Notsuoh

314 Main St.
Houston, TX. 77002
713-409-4750
“notsuoh” at “yahoo dot com”

Review: 314 Main Street was built in the 1880’s and was owned by Clark and Dean’s credit department stores until it was abandoned in 1950, leaving the storefront unoccupied for decades. Still sporting the neon “Home of Easy Credit” sign, the building was re-opened as a coffeehouse in 1996 and expanded to a full bar in 2003. Notsouh quickly became a point of interest for Houstonians, and today it still caters to a diverse clientele.

On any given night, the crowd’s age ranges from high school to retirement, and economic bracket barriers do not exist. Expect to play a game of chess with a hobo or share a glass of wine with the designer of the looming Sam Houston statue off I-45 (who now directs pornographic feature films; true story). The interior is gaudily covered with found art, vintage furniture, and surreal local craft displays, as well as board games and literature. If you come late at night, you may have the chance to visit the rooftop for a good view of Main Street.

Community events including free nude life-drawing classes, poetry readings, and open mic music, and art exhibits are offered on weeknights. Thursday through Saturday, various local and international groups perform live music on the main stage (usually free of charge), and occasionally the attic stage is opened for special guests like Ian MacKaye or Jason Webley ($5+). If you have any requests or comments or would like to book your band, the owner can be found wandering the smoky bar with drink and cigarette in hand. An up-to-date event calendar can be viewed on the venue’s MySpace page.