Seven months later, still pining for College Perk

It's been close to seven months since students and bohemians alike were able to enter the cozy confines of College Perk on Route 1. No music has been heard, nor have any political discussions been held there, since its closing in early July.

Former employees and patrons of the College Perk coffeehouse blame owner Chris Gordon for the continual delays in its reopening, citing his lack of organization and his cavalier attitude toward city rules and regulations.

The past 12 months have been tumultuous for the popular hybrid bar/music venue; it suffered extensive damage from an electrical fire and had a strained relationship with the city council over landlord fees and its liquor license.

Despite an ownership lawsuit being added to the laundry list of problems the Perk faced, it was still set to reopen last October. The seemingly bad luck of the establishment struck again when health inspectors informed Gordon he did not have the necessary permit for the kitchen.

College Perk has been closed since last July with no known plans of reopening. The seemingly cult-like following of the independent and unique business places the blame on the owner.

"I blame Chris Gordon for the delays and everything," former customer Scott Maddox said in an online interview. "If he really cared to re-open it in a timely matter it would've happened."

With College Perk gone, no surrogate bar or hangout has been comparable in the eyes of the "regulars."

"No other establishment in the area can touch the atmosphere they had going on there," senior Rachel Mumbert said. "It's so much more than a bar. The bars down Route 1 seem lacking in personality."

Sophomore music major Liz Ciavolino performed at College Perk a few times and has been trying to organize on-campus open mic nights similar to what the Perk used to sponsor. So far she has garnered limited success, saying that it "wasn't even close" to replicating the events at College Perk.

Others reiterated the inimitable feel of College Perk and raved about the diverse and interesting clientele who frequented the shop.

"Students were a major part of the culture, but it was the locals and regulars that defined the Perk," 2006 alumnus Adam Bates said. "The Perk was unlike other College Park bars because of the balance between college and adult culture."

Cell biology and molecular genetics major Lisa Guay worked as a manager at College Perk in 2007 and lived in the apartments above the coffeehouse for a brief period of time.

While she places blame on the city council for not being flexible and being "unfair" to students, she saidGordon's casual, careless attitude is a main reason why the coffee shop is not open for business.

"Chris abides by the rules he feels are appropriate," Guay said."He could have helped himself by paying more attention to the rules and the policies before things became an issue."

Guay said that she thought the city council was not being especially helpful in getting College Perk back in business, but she said she doesn't think they were conspiring against him. She said she knows some people close to the committee were sympathetic to the independent business's plight, but Gordon's brash and adamant manner in defending his position struck a nerve with members.

"I'm sure that there are ways the city council can work with Chris," she said. "He sort of made a mess of this."

Despite the good will so many feel toward the bar, there are some who feel as though the closing is "bittersweet."

"In a way, I am kind of glad the place is gone, better to see it burn out than fade away," 2007 alumnus Steve Fowler said. Fowler thinks no place could ever measure up to College Perk but blames Gordon, among others, for the Perk's reopening delays and eventual downfall.

"He is only looking out for himself and believes only he is right and noble," Fowler said.

Gordon was unavailable for comment at the time of publication.

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