Slow Times on Hawthorne

When it comes to construction on Hawthorne, it ain't over till the orange barrels are gone. So in that sense the Tabor Hill Cafe is still a construction site even though the concrete was finally poured this week.

Let's review: Two Thursdays ago the city tore up the old sidewalk and part of the street, finishing that phase the next day. Then everything basically stopped for around 10 days. Incidentally, this is the part that bothered me. They acted like this guy could put his business on hold. Yes, you could still go in, but here is a shot of how inviting that looked.Of course, from across the street the barrels and fences made it look like you'd need a pole vault to get to the front door. This Monday there was finally a breakthrough. Work resumed and things were looking up. Here is a shot of how disruptive those days were.Then one day this week, the city literally made the small business owner walk the plank. Well, the concrete is done, but the orange barrels remain, possible because of work farther up the street. By the way the guy's attitude has been great even though he actually looks a little thinner than a few weeks ago. Plus, he did mention that this was nothing compared to the Khmer Rouge back in Cambodia. I'm delighted to hear that, but then again, if the owner of a small business in Portland has to point out that the City Council isn't as bad as the Khmer Rouge, isn't that already a little grim?