How Long Has This Been Going On?

I've been up and down 1st Avenue countless times, so why haven't I noticed this before? That's an easy answer: I'm not very observant. But I was pretty shocked to notice that a bar called The Apartment (on 1st, between Blanchard & Bell) is no longer there. True, it's a bad name, especially considering that it looked nothing like anybody's apartment - unless your apartment was done up to look like a Belltown bar designed to lure in this crummy town's sparse metrosexual and higher-functioning douchebag crowds. Well, it's gone now. I can't tell you how long it's been. Maybe it's a recent development; maybe it happened years ago, in which case I apologize for my complete obliviousness.

Its current incarnation goes like this:


I'm afraid that the name List is no better than The Apartment, because - news flash - a bar cannot be a list - even if it's on 1st Avenue. But nevertheless, I welcome them to the neighborhood - however long they may have already been here. I can't promise that I'll actually drink there, as there are several very delicious places in the block between the Rivoli and List. And except for Saturday night, the douchebag factor is quite low in all of them.