When did Olympia start getting "cool"? (Seattle, Everett: construction, university)

[TheTimidBlueBars]

I know circa 1990-91, the small city of Olympia already had a big punk/alternative rock scene, which Kurt Cobain was involved in (Sleater-Kinney and other riot grrl bands were famous products of that).

How far back has Olympia been that kind of town, with lots of local bands, art galleries and abundant public art, a general punk/DIY atmosphere? Evergreen State started up in 1967 --- was that where the local counterculture started, or did an existing counterculture set the stage for Evergreen State? Why there in particular as opposed to, say, Everett or Bremerton?

[Diana Holbrook]

I'm not sure Olympia is/was intrinsically "cooler" than the other small towns you mention, or whether a couple bands made it big and brought a few others along with them for the ride. I'm not sure that vibe has continued through today, with all the issues and challenges facing Olympia right now, with the homeless issue, riots and vandalism downtown, COVID shutdowns... I wouldn't describe the downtown area has having abundant music or vibrant art scene right now. It's been a hard couple years.

I've grown up and lived most of my life in the Olympia area... been to all the old and new music venues during the 80's-90s until I got too old to hang out in bars *too often*, and yet I don't know the answer to your question.

I guess I'm impressed that anyone thinks Olympia was and might still be "cool". That's a good thing, IMHO. Hopefully it can be true.

I think the essence of the Cobain/Aberdeen/Olympia style was/is it's flannel and blue jeans grunge, unrelated and unmixing with artsy elements. Curt Cobain was not exactly the kind of customer most art galleries wanted in their shops. I think they were parallel elements.

And I personally don't think the music scene has ever had much to do with Evergreen State College. It's not actually a place locals go to or mix with... at least back in the days when I was hanging out. TESC is a long ways outside of downtown. It's not even really surrounded by normal college-type bars/clubs/food/stores/supportive businesses. It seems more like an odd cult in the woods than a college I identify them more with peace/no-war/no nukes protests in the 80s and 90s, that have morphed into the social justice/anarchist protests and riots of today. They don't add to the culture, play in bands or hang out in the bars, as a cultural influence they are more known for activism, disruption and vandalism, IMHO. At least in the circles I hung out in.

One thing that definitely feeds the past and potential for a future art/antique shop bar and music touristy culture downtown is a vibrant public dock where recreational boaters and travelers can walk and shop. Olympia is a good port of call for local tourist boaters, and an attractive crossroad and stopping point on I-5. Downtown has been hurt in the past couple years, for sure. In order for that kind of traffic and business to return, we need to be done with pandemic, and have a solution for the homeless/drug issue AND the frequent riots.



Lots of good things are happening in the area, lots of people moving here still, so that's good.

I'll be here trying to support efforts for improvement... we'll see! Curious to see what other locals will say. It's possible I'm too old to really *get* what's cool now.

[fluffydelusions]

I've only been here a bit over 5 years but yeah downtown was hit hard from covid. It's pretty dead now compared to what it was just a few years ago.

[Angry-Koala]

Originally Posted by Diana Holbrook

I'm not sure Olympia is/was intrinsically "cooler" than the other small towns you mention, or whether a couple bands made it big and brought a few others along with them for the ride. I'm not sure that vibe has continued through today, with all the issues and challenges facing Olympia right now, with the homeless issue, riots and vandalism downtown, COVID shutdowns... I wouldn't describe the downtown area has having abundant music or vibrant art scene right now. It's been a hard couple years.

I've grown up and lived most of my life in the Olympia area... been to all the old and new music venues during the 80's-90s until I got too old to hang out in bars *too often*, and yet I don't know the answer to your question.

I guess I'm impressed that anyone thinks Olympia was and might still be "cool". That's a good thing, IMHO. Hopefully it can be true.

I think the essence of the Cobain/Aberdeen/Olympia style was/is it's flannel and blue jeans grunge, unrelated and unmixing with artsy elements. Curt Cobain was not exactly the kind of customer most art galleries wanted in their shops. I think they were parallel elements.

And I personally don't think the music scene has ever had much to do with Evergreen State College. It's not actually a place locals go to or mix with... at least back in the days when I was hanging out. TESC is a long ways outside of downtown. It's not even really surrounded by normal college-type bars/clubs/food/stores/supportive businesses. It seems more like an odd cult in the woods than a college I identify them more with peace/no-war/no nukes protests in the 80s and 90s, that have morphed into the social justice/anarchist protests and riots of today. They don't add to the culture, play in bands or hang out in the bars, as a cultural influence they are more known for activism, disruption and vandalism, IMHO. At least in the circles I hung out in.

One thing that definitely feeds the past and potential for a future art/antique shop bar and music touristy culture downtown is a vibrant public dock where recreational boaters and travelers can walk and shop. Olympia is a good port of call for local tourist boaters, and an attractive crossroad and stopping point on I-5. Downtown has been hurt in the past couple years, for sure. In order for that kind of traffic and business to return, we need to be done with pandemic, and have a solution for the homeless/drug issue AND the frequent riots.



Lots of good things are happening in the area, lots of people moving here still, so that's good.

I'll be here trying to support efforts for improvement... we'll see! Curious to see what other locals will say. It's possible I'm too old to really *get* what's cool now.

I think you nailed it, Diana.

[NW4me]

Perhaps some "overflow" of creative types from Seattle / Portland who got weary of big-city living?

[trailtramp]

I think Olympia is somewhat of an undiscovered gem. Even with covid this fall the DT area is relatively busy on weekend nights. The road construction on 4th and 5th sure doesn't help. Once the pandemic is on the wane I believe many of the closed retail stores downtown will start to be rented out again and within a year or two the liveliness will return.

[mtlhdtodd]

Olympia is similar to Seattle. A s#!thole of leftist bulls#!t, just not as bad ................ YET, but merrily on their way to close the gap.

[trailtramp]

Back in Oly last month for a long weekend, downtown was surprisingly busy especially the restaurants.

[Diana Holbrook]

Originally Posted by trailtramp

Back in Oly last month for a long weekend, downtown was surprisingly busy especially the restaurants.

Good to hear! :-)

[601halfdozen0theother]

I went to Evergreen in the early 80s. We students belonged to the town food co-op, and I remember frequenting a music venue somewhere downtown. There was a very cool store that carried the work of local artists next to the clam bucket restaurant downtown (forget it's name.) I also used the local public library. Many of us had internships with state government or in local professional offices and businesses. Beyond that I don't think we thought about the locals much at all. Do any students at any university anywhere think about the townies? I live in a college town now and rarely interact with students.

My thoughts about the local Oly townies back then were colored by this: I once was walking to downtown from my internship in a state office building when some locals in a pickup truck drove by and threw a beer bottle at me. It smashed on the sidewalk about a foot in front of me. I just kept walking.

So, from my point of view, Evergreen and the Greeners were cool. The Oly townies were - not.