Durham is growing by leaps and bounds. It is the story we hear, day after day. Our arts, music, culture, and technology scenes are booming. But growth has all kinds of success stories. Sometimes in the sweep of change there are first movers left by the wayside as the tapestry of time unfurls forward.
This weekend Outsider Arts joined a list populated by The Ringside, Joe and Joe’s, Another Thyme, Troika, and The Broad Street Cafe to name just a few of the memories of days gone by. Friday night there was a grand farewell fete. The beer was donated by Fullsteam. It was a celebration worthy of owner of Pam Gutlon, complete with Bulltown Strutters. When they promenade around the foyer of your business, you know you are Durham made, in grandest mafioso sense of the word.
The food trucks were the same vibe, the catalysts, the early adopters, Only Burger and Kokyu; Pie Pushers had engine trouble and didn’t make it.
The guest were of the same bent, artists and art supporters, starters and doers. Co-tenant, Holly Phelan, of Happymess Art(1) had a yearbook of sorts she had created for people to share their thoughts, wishes, dreams, and recollections with the woman who had made it happen.
In some ways it feels appropriately timed that Outsiders Art is closing just as the monolithic Harris Teeter complex opens on 9th Street. Durham’s past and Durham’s future are tussling. Again, we, at the Clarion Content, are shocked that Mayor Bell, development architect, is going to run for re-election, for a seventh tern, essentially unopposed.
One day people will fondly say “Remember when…” about something they did, saw, or heard at Outsiders Arts.
And either you were there or you weren’t.
Thanks for the memories, Pam.
(1)We hear Phelan is expanding HappyMess Art and adding Durham’s first, artist designed, art supply store. Full disclosure, The Clarion Content has a business relationship with HappyMess Art. Among other things, we designed and built their website.
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Caroline Crawford
Pam posted this on Facebook and I wanted to say thanks for putting my thoughts into words…I really thought Outsiders would be around forever…the way we want things we love to be….
clarioncontent
Thanks, Caroline. It is a little disconcerting to watch the change happening so fast around us in the place we call home.