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I guess even big chains have a tough time paying the Power & Light rent. Famous Dave's is shuttering its downtown location for a more friendly suburban location. That's all well and good since Dave's is suburban type barbecue. I'm not a hater of Famous Dave's, I've even eaten it in the past week, but we have about 10 local barbecue places that are better.

Now on to my complaint, Old Chicago is moving into the spot vacated by Famous Dave. Now don't get me wrong, it's exciting to have another place with an excellent beer selection in the P&L (Flying Saucer is the other one, if you didn't know that, drive down to the P&L and have a beer at the Saucer, we'll wait on you to get back). Is everyone back? Okay, I'm not upset about it being an OC, I'm upset it's not a Rock Bottom Brewery(which is the same company as Old Chicago).

The P&L could be a destination for beer geeks. It's already a pretty good spot to pick up some good beers. You can get a nice dinner and brewpub beer at Gordon-Biersch and then spend the rest of the evening at the Saucer enjoying every beer style imaginable. With 2 breweries and a great beer bar, the P&L could have a real identity other than white douche capital of KC. Then if all went well with 2 brewpubs, maybe Schlafly or Upstream or some other good brewpub from the midwest, would want to locate in the neighborhood. A cluster of brewpubs, this is what dreams are made of.

I'm sure that Gordon Biersch has some sort of brewpub non-compete clause in their lease, but I think they would be willing to break it. In San Francisco, the GB flagship brewery is less than a mile from another brewpub and both of them are doing fine. Not only don't I think it would be a problem, I think it would be a benefit. Throw in a Toronado, a Blind Tiger Ale House and a Harry's or Waldo Pizza Tap Room and you have the new beer capital of the United States. I'm starting to get myself a little excited, not a good day to be wearing boxer shorts with a button on the fly.

The first step has to be the Rock Bottom Brewery instead of Old Chicago. We've got to take baby steps here. But this is the idea of the future.

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