Take Control

[Justine Cooper]

James,
I know from talking to Lakewood businesses firsthand, that many have had a difficult time while opening, from the city. Vase to Vase, a very classy floral shop was given a very difficult time about a sign with seemingly no problems, and they moved here from RR!! Goddess Blessed was given a very difficult time about a lot of issues and they found ways to block her from renting the place next to her as a tea shop because they aren't into her type of business. She has all the details but to her it was obvious. Dave's Cosmic's Subs took so long to open because of one thing after the other with the city. La Pita opened and paid a $600 permit and was told two months later it is a yearly permit and he had to pay the same $600 because it is based on a calendar year, not twelve months. Yes, the city can make it very difficult for small businesses and the word gets out. The only way anyone can confirm this is to go and talk to businesses themselves.

I thought your post was good and I agree with your concerns and I surely hope there are changes to makes things more attractive for new businesses here. The fact is, when I drove East on Lorain from N. Olmstead, there were empty storefronts everywhere! And big ones! Lakewood's are more obvious because they are close together, but unless there is a serious effort with the new mayor and the city to fill those and make things more attractive, the whole city will suffer.

[Stephen Eisel]

I have a friend who opened a business in Lakewood and was shocked how anti-business and unfriendly the city of Lakewood seemed. One of the inspectors from the city even told her where she should buy her supplies from... She was shocked..

[Ivor Karabatkovic]

it's this kind of stuff that makes me wonder..

I'd love to own my own business one day and make my home city Lakewood. Maybe with a new Mayor, things will change.

But I know that there are more businesses relocating from than to Lakewood, and that has to bring up questions.

My question is certainly "Do I want to spend the rest of my life here" but then again at 18 years of age you never know where the wind might take you.

I know that we are definitely going to look at selling our home and moving into an apartment as soon as the market gets better. It's up to Ed to show us that we should stay here.

[Jeff Endress]

Justine

I had no idea! I mean I always knew that the city was a pain on signage (having gone through that circus myself) And I knew that is you were doing food service they could be picky, but I had no idea that they're being so difficult on those wanting to open a business here. And it really makes no sense. Somehow a spankin' new check cashing emporium is okay, but not a tea house?

Isn't there an ombudsman or something to help work through the process? I would suspect that if there's a solution to resolving the issues, and getting a more helpful attitude from city hall that an entrenched bureaucracy will have to be first brought into another way of thinking. Sometimes the minions on the street jealously guard their "authority", even when there's contrary directions being given at the top. There really needs to be a liaison that business owners can go to when they feel that they're being singled out for special treatment, and that person has to have the authority to rein in bureaucratic abuses, without fear of future recriminations during a surprise inspection.

Jeff

[Justine Cooper]

Jeff, I agree with your post. To tell you the truth, businesses opening seem to be held hostage by the city's demands, and they seem to differ a bit depending on the business. Although the food permit La Pita paid is probably across the board for food businesses and how much sense does that make to charge $600 a year whether you pay in Jan or Dec!!!!! Do you know how many pitas that man has to make to make $600 and Lord we don't want him to leave Lakewood!! I do wish there was something, someone in the middle to help with problems with businesses. And to encourage new businesses, and get harder on bad landlords. I am still waiting for the used bookstore to open near Angelo's who was having so much trouble with his landlord not fixing a leaky roof!!! Where do we point fingers or go for help to get the small business thing going here, which is to vital to this city? Would it be so hard to even get wreaths for empty storefronts during the holiday to beautify the city? There is so much that can be done, but is not.

Ivor,

To be honest, most people that open a small business work other jobs to pay for the honor of having that business. Most books on the subject tell you it takes an average of three years to break even or make any profit and you will spend much more than forty hours a week there. My advice is to follow your passion with a job with benefits and holidays off and when you get more wealthy, open your business on a beach! And to everyone else, support the local businesses!!! They need you and we need them to keep the city alive!!!!!

[Stephen Eisel]

Small businesses are the back bone of this country.. Lakewood has a reputation for being small business unfriendly. We need to change this reputation.

[Stephen Eisel]

Maybe, Jim could start a new section for small businesses having problems with the city???

[Lynn Farris]

I know I've posted on this subject before - but we always said that the people that do business here it the city do it in spite of the city - not because of it.

When we bought our building (during the Cain administration) the building transferred at 4:00 on Friday night. By 8:00 AM Monday morning we had citations out the wazoo. Having supported Mayor Cain - and her business friendly platform I stormed down to city hall and asked for an extension to have some architects work with me in fixing up our building - then hired the head of the architectural review committee in the city. I got my time. Then the school board sued us for an increase in our property tax - before we owned the building.

Our bank cautioned us about doing business in Lakewood. And one banker pulled us aside and told us if we went elsewhere it would be much easier.

At the same time a friend of mine who owns a successful Lakewood Business said if her husband hadn't been an attorney who fought the city at every step while she turned a dump into a gorgeous commercial facility she wouldn't have made it.

I did not have any trouble with the George Administration - but I wasn't doing anything new then. - so it was easier.

