How the bar scene and college culture collide: a Q&A with a stranger on the bus
With Fort Collins’ current population standing at 143,986, it’s a common occurrence to meet new people, and make new friends unexpectidly.
On a TransFort bus headed home after class, a clean cut looking guy moved his backpack off the seat next to him so that I could sit down. Since I had forgotten my headphones and noticed he wasn’t wearing any either, which is a usually unlikely occurrence, so I decided to strike up a coversation.
Turns out this kind stranger lived just a few houses away from my boyfriend’s place, to which I was headed.
His name is Jake Erisman, 23, originally from Kansas City, Missouri, who is in his senior year at CSU.
We chatted about Fort Collins and the college culture that sometimes battles with the community value. He shared his views that the lifestyle of college tradition is what might be keeping the club-style bars in Old Town thriving.
Q: So you’re obviously a student at CSU, but where are you from originally?
A: Well I was born in Kansas City.
Q: How was that transition? In terms of your social life and stuff like that.
A: Well I mean I grew up in Sterling, Colorado, so it was really small.
Q: Oh okay, so not that far of a jump to college.
A: Yeah, it was kinda like a small city so this is like a big, big version of that. But I like it here. It took a while to make friends, but I’ve been here to like four years now so I got it.
Q: So since you’re comfortable in the town, what does an average type of weekend night look like?
A: Um.. Usually get off work, get ready to go to Old Town. Just like pregame with some friends at someone’s house and then kinda go with the flow from there.
Q: So when you go out, are you concerned with or do you choose your places depending on how much money you want to spend that night? Or do you just go where ever? Do you think that Fort Collins in an affordable place to go out?
A: Yeah — it’s pretty affordable. There’s like a baseline of places that like I’ll go everytime but like if I just got paid or something I’ll go to like a nice place and like sit-down and get food and get drinks, that are more than like $3 or whatever *heh*.
Q: What’s like a “nice” place compared to your “normal” places?
A: Umm… like Elliot’s, Social…. I don’t know…
Q: And your normal places?
A: Bondi, Rec (Room) sometimes, Tony’s.
Q: Where’s the place you run into your friends the most if you’re not already out with them?
A: Definitely Bondi.
Q: Bondi?
A: Yeah haha.
Q: Is that one of your favorite places? Or is that kind of just the go-to place?
A: That’s the place. I mean I like it that’s just like the go-to place though. Just like start the night there and then go to the next bar.
Q: Is there any bar in Fort Collins, or any place, that you always wanted to go but no one ever really wants to go, so you don’t go?
A: Um… I’ve never been to TrailHead, but none of my friends really want to or are interested in going to there so…
Q: Why are they not interested in that?
A: They just like the club type bars, like the loud music dacefloor stuff. And I think, I mean I’ve never been to TrailHead but I would assume it’s just like a more lowkey sit down and have beers type of place.
Q: Do you think we don’t have a lot of those places in Fort Collins or we do and they are just not considered “popular”?
A: Oh, I’m sure there are, but just like in Old Town, everyone’s gunna go to the same two or three popular bars.
Q: Where would you usually end up every night?
A: Probably Rec Room, sometimes like Tony’s. But usually just somewhere loud.
Q: What’s the most affordable place for you?
A: Probably Bondi ha. Usually I go out on the cheap night like on Thursday, they have like $3 drinks.
Q: $3 drinks? Might have to check that out actually.
A: Yeah Haha
Q: Where would avoid? Or I guess where do you avoid?
A: I’ve been trying to stay out of Rec Room, for the most part… haha. That or.. I mean I’m just down to go anywhere and try something new. It gets old going to the same couple bars every time.
Q: If you were to open that “something new”, could be a bar or a restaurant, what would it be? What would you or people in this town think would be popular in a place like this?
A: I would probably focus on beers, for sure. Like have that be the center point; there would be a lot of beers on tap. Pool tables, ping-pong tables, just like little drunk games I guess.
Q: Those are always a blast. Even though that is a clash from the “club” style scene that seems to be so popular with your friends, what would you do to make it accessible for both of those groups?
A: I mean Tony’s does and alright job of it with the upstairs. I know a lot of places that try but are just too crowded, like MoJo’s would be too small for pool tables. I don’t know. Just like a wide open space where you can walk around freely and you don’t have to be bumping into everyone everytime you move. It wouldn’t be like the bars where you can’t hear yourself think over the music.
Q: Why do you think your friends like the stereotypical “college” bars over comfortable and relaxed ones like Trailhead?
A: I don’t know, tradition I guess. That’s where all our friends go and it’s like that fun party life. All of them like to dance but it would be fun just to go out for a beer. Having the bars so close to the college just makes it easy to forget about all the little places around.