Our Beloved Strip

Rachel Molko
Sigma Delta Tau

In Tallahassee, on any given Saturday night during any semester, whether it’s after games or after a lazy day, the place we are all itching to go to: The Strip. 

Our beloved, grimy, dirty, almost sketchy set of bars where one can socialize, dance or just hang out with close friends has been taken by the dogs-- and by dogs, I mean that it has been infested with E. coli. I know that all of us are nothing but outraged… but are we surprised?

The Strip has always been referred to as quite the dump but I’m sure no one has ever taken that reference seriously. 

The day that the news broke out about the bacterial infestation, I was not surprised but at the same time, I did not really believe what I was hearing. How would E. coli even get there in the first place? How long is it going to be closed? But most importantly, what am I going to do tomorrow night?

My friends were visiting from Florida Gulf Coast University and I wanted to show them a good time but now my plans were ruined. In shock and disbelief, I still had us all get in the car to check out the building next to Mcdonalds, where I had planned on us going out to the following evening. The doors and windows were lined with caution tape and big laminated signs explained the situation. 

I finally believed it; The Strip was closed.  As previously mentioned, we all know that The Strip is not necessarily the classiest of joints but would we have it any other way? 

Part of the charm and allure, I’d say, of the place is it’s honestly brought on by the sheer dinginess of it all. There is a sense of familiarity that comes from the dirt covered tiles and the sudden stench of sweat and unwanted contact that lingers on any dance floor.

Needless to say, the rumors about an extended renovation period are unsettling with the recent removal of another under appreciated nighttime venue: Chubby‘s. It might be exciting to walk into a fresh and clean strip but I know that I would miss the dark mystery of what I’m really stepping or leaning on when I’m pushed up against a wall because of the high traffic from the crowded halls that connect the different rooms. 

Maybe one thing that we can all agree on is a nice wash-down of the entire property which includes the outside. I believe that that would please the large amount of Strip-goers and future students who long to experience the traditional aspect of our nightlife.

For now, we will all have to find a way to entertain ourselves on lonely Saturday evenings and wait to see what this month has to offer when it comes to Strip-related updates. 

Either way, I am sure that we will all be more than excited to go back to The Strip once it reopens, whether it is renovated or not.

Rachel is a freshman studying international affairs. You may contact her at rem10d@my.fsu.edu