User:Evilbil/Rocketstar cafe

HISTORY
The Rocket Star cafe (sometimes written as two words rather than three) existed in Kalamazoo, Michigan at 1504 W. Michigan from January, 2004 until August 2008. The original owners of the cafe were Dan Kastner and Bill Brieger; in its final year it was owned singularly by Dan Kastner and then by long time employee Clay Emerick. The cafe was inspired by a previously existing lineage of cafes and cafe culture in Kalamazoo, most notably The Comet Cafe (which existed in the same location in 1996) and The Space which existed in downtown Kalamazoo from 2001-2003. The cafe, while initiated by Kastner and Brieger, received strong initial support from the developers of The Space in the form of consulting, advising and cheap equipment. The concept for the cafe was that of a college hang out for Kalamazoo College and Western Michigan Students that included both a ___ study environment as well as a separate, more leisurely environment. The cafe pushed a special emphasis on supporting the local art scene, hosting local artists and musicians regularly. The front room was brightly lit with a light blue and green color scheme.