Maybe it was just the night she and some friends were down there, but my wife was saying the last time they went to Brookside she didn't feel safe. It was a Saturday night and there were three other girl's she went with. They started at R Bar for dinner and drinks and then intended to walk around hitting some of the other bars. Said they went into the Brook and it was "full of shady characters." They stayed for one drink and then while walking elsewhere were accosted buy someone wanting them to give him $20 and who was quite aggressive about it.
The ended up leaving Brookside and going downtown.
I haven't been on Brookside in ages. Is it really falling on that hard of times?
There has always been a fair amount of turnover on Brookside, especially bars and restaurants. It's had to change into more of a retail district with all of the new bars and restaurants downtown. The same goes for Cherry Street. Downtown should naturally be the center of nightlife with the other districts secondary.
Depending on the night there can definitely be some shadier types in bars like Sharkey's and Another Round; haven't noticed them in the Brook but I also haven't been there in awhile. I really like Brookside and want to see restaurants do well there, and want to see it further develop as a pedestrian-oriented area further south outside the "core" between 33rd and 35th. I am excited for future Crow Creek connection to the river and Gathering Place. Neighborhoods on both sides are doing well and have the highest concentration of new infill in midtown. So there is a lot of upside and I certainly don't think it's falling on hard times but rather just changing.
I still miss Ciao and will miss Ming'S. HopBunz not so much.