
A big protest ensued when the rumors came about that the street was sold to United Equities, and cries of "corporations are bad!" came about like wildfire. Corporate presence is exactly what Fry Street needs. Given all the regulations places like CVS pharmacy have to follow, things will be cleaner from day one. Lord knows nobody around here is doing it. When the street was in danger of being torn down, all these people made a big deal about taking care of it after the fact, like a child who only wants his toy when his sibling is playing with it. Save Fry Street, the organization that tried to rally people to sign a petition (even if it meant getting people who don't live in or have never lived in Denton to sign it) tried to have annual clean-up days every month. But it didn't work. Neither did the 7 a.m. picket in cold weather. If we can't take care of it, then the corporate presence can. Hell, they can even tell the loitering scumbags to buy something or get lost. Save Fry Street can't make Fry Street a clean place, but perhaps United Equities can.
People started saying that Fry Street is what made this town unique, and the little shops and restaurants made it seem more like Austin. Too many people in Denton want this town to be "mini Austin," but that can't happen. Little shops and independent businesses don't make this town unique. The fact that there's a big damn college right in the middle of it is what makes it unique. You're supposed to come to school to learn, not because of independently owned shops and local music, and if you want Austin, then you need to go to Austin.
A big protest ensued when the rumors came about that the street was sold to United Equities, and cries of "corporations are bad!" came about like wildfire. Corporate presence is exactly what Fry Street needs. Given all the regulations places like CVS pharmacy have to follow, things will be cleaner from day one. Lord knows nobody around here is doing it. When the street was in danger of being torn down, all these people made a big deal about taking care of it after the fact, like a child who only wants his toy when his sibling is playing with it. Save Fry Street, the organization that tried to rally people to sign a petition (even if it meant getting people who don't live in or have never lived in Denton to sign it) tried to have annual clean-up days every month. But it didn't work. Neither did the 7 a.m. picket in cold weather. If we can't take care of it, then the corporate presence can. Hell, they can even tell the loitering scumbags to buy something or get lost. Save Fry Street can't make Fry Street a clean place, but perhaps United Equities can.
Viewing Comments 1 - 10 of 124
Michael Stratton
posted 4/19/07 @ 8:30 AM CST
Jon,
Knowing you personally, and having disagreements with you, I am still surprised at how rude and vile you can be towards others. Granted, your opinion is yours, and you're more than welcome to it, but do you really have to bash emo kids? It may not seem like a big deal to some, but to those emo kids, as well as those of us who actually care about people, it's salt in an open wound, friend. (Continued…)
Chas
posted 4/19/07 @ 9:03 AM CST
What happened to Fry Street is the blanding of America. Like it or not, Fry Street had a unique architecture with unique businesses. Suburbanization is replacing the old Fry Street uniqueness. (Continued…)
Keith Black
posted 4/19/07 @ 9:18 AM CST
It ain't like Fry Street's gonna fundamentally change with a McDonalds and CVS there. You are still gonna have the same nappy headed hos soliciting and you'll have more crack heads looking for foil and brillo pads in the CVS. (Continued…)
Iris Love-Hiltz
posted 4/19/07 @ 9:30 AM CST
I'm not an emo or a hippie, but I'm just a normal college student who likes Fry St. And I'm not against corporations. They just don't really have a place on Fry St. (Continued…)
Matt Stone
posted 4/19/07 @ 9:54 AM CST
Don't know why corporations are evil?!?! Let's see Ford and IG Farben funded Hitler and the Nazis and Brown Brothers Harriman hid their assets during the war. (Continued…)
James
posted 4/19/07 @ 12:35 PM CST
You should catch a bunch of crap for writing an ill informed article such as this. Maybe if you would have experienced just a little bit of the college experience that Denton has to offer you would not be so down on Fry Street. (Continued…)
Courtney
posted 4/19/07 @ 12:53 PM CST
I can see why you thought you'd catch a lot of crap. This article didn't actually contain any information or facts in it, so much as a lot of badly-worded opinions. (Continued…)
Chelsea
posted 4/19/07 @ 2:51 PM CST
Despite whatever these people say, Jon, this column was awesome and it does reflect the opinion of many students on campus which is the point of the views section. (Continued…)
Matt
posted 4/20/07 @ 12:30 AM CST
Great Article! I'm fairly confident that most North Texas students (at least the normal ones) agree with you. Correct me if I'm wrong but aren't, the drink, tavern, garage sidebar, Riprocks and Lou's and even part of Cool Beans going to remain? All the cool bars are still going to be there (I do miss TJ's though), it's not like its going to change that much. (Continued…)
Laura
posted 4/24/07 @ 2:18 AM CST
Wow, you expect us to pay attention to that garbage of an opinion when you start of on the wrong footing in the first place? Seriously.... Your intro is horrible. (Continued…)
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