I do hope that Mayor elect Fitzgerald and the new city Council realize that you don't have to give so much money to attract businesses to Lakewood - you just need to make it a pleasant place to do business.

Don and I wrote an article on Anaheim and their strategies on making a city business friendly. They spent no money - just used innovative ideas.

[sharon kinsella]

I went to Tuesday Morning today - one of my favorite places. I noticed that there were some vacant store fronts along Detroit. But, there are lots of new shopping zones too. I think Rocky River is turning into a small Beachwood place. The new little center where Liberty Books is actually has a couple of little places that would have been much better suited for Lakewood. And a new little place called "Amy's Shoes" opening in the place by Depot St.

Wish we had gotten some of that. How is RR doing it? If they can do it, we should be able to do it much better - we have a history of fun funky stores/

[Jim O'Bryan]

Maybe, Jim could start a new section for small businesses having problems with the city???

Maybe, or...

I know many that claim to have problems, and I have to admit some of the laws and rules seems foolish. I know many that have been put off. But my experience is closer to that of Tom Barrett's.

Try to do it on the cheap, not check, do it first and ask questions later and there is problems. Bring them in early, ask questions often, stay to the plans you have given, and it goes pretty quickly and smoothly.

You put in plumbing, and electrical, and close the wall before an inspection, you can bet that wall is coming down for the inspection. Because of the businesses I am in, I am in the building department often. I have had time understanding the sign laws for sure. But I have never found a person working for that department that did not have the time to answer all my questions, make suggestions, and help me through the process.

Years ago I fudged some work around the house that should have been a permit job with inspections. The old head of building lived behind me. He saw the telltale signs, dry wall, water heater etc. came by to check. I had done it kind of right, but not to code. I was cited and thought they were a bunch of jerks making me do it again, with permits and correctly. Almost doubled the price, and they rode me like a horse. However let's think of the next people to buy my house. Let's think about my safety being made to do the gas lines and electrical correctly.

Yeah we could start a section, but there are two sides to every story.

FWIW


.

[Justine Cooper]

Jim,
When it comes to homes I get it. The guy we bought our house from rigged plumbing himself That is different than businesses getting such a hard time in many areas, from signage to many other things. And you are speaking of things from a building owner's perspective, where most businesses that open are renting, and some have to deal with horrible landlords. The book store would have been open months ago on Madison but with leaky roofs, it doesn't mix with books!!! Landlords should be required to keep the buildings fixed up or sell the building. Although in the Farris's case that is outrageous but it doesn't surprise me at all. The city has to become more business-friendly to attract and keep more businesses. It is that simple. I wish you would look into that food permit for La Pita too. Some things just aren't right.

Lynn,
I am wondering if you are speaking of the hair salon I am thinking about that totally beautified an old house only to be given enormous grief by the city and forced to put in a ramp, even though other businesses don't have them. Some things don't make sense.

[James Mullen]

As a long time reader of the deck and new poster to the deck, I have some insight I would like to continue to share on this topic. As I said, I am a small business owner in this city, and at a point in time owned multiple small businesses in this city. The city most certainly has a reputation of being difficult to deal with when starting or running a small business. This is not limited to the building department, it is across the board. I have read some great post over the last day since I put this topic up, and I think some great ideas have emerged from the topic. A city liaison between business and the bureaucracy of city hall would be a great idea, and does exist in other cities. As I said before, all of us posting and reading on this board are citizens of Lakewood I would guess, are obviously the ones concerned about the direction. One of the biggest issues facing the city as it relates to businesses is the landlords that own all of the buildings that small businesses could occupy or do occupy. They are not taken care of for the most part, and if they are taken care of,it is by the tenant not because it is part of their lease agreement, but because they have to in order to keep their business effective. Which is the case in the business and building we occupy. We have the ideal situation to do something special in our community of the next few years, and we don't have to reinvent the wheel, redevelopment is happening all over Cleveland area, and the country, but the areas that are succeeding are the areas where the city is accommodating and not hindering. I think it is important to get both sides of the story and I appreciate Mr. O'Bryan's point of view, but at the same time reading many of the posts you have written in regards to city issues, you seem to always come to the defense of the city and the good job they are doing. It is apparent to most citizens city hall is not doing a great job, and things need to change.

[Jeff Endress]

Bring them in early, ask questions often, stay to the plans you have given, and it goes pretty quickly and smoothly

So wouldn't it be nice if it was more reciprocal? I mean, rather than the business working their way through a process that is largely unknown to them, perhaps a bit scary, maybe fueled by some suspicions of "dealing with city hall", couldn't city hall be proactive? A new business wants to open shop. They file a "notice of intent to open a business in Lakewood". The city assigns them a guidance counselor, who knows what question need to be asked (but may not be), who knows who to see for what, who can advise that it might make sense to delay opening for a month if the permit fee is yearly and not prorated....stuff like that. REALLY make it a pro-active, co-operative process. Where the city is working with you to do everything necessary to help a new business at least open? Not to diminish the need to enforce codes, etc., but to help any potential business from bumbling into unknown pitfalls because they didn't know the right questions to ask? An office of new business mentorship?

