By Readers like you - Feb. 19, 2025

The mostly empty streets of Pearl Street Mall in early December. Credit: Tyler Hickman

Let me start by saying I thoroughly enjoy dining out. One thing that replenishes my soul is sitting at a busy bar with my husband on a Friday night. We love the camaraderie that often occurs when chatting with a bartender. They usually make excellent recommendations and keep our glasses full, allowing us to relax and reconnect, which can have the power to remind us why we love each other. Pretty amazing what can happen just because someone else did the cooking. 

But that’s just it: It’s the energy, the care, the connection, the experience — not just the food that makes dining out so dear to us. I appreciate a high vibe experience, and I fully support any and all efforts to keep local food institutions alive. What I don’t understand is why the heck we have selected only restaurants to be the poster children of pandemic business loss.

Off the top of my head, Blo Blow Dry Bar at 1600 Pearl St. has closed. So has 1313 A Salon at 1313 Spruce. Dragontree Spa left 1521 Pearl St. and dramatically downsized its business, which is now located at 2405 Broadway. The service industry, beyond restaurants, is certainly being impacted by the same hardships, just with less publicity.

I hesitate to write this, because victimhood is not a position that keeps anyone in business, but since the squeaky wheel apparently gets the grease, here I am to squeak for the entire in-person experience industry. Extreme inflation, rising labor cost, economic uncertainty and brutally cold temperatures keep patrons away or spending less at all service-based businesses, not only restaurants. 

Personal services (salons, spas, tattoo shops, etc.), bowling alleys and concert venues were some of the most heavily regulated and restricted sectors throughout the pandemic. These local, neighborhood businesses were ordered to close, without any equivalent of take-out, and remained at reduced capacity even after restaurants went back to 100% occupancy. Yet no targeted support programs such as the Restaurant Revitalization Fund were offered to other brick-and-mortar service businesses. 

Additionally, restaurants have benefited from the 45B FICA tax tip credit, allowing them to claim a dollar-for-dollar tax tip credit on the employer portion of FICA taxes since 1993. Despite most service businesses in the United States relying on tipping, this tax credit is only available for businesses in the food and beverage industries.

So I am asking you, Boulder Weekly, to take an eagle’s eye view in your reporting. Narrowly focused favoritism in government and media contributes to divisiveness in our communities and our nation. 

This is a kind request to widen perspectives and be more inclusive across the board.

– Perrin Chipouras, owner,
Orange Poppy Spa

Elon Musk’s minions — his mini-me wannabes — running rampant through the offices of government in Washington are emblematic of the failure of American culture to nurture healthy, empathetic, young and old male psyches.

True power comes with finding one’s inner character; not lording over, nor from mimicking others. 

Calling them “Muskrats”  defames a humble, truly American aquatic rodent. Apologies are due. 

– Bob Porath, Boulder

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These opinions do not necessarily reflect the views of Boulder Weekly.

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