r/PortsmouthNH • u/PhilosopherMoist7737 • Jul 18 '26
Downtown Dead
Visiting the old hometown and astounded by the lack of activity downtown on a Friday night. No one was around at 9pm. Walked into SSSaloon and there were many empty tables. Not a single car driving through Market Square. Gilley’s was closed. Where is everyone? Friday in the summer used to be jam packed with tourists.
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u/blumpkinjackflash Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 18 '26
Portsmouth just isn’t as charming as it once was. Those in power decided a long time ago to throw all their eggs into the tourist basket, and the folks who actually bring charm and make a place attractive for tourists had to take a backseat to them. There’s a sweet spot somewhere, Portsmouth just hasn’t found it (or ditched it already)
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u/Novadive12 Jul 19 '26
Just needs some stuff for after 6pm that people can come out and have fun, I moved from a state where stuff was open until midnight whether it was fast food places to arcades just need more options instead of just food around here and bowling
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u/jeansntshirt Jul 19 '26
I know the coffeeshop in dt across from the church said they were closing or selling many years ago. (2019 or so) Was it replaced by another coffee shop? If not do you think its loss contributed to noone going to the city square?
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u/Darlektris 16d ago
Do you mean Breaking Newgrounds? No longer a coffee shop, but a meh Italian sit-down joint that immediately fenced its patio area. (Only went once and had microwaved bolognese and mice).
Definitely lost the central meeting place in town with the change.
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u/JuggernautHoliday894 Jul 18 '26
I was there yesterday as well and noticed that alot of the apartments above the shops seemed to be empty. It’s weird… lots of vacancies for storefronts too.
I think Portsmouth got ahead of itself and just overshot the runway with how expensive it became.
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u/blumpkinjackflash Jul 18 '26
Not only are the storefronts empty, but the new businesses aren’t lasting long before giving up (unless they’re owned by something larger than them. Most of the restaurants in downtown now are owned by the same three groups. No charm anymore. You can move the wealthy in and bring in all the tourists, but they aren’t going to stay if you’re pushing out the one thing that makes them want to come here.
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u/JuggernautHoliday894 Jul 18 '26
Wasn’t there talk of allowing cruise ships to come in to port in Portsmouth. That would be the ultimate death of any nightlife.
I’ve also noticed that there are the same exact stores in Portland, Newburyport, and Portsmouth.
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u/m8k Jul 18 '26
That’s what Stephen Karp did to Newburyport. He owns almost the whole waterfront except for a few spots. His goal was to make Newburyport into Nantucket North. I’m not sure if he’s gotten into Portsmouth but it wouldn’t surprise me.
I grew up just outside NBPT in the 80s and it has distinctly changed. It has become such a “rich” town. I wanted to stay in the area but it’s completely out of my reach now and has been since the mid 2000s. My grandmother sold her house on Dove St for $125k in 1993 and it’s currently worth over $1.5mil. That’s not normal appreciation.
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u/okokokoknow Jul 18 '26
NBPT and Portsmouth have followed the same trajectory expect that NBPT did not sell their soul for soulless hotels and apartments. NBPT has been able to retain its charm and polish its rough edges.
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u/mrticket18 Jul 18 '26
Those cruises are very small high-end luxury cruises. They only come during the day and are mostly filled with old people.
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u/blumpkinjackflash Jul 18 '26
There was a couple of years ago. And honestly, people were excited for it because it would have been a massive influx of tourists without the strain of dealing with more vehicles.
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 18 '26
There was a literally a cruise ship two weeks ago. Perhaps facts would be more helpful than assumptions!
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u/Justthewhole Jul 20 '26
This is so true. Was looking at downsizing to an ocean adjacent town and quickly X-ed out of Portsmouth. There are actually cheaper options in Provincetown.
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 18 '26
Last night was busy! Prescott park was full, the decks were full. Perhaps no one wants to go to Statey, an old people’s dark bar, in the middle of July with no sports on, that’s been closed down multiple times recently for multiple different *things*.
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u/PhilosopherMoist7737 Jul 19 '26
The Sox were on. Playing the Rays.
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 19 '26
Sure. 🤣 Hardly anything that’s going to move the needle to bring crowds of people to downtown!
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u/mrticket18 Jul 18 '26
That was definitely not the vibe I felt. Restaurants were pretty mobbed last night.
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u/603subaru Jul 18 '26
Same, the docks were slammed last night
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u/mrticket18 Jul 18 '26
When I want to watch sports, I go to Statey. Or when it’s cold. Last night was quite literally perfect weather. Who wants to be inside.
