Haven't had one of these for a little while. I've just got a couple conversation-starters.
I rarely venture into Bettendorf. Not counting the routes to get to I-74, I probably average less than one trip a month. There's just no need for me to go over there. I'd read news stories about them filling their potholes with cement, and seen all the Davenport-bashing comments wondering why Davenport's too stupid to do that. I was surprised to discover that their streets are just as crappy as ours.
Over on Cruiser's blog I commented that the site at 15th and Main where those 2 garage-shaped houses were built would have been an excellent site to move the Henry Deutsch House to. Just a quick trip down the street from its former location at 2101 to the 1500 block.
I miss Dairy Queen. I miss waiting for the Locust Street DQ to open for the summer. I have a lot of memories of standing around those concrete planters, peering through the screens at the ice cream machines and dip cones, and watching out for various bees, insects and spiders that seemed to hang out in the area. I also miss going down to the Bettendorf State Street location if we wanted a meal instead of just ice cream. Driving all the way out to 53rd isn't the same; maybe I should try the Middle Road one... Now I sound like Bill Wundram.
26 comments:
DQ - I remember the days collecting the mini baseball batting helmets those small sundaes came in. good times.
Quite a few of my friends think it's odd that I prefer Dairy Queen over Whitey's. I suppose it's always been little bit personal taste, but as an adult it's also been a little bit of the Tunburgs rubbing me the wrong way, with their culinary-evagnelism inside the lid of every half gallon. In a funny way, it kind of upsets me, because in this certain "arena" of where to get my ice cream, I've actually decided to pass by the locally-grown small business and to patronize the large chain.
I miss the Dairy Queen that was on Hickory Grove road. The owner lost his franchise because DQ corporate said he had to have a drive-through window but being on a triangular shaped location precluded this from happening. He became a Country Style ice cream place but nobody seemed to care for it. Even the fire house across the street refused to go there, and they used to go at least once a day. The place is now a bar. If we can now have a Starbucks on the west end, we should least be able to have a DQ.
The Middle Road one has some food - but not as much as the State Street DQ.
I loved that place. It was within walking distance of my grandma's house at 8th and Mississippi. Spent many a warm summer night there eating a greasy tenderloin followed by a twist cone.
If you prefer Dairy Queen over Whitey's as I do, check out Country Style.
Why do people like Whitey's so much? Is it just because it's the hometown place where so many teens have their first job? Or do people genuinely like their bland, oversugared, not-particularly-creamy ice cream?
Hi QCI, from a Grand Ave. neighbor. Are you now a 30th or an Arlington neighbor? Just wondering. I walk the neighborhood a lot. Thought maybe someday I might run into you. Have a good one.
If you like DQ, there is a wonderful little town right next to you called Bettendorf, and we have a DQ on 18th. Come spend some money in a City that actually supports its businesses.
And, we don't build monuments to nothing, like a bridge to nowhere.
Our DQ rocks, and your all invited to show up.
I guess that DQ is really on 18th, not Middle Road. I think I've only been there once prior to a 4th of July fireworks display.
As to the person in love with Bettendorf, I'll stick with Davenport. Instead of the Skybridge, open to everyone, Bettendorf has their riverfront dominated by the casino. Instead of building "monument to nothing," Bettendorf is building the "events center no one needs." Oh wait, IOC needs it to continue their policy of screwing over Davenport.
I think this winter is making me (and probably a lot of other people) cranky.
Haha Yeah, those mini baseball helmets were awesome.
When I want just ice cream, I prefer Whitey's, but when I need some food and ice cream, DQ is great. Their chili dogs are awesome.
Also, has anyone else tried to explain to out-of-towners that we have a local establishment called "Whitey's." You usually get some weird looks.
As for people who love Bettendorf, it is a nice town, but they have the luxury of pushing many of the unenviable parts of big city living in to Davenport (like crime, low income housing, etc.), while taking advantage of the pros of a big city (jobs, events, shopping, etc.). They can simply plan their city in such a way that only the people who need to be close to the bigger city for work, but don't want to live in the big city, can afford it. Housing in Bettendorf is generally higher than in Davenport, for example. So, Bettendorf just keeps a big chunk of wealthier individuals who are willing to pay more for the same house as long as they ware away from the "problems" of the big city, while still close enough to reap the benefits of the bigger city. In that respect, it is not unlike a suburb that claims to be "nicer" than Chicago, simply because it can mooch the good from the big city (hey, come live in our suburb - it's easy to get to the events in Chicago!), without dealing with the actual problems of a big city (can tax the trouble-makers out of town, etc.).
The rub, of course, is that the "suburb" can only exist in such a state because the bigger city takes on the problems that the smaller city would necessarily have if it was not juxtaposed to the bigger city. Bettendorf could not exist in its current state if Davenport was not right next door.
The second rub is that no one would live in the suburb if the bigger city and what it had to offer did not exist.
Bettendorf supports their local businesses so much, that sometimes it's even at the expense of local homeonwers.
Unlike QCI, I'm naturally pretty grumpy, but the winter sure isn't helping any.
Man, this post has gotten some of the best comments. If only every blog discussion went this well...
You guys made me a bit less cranky.
