Feel free to take swipes at me at the other friendly Silver Spring blogs.

Editor’s note: While The Penguin welcomes opinions on public issues, it does not accept personal swipes, which is what your earlier post was. Take your gripes with Yuppie Hater somewhere else, maybe to the Washington Post. See if they publish it. — JD (Aug 7, 2006)

Silver Spring is a marketing executive’s nightmare. Is it upscale? Is it downscale? Is it black, white, Latino? It’s all those things, and more–which makes it a particularly hard sell for companies looking to locate here. The corporations that own these stores and venues are all trying to figure out what Silver Spring’s selling point is. These guys like monolithic consumer segments–and not necessarily rich ones either. They simply want consumers they can easily define. Anyway, I’m sure that’s a big struggle for companies (especially retailers) looking at the area. Same goes for small businesses and entertainment venues. So, all the people making demands about what this new music venue should be… Bear that in mind.

Besides, let’s not pretend that Silver Spring is a melting pot. It’s more of a “salad bowl”. People stay in their respective groups for the most part–Ethiopians with Ethiopians; Nigerias with Nigerians; white Americans with white Americans; and black Americans etc. etc…. That seems to be the way people like it. (Largely.) So, why should we expect a new music venue to change that? I say, someone should open up a West African dance place somewhere else in Silver Spring. Likewise for a Black Cat-sort of place. And so on. Let a thousand flowers bloom!

***(By the way, all the Hippies who cry about wanting the diversity of the area to be represented seem somewhat hypocritical arguing for African music to be a big presence–while ignoring that there are more African-Americans (and others) in the area who listen to hip-hop. But, are you yelling and stomping for a hip-hop club on Colesville Road? Oh, no… I don’t necessarily want one, either. But I’m just pointing out the insincerity of the Yuppie-haters.)

That’s a great idea (but I think we need a big mainstream yuppie venue also). BTW: there’s a pretty good African group that plays @ Mayorga on Thursdays (I think).

Silver Spring has a sizeable community of western Africans from places like Ghana, Cameroon, Nigeria and other countries. It would be great if a venue catered to music and art from that part of the world. Ditto for Ethiopian culture.

I think the county would rather have a big name at the JC Penney site. They’ve already spent tons of money on DTSS. They don’t want a local venue — and the higher risk of having to subsidize it — in that location.

However, I do agree that this town needs an independent music and theater scene. Perhaps that could go down Georgia Ave. For example, the condemned pawn shop on Georgia at Ripley is big enough to make a freakin’ awesome nightclub space.

I just hope that development on Georgia doesn’t squeeze out opportunities for local venues.

Let’s put — and keep — the arts and entertainment in this “arts and entertainment” district.