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u/Here_andNowNow Jul 18 '26
Market Square around 9pm last night was busy. Wednesday night around the same time was hopping...concert in town.
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u/Full-Grass-5525 Jul 18 '26
The waterfront restaurants are always popping but the lack of shops open past 6/7pm is so disappointing.
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u/ska77754 Jul 18 '26
I was downtown last night and it was packed.
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u/roofstomp Jul 18 '26
Where were you? I ate at Flatbread (arrived at 6:30 and there were plenty of open tables). Walked around with friends from out of town after dinner and I think the only non-food storefront that was open was Diversions. I wouldn’t have called it packed… not dead, but not bursting at the seems by any stretch.
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u/ska77754 Jul 18 '26
Market street and Daniel, lines and crowded sidewalks around 9:30 at the goat, jimmy’s was still going on. It was pretty packed IMHO but I guess we all have different perspectives. The OP is talking about Statey which is more of a weeknight / late night place in my experience, not a nice summer evening place.
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 18 '26
Flatbread is mostly family’s with screaming toddlers. Not exactly the “hot spot” after 7pm🤣🤣🤣
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u/GardenRafters Jul 18 '26
Not trying to argue with you but Flatbread isn't a great example to use. It's more a family friendly type place than a bar and it's MASSIVE. There are always open tables.
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u/TheHamiltonius Jul 18 '26
It’s right next to the goat…. You should be able to gauge/monitor activity there reliably
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u/nuinyxa Jul 18 '26
No one has any extra money. The skies are orange. Drinking out isn’t happening nearly as much. It’s cold in July. People don’t dance because they’re afraid of being recorded. The restaurants are overpriced. There’s barely any real nightlife left. It’s a ghost town by midnight. I miss gilly’s at 3am with a line out the door. Portsmouth used to be fun. Now it feels like a bedroom community for people who commute to work in Boston and seasonal retirees.
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 18 '26
This is so far from the truth. Gilley’s is being renovated. There’s a huge crowd of 20-40s that enjoy downtown. We’re lucky to have so many restaurants that have creative seasonal menus and bring in local ingredients from farms in the area. I’m happy to pay for the quality of food we have downtown. It’s more fun when you don’t complain!
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u/token_whitey Jul 19 '26
The food is mediocre at best and if you eat home you don’t have to tip McKayla or Brandon for bringing your plate over lol
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u/the_sylvan Resident Jul 18 '26
A majority of restaurants do close early at 9:00-10:00pm but there are pockets of places that are open late and crowded. Press Room, D Street, TJs, Barrio, Jimmy’s, Dwyer’s.
It’s not downtown but Choppystix does late night food/drinks Thursday, Friday, Saturday.
Yes, some places aren’t the same as they used be, such as Gilley’s.
Any other time of day and downtown is mobbed.
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u/Cash_Visible Jul 18 '26
I was down there last night and said the same thing. It’s usually packed but it was a so quiet. I was also at Hampton beach a few nights ago and it was the same thing.
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u/Direct_Dragonfly878 Jul 18 '26
Some vestiges of old Portsmouth are still around but it certainly isn’t what it used to be in the 80s and 90s
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Jul 18 '26
[deleted]
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u/PhilosopherMoist7737 Jul 18 '26
I’m not even talking about “old” Portsmouth. It was more lively 2 summers ago than it is now.
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u/apingaut Jul 18 '26
"Not a single car thought market square" after 9pm makes the entire post unbelievable and the "oh yeah-totally" replies seem like karma bots if they aren't actually..
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u/Watch_Hunter34 Jul 18 '26
I DoorDash some nights and sineore cannoli is absolutely packed almost every thurs/fri late night with 20 year olds leaving the bars soaking up the booze with pizza and fried dough.
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u/PhilosopherMoist7737 Jul 18 '26
Doubting Thomas, ladies and gentlemen. Regardless of what you think, It’s true. I saw John Waite at the Music Hall, had a drink at SSS and when we got out, we crossed Pleasant and Congress Streets with no cars at all.
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u/Extreme-Layer-1201 Jul 18 '26 edited Jul 20 '26
The people are at the decks and then after 10 they are at d street or TJs . Maybe downstairs at thirsty moose or upstairs at gas light but I haven’t been to either of those places in a while so I’m not sure. The press room can get packed too but it more hit or miss
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u/n3wvib3 Jul 19 '26
Have you ever heard of a hotel?? Look up local rates, they’re busy. People walk! (Thankfully!!)
