[meoshstabwot]

Organ grinder expert here. The Portland organ grinder was a victim of urban growth boundary and poor cash flow from an allied disco called Earthquake Ethyls.

The land underneath the organ and building was leased. When the metro urban growth boundary was proposed the land owner immediately wanted to liquidate the land holding and gave the organ grinder the option to buy or leave. The organ grinder was profitable but the disco operating concern was not. Consequently, the organ grinder did not have the cash flow necessary to buy the land and had to close. The organ and fixtures were parted out. The local music scene and patrons were deeply saddened. The immense power of what was the largest and highest pressure Wurlitzer theater organ would never again offer its unique tonal capabilities to reproducing rock and pop music of the 40s through 90s.

Today the OG still has a cult following which stays alive thanks to a few recordings posted to YouTube and a lot of great memories. For instance: https://youtu.be/3VN5DGw3OvA

[neilv]

> Consequently, the organ grinder did not have the cash flow necessary to buy the land and had to close. The organ and fixtures were parted out.

That's awful. A successful business and a unique cultural icon, ended because a deal couldn't be reached.

[Nick87633]

Didn't know what I was expecting when I started listening, but that was quite a song!

[meoshstabwot]

The organ grinder had six+ top artists who could bend popular music into the language of that organ like no other similar institution IMHO. Incidentally, Jonas still sounds like that if you give him a fast enough organ and enough audience pressure to play in the old popular music style.