Jeff

[Jim O'Bryan]

Justine

I am sure you remember that MAMA and DADA have started to build a list of the Good, The Bad, and The Ugly Landlords on the website. One of the hopes was that we could direct good businesses to good landlords, and put pressure on the legal but unmotivated landlords to try harder.

I hear more horror stories from renters about landlords than city hall.

I will talk with Ghazi, but I bet...

One of the problems with all of this is we all want business and good business in Lakewood. At the same time we do not want accidents. I know this seems extreme, but if a new store caught fire and killed everyone in apartments above. The city would cry for the heads of the inspectors. They know this, and generally like their jobs, want to do them right, and are not really into arguing.

The same could be said for food. You stop, pick up lunch for the family, and they get sick, because it was not stored right, cooked right, whatever. Most would go after the business and the city inspectors.

It is easy to not think of worst case scenarios, but that is why we have inspectors. It is also not about you or I, but us. Not an easy job, but very needed.

While the sign laws which are few, are very tough. One of the problems is how open they are. It is the general opinion they want creativity, but with that comes opinions. The ARB is very subjective, but they are all business people and designers. They all also have opinions.

I have found that stick to 5 colors or less, within proper square feet, compliments or at least does not detract from other signs in the area, they are very open. All the signage we designed for your store was vibrant, colorful, and legal. The paint job for your store would have passed ARB, and if you remember would have been pretty wild and colorful.

Why, look no farther than Moe's Hook You Up Shop. Looked like hell, affecting businesses around it. Was illegal in size and material. Also hung over a walk out of all the wrong material. After a couple rains, the particle board was breaking. A 4'x8' sheet of construction particle board falling on one of your kids would have killed them. You would have gone nuts of the building department, and would have been right to do so. They know that, they really understand that.

While we are talking about Moe's. Let's walk another mile in the inspectors shoes. If a new businesses in Lakewood has ZERO respect for the building department, health department, permit department, etc. Why should they have any respect for the business owner? I have found them to be extremely nice the first visit, and writing citations. When they come back again, and again, and again, we all would get a little pissed.

Again, while the owner can say, "Hey you work for me." The fact is they work for US, all of us. Which is more important? The single business, or the health and beauty of the entire city?

When I first walked into the building department to be "legal" it was pretty intimidating. Years latter, I actually enjoy talking with this group. In their office, on the street, at social gatherings. If anyone knows how incorrigible and hard to work with I can be, it would be you and them!

Very tough line to walk, but they do a good job.

[Stephen Calhoun]

Great discussion. (I'm not a resident of Lakewood; just a researcher on 'urbanology'! This said Lakewood remains my favorite locale, petri dish.)

I do hope that Mayor elect Fitzgerald and the new city Council realize that you don't have to give so much money to attract businesses to Lakewood - you just need to make it a pleasant place to do business.

I suggest Lakewood might aspire via civic, governmental, financial, partnerships to become the most entrepreneur and small business friendly city in NEO.

The Detroit / Madison 'straight shots' present an extraordinary 12-14 linear miles worth of--mostly--storefronts. Were talking here the kind of straight shot loaded up with the results of urban sprawl over decades. The character of these two main streets bears no relations to, for example, what Mayfield Road has become as it slices through three suburbs on the East side.

Alternately, take a drive up Broadway, and closely view what happens to a great street as it is subjected to waves of economic dynamics over decades.

In olden discussions with Observer illuminaries, we noted Lakewood's location on the lake, the mix of apratments buildings and housing stock, AND, the excellent sweep of storefronts. This glosses details but these components work together to define--broadly--Lakewood's distinctive physical character.

Hmmm, now add people!

If you look at the interface between entrepreneurial vision and householder/renter consumption, it would be interesting to know the details about how disposable income remains in Lakewood, and, how this is worked through on the business model 'end.' The ideal is challenging: locally owned businesses that capture income and create a win/win that thrives year in and year out.

To take the high bar approach: what has happen in devising, supporting, and managing the concrete details in the supply/demand system so that Lakewood becomes a second-to-none magnet for this ideal?

It is a system. The obstacles thrown in the path of new business owners are many and they come from many directions including from the city. This said, a smartly designed survey and some street anthropology might reveal some high leverage points worth addressing.

Having spent a few years doing business consulting, with insights gained from owning my own businesses and also having profit center authority as a manager, I would suggest that there are reasons businesses struggle after the doors are open and yet it's not rocket science. For example, the view of how a business is to earn its success always contains assumptions worth evaluating before the business person deploys an ill, sometimes fatal, assumption or two.

So, would Lakewood benefit from having in place resources such as mentoring, or navigation of the library's resources, or workshops or other stuff that might mae a difference? If there are such programs currently, do they rope in new entrepreneurs consistently? Does the permit process allow for the city to give aspiring business people a head's up about resources?

In toher words, is there a lot of smart flow of information that helps connect up aspirations with chops? And this is just one possibility among many potential leverage points which can cause fruitful impacts in the intelligent, charming, innovative city.