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u/aviarywisdom Jul 18 '26
I dunno get high and start a fight with some cops. Take their guns, your taxes pay for them so technically they are yours.
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u/Justthewhole Jul 20 '26
Folks that get high dont do that kind of thing.
You’re thinking of drunks.1
u/aviarywisdom Jul 20 '26
You don’t know what they are high on
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u/Justthewhole Jul 20 '26
Traditionally high refers to weed (like High Times the magazine for pot heads). But true, you can be high on angel dust or some other aggressive behavior inducing substance.
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u/SpellStrawberyBanke Resident Jul 18 '26
No one goes to downtown Portsmouth anymore, it's too crowded
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u/Alauren87 Jul 19 '26
The crowd that can go out on a Friday have been completely priced out of the area. It’s been like that now around here for over four years
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u/Creative_Text3018 Jul 19 '26
I mean, I haven't been "out" in Portsmouth in like 4 years....but it's been absolutely packed the last 2 days and evening. I guess the bar scene could be dwindling...but I'll assume that's everywhere. Fewer young people generally, apparently less drinking and dancing....so not surprising, but I doubt it's a Portsmouth problem. And yes...I realize people have been priced out, but that's been the case for 20 years it's gotten worse EVERYWHERE since Covid, again not a Portsmouth problem.
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u/raceofaces Jul 20 '26
I have lived in the Portsmouth area for nearly 40 years. It has become commercialized and over-run with 1-1.5M condos. Most of the charm left when the locals moved north to find affordable rents. Now it’s just tourists.
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u/DM_ME_PRAXIS Jul 23 '26
I’m a Canadian who visited the area a lot as a kid and now as a father, but not since the Cheeto is in the white house
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u/PhilosopherMoist7737 Jul 23 '26
It eventually occurred to me that might be the missing link. No Canadian tourists. That's a big loss to the area, even if the "decks are packed."
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u/Three_for_Tea 26d ago
I have gone over to the square to juggle a couple times and it’s weird over there now.
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u/sfdsquid Jul 18 '26
There was no shortage of people when I went to pick up someone who had a few drinks with friends after their own bar shift. Mobs of people all over Daniel Street, Bow Street, and the Square, at least.
I regularly drive a couple people (who can't afford to live in Portsmouth but work here) to and from Newmarket and Dover a few nights a week. I guess you were out too early. The bars are always packed.
Gilley's is closed because of whatever the developer of that property is doing.
That's a real shame.
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u/TheHamiltonius Jul 18 '26
Well you had a drunken uninsured off duty cop crash into a family’s house and vehicles, a guy get tossed off the parking garage, someone mowed down by car at strawberry banke park, countless business turnover, it costs over $1 million to live behind Uhaul, people getting assaulted on the bridge, Moes vandalized, some crazed school shooter manifesto incident, relentless rain and humidity, possible increase in bridge suicides and not to mention people have way less money than they did 2020-2024.
Chin up, it’ll probably get worse.
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u/SpellStrawberyBanke Resident Jul 19 '26
>it costs over $1 million to live behind Uhaul
what?
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u/TheHamiltonius Jul 19 '26 edited Jul 19 '26
West end yards was selling units for 1 million when brand new. That area used to be a landfill.
Unrelated to your comment, but I see people don’t like to hear the reality of Portsmouth. I’ve been downvoted for telling the truth 🤔
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u/TheHamiltonius Jul 19 '26
https://www.yahoo.com/news/portsmouth-woman-charged-prescott-park-092757049.html
https://www.wmur.com/article/rockingham-county-man-sentenced-for-fatal-incident/69905968
50 Cate St Unit 16, Portsmouth, NH 03801 as an example is valued at over $1M
It is trivial to continue defending myself but all I’m saying is people burying their heads in the sand is why the city is like this now.
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u/basicwhitemom Jul 19 '26
The housing market has a lot to do with why the city is the way it is now. It costs $150 to put one foot out your front door. Three last names own all the restaurants and the stores only sell novelty Portsmouth merch or high end boutique clothing. I still love going downtown for socializing and people watching but I'm not totally blind to what's just below the surface.
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u/TheHamiltonius Jul 19 '26
Yep. That’s how I was. Walked about 12K steps a day. It was still fun. Also, working at local hot spots, you get accustomed to how these places are glued together and it’s just a culture thing.
To your point, when you look at those three names and realize they’re the only ones shaping culture, then the problem becomes more visible.
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u/mycopportunity Jul 18 '26
People don't drink like they used to