This post is telling. As long as the Quad Cities has a "my city is better than your city because" attitide, we will continue to be stagnant. I don't live in either Davenport or Bettendorf, but I can list good and bad about both just as I can list good and bad about Moline, RI and E. Moline, or Silvis, Milan, LeClaire..... Wake up people. Davenport has issues. Bettendorf has issues. And we can work together to solve them, or we can waste time pointing out each others deficiencies. If you think a negative attitude doesn't have an impact on existing businesses and residents and potential ivestors, residents, and visitors, you're mistaken. A murder in (insert city name here) casts a bad light on the entire QC's. A business expansion in (insert city name here)benefits the entire QC's. Until we figure that out, we're doomed to repeat this unproductive "Bettendorf vs. Davenport" and "Illinois vs. Iowa" nonsense.
I agree with the last poster. It may well be that Bettendorf is the superior city, with its lack of circus atmosphere, lower tax rate and higher standard of living, but if we don't show we have a big heart, and care for our retarded brother (Davenport), then brother Davenport will bring us all down.
The last poster is really discusting. To suggest that a handicapp brings someone down shows what kind of person you are. I however am equally offended by your comments in regard to Davenport. We live in a great city with open meetings where opinions are valued. We don't have a casino that runs the city like Bettendorf, and our downtown is actually on the up swing rather than looking like a dump. Seriously, drive along the river into Bettendorf and than tell me how proud you are of Bettendorf.
Oh - I also live in davenport. It ain't rosie like you report. The downtown has a few new low income housing complexes - if that is the definition of rebound of the downtown. We have lots of crime, lots of slum rentals and lots of poor people and homeless. Let's not to mention the criminals we welcome to our doors. We host the 7th jud. halfway houses and shelters and food pantries, etc. We have it all. We have so many poverty services and are ever expanding the housing for poor people, that we are getting many moving from Chicago. These folks are kicked out of the housing there, and we get them here. Don't think we don't benefit though. We get our share of business - drug trafficking that is.
And - don't think that Davenport isn't a slave to a riverboat - it is called the RDA man.
Well, this thread took a turn for the worse...
What I miss the the A & W Rootbeer stand that was on Rockingham Road, where the carwash is now.
I remember as a kid sitting on 1 of the 2 stools they had outside at a serving window and sipping on a rootbeer float.
The wonderful odors that wafted out of there I'll never forget!
Over and over again i see a meme being repeated one QC blogs and newspaper commentaries - that either long-term or newly homeless people from Chicago are packing up from the big city and are moving to Davenport.
I'm not saying that I don't buy the possibility of something like this happening here and there, but why do these comments consistently sound like they're from the same person, and sound liek they're claiming it's some en-masse exodus? I lived in chicago recently, for five years, and I saw first-hand the housing projects - even Cabrini Green - being torn down for uppity condos. However, it confounds me as to how a family from a situation like so, with a member or members that engage in criminal activity, would have a sudden revalation to move to the urban areas of eastern iowa.
To the people who keep throwing this type of speak out into cyberspace, what first hand information do you have that supports your comments? You're going to have to fill me in on some details, because your claims may be partly true, but always come out sounding over-exaggerated and full of hyperbole.
Good for you Matt, someone who actually wants facts to go along with comments. We have a group of againsters that spend most of their time tearing this city down. Welcome, we are glad to have you in our city.
I don't know that it is all Chicago gangs, but I would certainly rather walk around downtown Bettendorf at 3 am then downtown Davneport. Neither is a joy, but safety prevails in Bettendorf. Its called attention to basics...police that don't let criminals walk out the front door...LOL.
I am not sure the retarded comparison is on the money for Davenport. If the Quad Cities were a family, Davenport would be more like the crazy uncle you hope keeps his mouth shut at the family reunion. You just know he is gonna do or say something crazy.
I work in the welfare system in Davenport. Abuse and neglect issues with children and families. And yes, there are many problem people coming to Davenport from Chicago. It isn't that they are gang bangers, but they came here for the low income housing we offer so readily. The word is that Davenport offers much free stuff and then we get the riff raff. It is a huge problem for us. It is my opinion that we have too much free gimmies and we attract people who do not contribute to a positive quality of life here. Things have gotten worse.
Bethany?
No my name is not Bethany and I don't work for Bethany. Another agency - I do not wish to disclose for the obvious reasons.
I remember the article in one of the papers over the winter about teen pregnancy. The girl (15yo) said her and her mom moved here because they heard about the low income housing. If you spend much time talking to those in the low income housing you'll start to see a pattern.
I do think we need to help the less fortunate, but we are shooting ourselves in the foot with the overabundance and ease of low income housing in the area (Davenport+Rock Island).
Don't kid yourselves folks, yes it is in fact true that we are getting the dependant people to come here because we have a very chort waitinglist for low income housing. Whenever a new family comes, we also get a female with children on our medical cards, money FIP, child support enforcement resources used, free clinics used, more children needing the extra help from teachers because the parents themselves haven't finished school, more law enforcement, more code enforcement, more tax dollars in general spent. It is an understatement to say the we shoot ourselves in the foot, try the head with a fatal blow.
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