Want to buy or sell something? Check the classifieds
  • The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.

Steampunk, Dieselpunk, etc.

Story

I'll Lock Up
Messages
4,056
Location
Home
To paraphrase one of FL's luminaries, "a duplicate thread on FL? Who'd have thought!" ;)
 

reetpleat

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,681
Location
Seattle
Roquentin said:
A friend of mine used to be interested in Steampunk style. I was never as taken with it but I did attempt a short story set in a Steampunk universe. It wasn't that great, to be frank. I'm probably more intrigued with Dieselpunk, as it stands, but again more as a fiction subgenre than as something to dress like.

TV Tropes, which is of course by no means the sole authority on the matter (but is still interesting) says that Dieselpunk covers the space between Steampunk and Cyberpunk (another couple unsucessful story ideas of mine took place in cyberpunk settings) or in other words about 1900-1970. I would be interested in writing a story that took place in a distorted version of mid-to-late '60s Europe, perhaps. I guess it would be a speculative treatment of what the kinds of technocratic sentiments popular in the day (I'm thinking of the impetus behind the new concrete council flats that replaced the old slums in Britain) would have looked like if they really took hold. Just basic starting notions, really, but it might be fun.


Might be something akin to Brazil, the movie.
 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
Steampunk Kafe

I've been in the process of opening The Steampunk Kafé in Connecticut for a couple years now. I've got dreams of a cool themed cafe/nightclub hybrid where people can go to socialize, dance, etc, and not suffer the effects of alcohol, but instead caffeine. They won't be going home when they get sleepy and tired, that's for sure. That said, it's a pain in the butt trying to get a loan these days. I wish I had been inspired back in the day when banks would give anything to anyone, no questions asked. I've gone worker co-op, democratic, fair trade and organic, and because of that and my area, I've gotten a lot of perks, and a nonprofit lender, but I've still got a couple of months before I can go.

I only just got the loan equity a couple weeks ago. Working with the Rural Development Program - a subsection of the USDA - they'll be 80% of my collateral with a loan guarantee program, and thus I won't have to be a homeowner, which I'm not. My equipment and furnishings are collateral for the rest. Just gotta go to the state and get all my licenses and paperwork. It costs a lot for the right to pay the government taxes. I tell you, if someone said, "Can I please give you 20% of my yearly income?" I wouldn't say, "It'll cost you 265.00 for the right to give me your money." I'll let you give me your money for no upfront cost.
 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
Today I spent a good 680 using Legalzoom to get me registered with all relevant government agencies as Steampunk Cafe LLC. I had to put in two backup names, so I also entered Steampunk Kafe LLC and Cafe Steampunk LLC. If those are taken I'll try Kafe Steampunk or brainstorm some more. Point is, it's all locked in now. I'm priceshopping accountants to put together a professional pro forma set of financial documents to go to the bank with, now that I've got equity and collateral. Then I'll have between 15,000 and 30,000 to get started, of which I only really need 12,000 to get something going, and I could do with 10,000 if I did my own graphic design work until money came in, amongst other things. So yeah, it's steamrolling now.
 

Warbaby

One Too Many
Messages
1,549
Location
The Wilds of Vancouver Island
A vintage espresso machine is a must-have for your new Steampunk Cafe. Nothing says Steampunk like one of these gems of Italian plumbing...

EspressoMachine1.jpg


 

Pompidou

One Too Many
Messages
1,242
Location
Plainfield, CT
We think alike Warbaby. I emailed Abney Park's Robert, for the rights to play their music in my cafe. I've got a contract for 300 a year with BMI for general music rights for most mainstream artists, but while their concept of Airship Pirates are cool, internet music pirates aren't. They have info for booking concerts, but I won't have a stage or the equipment they demand - rightfully so. So, it'll have to wait till I succeed from my mall outlet to a standalone building where I can further explore the nightclub aspect of my cafe club hybrid concept I'm nurturing. We'll see. The idea of socializing, dancing and caffeine instead of alcohol seems like a winner to me.
 

Forum statistics

Threads
107,031
Messages
3,026,771
Members
52,533
Latest member
RacerJ
Top