Have you noticed that there is more bars and coffee shops opening up in Fargo, ND lately? They are practically on every corner, everywhere you look.

It used to be churches on every corner years ago. Now it seems that bars and coffee shops are replacing churches.

Then they wondered why North Dakota has such a high alcoholism rate. Think about it, with all these bars opening up and even restaurants selling alcohol; what do you expect. The latest thing is at West Acres. They are now selling alcohol in the food court in all places. You pay with a credit or debit card and is charged by the ounces when you buy your drink.

West Acres is supposed to be a family place, where family goes to shop, people watch, and just hang out. This shows how desperate they are to attract customers. Much like restaurants are when they get their liquor license to also sell alcohol.

It used to be years ago, bars were separated from restaurants. Bars would only sell alcohol; but now they are becoming more than just a bar. There are sports bars and nightclubs as well as restaurants. You can watch any sports you want, drink and eat dinner or supper. Some even have other entertainment, such as music or comedy shows; making them into a nightclub.

When I was a child, and the family did goes out, we would go to a restaurant that didn’t serve alcohol. Now days that is hard to find. Back then, if a father went into a bar, the kids sat outside in the car until they came back out, and hope they don’t stay in too long.

When I first became legal to drink, 19 in Minnesota and 21 in North Dakota, we would go out drinking. We would stay until the bars closed and then goes to a restaurant that was open all night for breakfast. I felt sorry for the waitress, because she had to deal with a drunk crowds.

There was some bars that didn’t card you either. I have been in bars in Fargo before I was 21 drinking.

I do remembered one time, when my mother was in the hospital, and my dad wasn’t much of a cook since he was dependent on my mother, stopped at the old bar on the corner of Downer either on the way to the farm or town. At that times they had the best burgers in the area.

On a hot summer day, my dad would take us out for a drive and stop at a bar near the lakes. He had a beer and bought pops for us youngest kids.

I had my first taste of beer when I was a child. I didn’t like it then; but I did when I got older.

Now that coffee is becoming more fancier, coffee shops is also opening up more and more lately as well. With such coffee places as Starbucks for example.

When I was younger, coffee was just coffee and it was bitter, nothing fancy. There was no flavored coffee, cappuccino, latte, iced coffee, or blended coffee. I had my first cappuccino because of my best friend, Roger. Now I’m into drinking cappuccinos or blended coffee, depending on the weather. My favorite coffee shop is Caribou. I stop at Starbucks if I’m in the neighborhood; but I won’t go out of my way.

Even churches is selling coffee to attract new people. One of the coffee shop is the Lighthouse.

I think the reason for these coffee shops opening up more and more lately is because people in North Dakota, and especially Fargo, is becoming snooty and uptight. They are becoming more and more like bigger cities.

In the past when going on a date, you would go out to dinner at a restaurant, then go to a nightclub for drinking and dancing. Now you can do it all at one place.

My favorite restaurant is Appleby. When I was a child, there was no Appleby in Fargo. It goes to show how much restaurants is becoming the new bars. Bars and restaurants are becoming one.

There is a good German bar downtown Fargo called Wurst Bier Hall, I really like. They got good German food and good German beer.

Sure there are 4 corners, and when I say on every corner, think about this: On one corner is a bar, on the other corner is a coffee shop, on the other corner is a car wash, and finally on the last corner is a bank. You can go to the bank to get some money, cross the street to the car wash to wash your car, then go out to eat and have a drink at the bar/restaurant. Then before you go home, you can stop in at the coffee shop for coffee to sober up a little before driving home.

Then they wonder why people drinks so much? They are promoting alcohol.

I love my coffee, especially cappuccino or blended coffee. I’m becoming sophisticated that way and fancy.

As Tom T. Hall would say in one of his song, “I like Beer.” Well hell yeah, I like beer too!! I don’t go out of my way to have a drink like some people would. I drank more in my 20’s than I do now. I drank more when I first turned 19, because it was the things to do. It doesn’t make me an alcoholic, like some people.

To all those who drinks, this beer is on me! If you prefer coffee, then this coffee on me.

They should do a study on this and see what they are promoting instead of criticizing people for drinking alcohol. That’s the only way to solve the alcohol problems in North Dakota.