Tortoise Dead by Dehydration.

The Thirsty Turtle came to a rather quiet end this week, closing the doors on it's Columbus park location.

I can't say I'll miss it - my distaste stemming from my first visit not only to the Turtle, but Stamford in general. One particular summer home from college Stamford was opened up as a potential playground, balancing as the halfway point between my parents and some new friends in Westchester. I hadn't paid the City That Works any mind at that point. Stamford didn't fit into the trifecta of "going out" me and my friends had carved out. My hometown covered the far too often nights one felt unambitious. The city (a name which actual Manhattan residents would later tease the suburban kids over as if too colloquial and implying familiarity and ownership they thought undeserved) for adventure and just enough cred to continue bragging about living so close. South Norwalk was the in between - slightly more exotic and inhabited by just enough woman we didn't go to high school with. Stamford lost it's chance to carve a niche that summer on that first visit when the Turtle turned us away at the door - not on account of our crude fake IDs, but the baggy cargo pants someone in our party was sporting. I don't think I returned to Stamford (outside train transfers) until years later for a job interview.

I swung through the Turtle on the bar tour but never got around to writing it up which surprises me because I bumped into an high school aquaintce there who gave me a great summation of the place I fully intended to use in a post. I've since forgotten though, which suppose proves even discriptions of the Turtle are unremarkable.

The Turtle was a flithy place, and not necesarily in the charming way many a pub can pull off. To me it always had that "room with a liquor license" feel. That's not to say its a bad space some other establishment can't run with. I think it has potential with minor reworking as a small concert hall/ club. I'd be surprised if the Black Bear (same owner) hasn't considered relocating acoss the street into the space. What they lose in a shared kithen with the Hula Hanks and outdoor seating, they more than make up for with tons of extra room. As it is the Bear in Stamford in it's current location is always packed to capacity.

Anyone have any inside info?