the party's over in july...

[dconstrukt]

http://m.parool.nl/parool/m/nl/4024/AMS ... onItemId=4

this sucks.

closing coffeeshops on Warmoesstraat, de wallen etc.

the party's over.

my fav. coffeeshop to hang out at is closing in july.

among many others in that area.

wtf?!?

[j-smoker]

I haven't been in Amsterdam since last November so hadn't really been paying any attention. Booked up to see mark lanegan in Amsterdam in February so thought id catch up, wish I hadn't.

First I learn that after years of closure rumors, Home grown fantasy is gone. Their space cake was always part of a dam trip for me, and its just a place I loved to chill, even if their weed wasn't the best. Sad loss.

Now this as well, not that im a massive fan of the shops there or the street in general. But it just adds to the general drain on important things like "freedom" and the dream that although things might suck back home there was always Amsterdam, the last outpost of freedom.

I might just be getting old, but for me its not the same place it was 10-15 years ago when I first started going, about fifty trips before now. When I first visited I thought I had found a place where anything goes, within reason. It was probably never as I saw it in the first place, but over the years I have seen the dream die and intolerance rise. I am probably one of very few people who was sad to see la cana close years back. Yes it was overpriced, yes the weed was shit. But you could always get a seat and watch sky sports, two things I like doing. It fell the same fate as many closed coffeeshops and gets turned into some god forsaken soulless bistro or cheese shop.

The beginning of the end for me was really the mushroom ban. Ever since then its just been a pale imitation of its old self. Amsterdam will always have coffeshops, but probably never as many as there were or are today.

[dconstrukt]

jsmoker… i feel your pain man.

i'm just glad i was able to experience it over the last 10 years a LOT (I've been 21 times total)

when they did the shroom ban… that sucked.

the closures are worse…. ya that area leaves a bit to be desired… but it's got the bars and shops there… its part of amsterdam.

they're trying to change the city. i get it.

but to me, you can't change who/what you really are.

they're loosing the identity of the city by doing this…. but its not my city or country… so …

babas… ya.. the weed is eh…. the prices a bit high (but drinks are cheap)… great tunes, great location… and ya… just the memories...

[Cookie]

List of coffeeshops closing:
http://www.dutchamsterdam.nl/3485-amste ... phased-out

[KeyMonCha]

I gotta be honest... I'm not that bothered about the closures... As far as atmosphere is concerned, they already f'ed up the RLD in 2004... I'll definitely miss Utopia and Anyday... The latter just because i enjoyed sitting outside on a warm summer evening, but the only downside aside from those two is the fact that the other coffeeshops will now have more people in them.... Shouldn't be a big deal in winter, but come summer, or 4:20/CC time, it'll be impossible to get a seat anywhere in centrum, imho.

I can live without RLD CS's.......

Besides, there's still the numerous smoker-friendly bars in the area, where you can bring your own weed without worrying about having to buy in-house!!! ....It might even be better!

[Brad Piff]

Anyday ....damn

[dconstrukt]

baba's is awesome.

great location right into the RLD

awesome music (house or hip hop)

cheap drinks.

great ppl watching out the windows while you're baked.

i'm REAAAALLLY bummed about this.

[Alo]

Not a problem for me. This area is a tourist trap.
Good for keeping people out of the good coffeshops.
Did you ever buy weed from a shop down here?
I don't recall hunters, hill street, greenhouse effect, ever having chronic.....
Grasshopper stopped selling weed.... oh well.
Utopia/hgf now that's sad

[dconstrukt]

like i said… not awesome for the weed… high prices and not great stuff.

but cheap drinks, GREAT atmosphere

i get the weed from voyagers/greenhouse/GA/ bjornagens etc.

but like to hang at baba. (or used to lol)

[HighJackerrr]

These shops were great...great for keeping obnoxious, drunken frat boys or stag party types out of the better shops which are a little further down the roads.

Been coming to Amsterdam for 26 years and things have always been changing.

HJ

[dconstrukt]

lol… you really must have been a bit too stoned…. i used to see a lot of girls and normal people in there too.

[HighJackerrr]

lol… you really must have been a bit too stoned…. i used to see a lot of girls and normal people in there too.

Compared to the ratio of the better shops in the city, they are often overcrowded with less than chill patronage. All things being equal and to each his own.

HJ

[dconstrukt]

i like GA, GH, Voyagers for getting smoke in that area… but GA is buy and fly… GH is ok but sometimes a bit too chill (the one in central)… voyagers can be dead and too chill at times.

i like action.

that area has it.

a lot of the shops are so dead and quiet you'll fall into a coma.

any places you'd suggest?