The Depot: a long time coming, and just so

photo by: Stacy Schwartz

​First Avenue began as a livery; feeding, shoeing, earning break-time nickels and whiskey off the odd hymn, and they ended up making a nice mint off the joint. Things change, huh? Despite the century or more ebb and flow of wayfarers through her freshly starkly black surfeit, the place has never served food [that you wouldn't feel guilty giving your dog], never provided anyone with a place to eat fried cheese and bacon-wrapped anythings, at least until today.

The Depot is having its opening night tonight, June 10th (for all folks who were following them on Twitter come this past Monday), and everyone will probably be sturdily pleased. The place is exactly as it should be, the front with its giant garage door open for summer, feeds to flat-screens of the Mainroom and the Entry, a large interior with ample space, a simple wood bar, and just-above-average menu of bar food. The general vicinity around First Ave. has long had a glut of terrible restaurants (just look across the street: Hard Rock, Applebee's, Hooters), just one reason the unpretentious Depot will probably be successful - another would be the thousands of people coming through that place any given week. Modest beginnings to lovely ends.