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Walking Signs Attack Lakewood

Posted: Mon Sep 19, 2005 11:49 pm
by Jim O'Bryan
There is a new store in town that started putting large day-glo signs on sticks out on the street. Now this store that is based in Lorain has increased his walking large sign crew to 12. They walk two at a time back and forth down Detroit and Madison.

It is an eyesore and a violation of sign code.

What are your thoughts?

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:17 am
by Kenneth Warren
I can only assume a neighborhood bust-out skid perception marketing OP designed by chance or cunning to create turnover in owner occupied homes so that such residential property could be cheaply converted to single room housing thereby creating the opportunity to sell more beds.

Or some developer make be looking to shake neighbors up to create a sense of instability and chaos thereby creating motivated sellers.

Are there developers looking to amass properties in the neighborhoods these sign walkers are targeting?

Obviously it's marketing tactic that gives both capitalism and economic development a bad name.

Kenneth Warren

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:42 am
by Stan Austin
Ken----

You have done such a good job of presenting plausible explanations for this nefarious activity that it would lead one to ask if you have a silent interest downstream? Perhaps an interest in a bed frame manufacturer?

Stan

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 6:30 am
by Jim O'Bryan
While you two lads make light, I wonder, does it add to the effort to clean up the town and business store fronts?

Why is it that, an established gift shop business was not allowed to raise their $5,000 dollar sign to the top on of one story building, where all other signs are. Every Monday this owner would come in to work, and find her signed defaced, as it was 4' off the ground at the back of a popular drinking establishment's parking lot. Every time she asked, she was turned down, then the inspectors started coming to the building regularly. Today every business(3) in the small storefront has moved out of the city

But our new absentee business owner is allowed to drag the city down, putting twelve 3' x 5' signs in dayglo orange and black into city parks, in front of businesses that paid BIG money for their downtown locations, and move from eating establishment to establishment to stand in front of the other "law" abiding business and block their windows, ads and view of the street. You talk of green space but I gues you prefer you green space with signs everywhere in it. That's cool, I guess.

I mean think about it. This company rents from a well respected Lakewood property owner, that wanted to tear down the WestEnd because it was blighted. But for the sake of a couple dollars from a storefront he has helped his tenant drag down all of Detroit and Madison.

We have businesses like Geiger's, Rozi's, Barry Buick, Revelations, even Johnny Malloys spend thousands sitting in City Hall offices making sure the color, the size, the verbiage is all "approved" by the city. After taking out their permits, and working with the city. A company that rents for hundreds empty space is allowed to block their signage with this temporary signage on sticks?! How is that for attracting businesses to Lakewood?

I have to go back to when I owned hot dog carts. One very simple well thought out rule was; You had to be 100' away from any "established" restaurant. The reasoning was very simple, they paid hundreds of thousands to build their establishment. Why should another "eatery" be allowed to open between them and the curve for only pennies. While the cart had the ability to roam the city for hot spots, the established restaurant was anchored to the location they had invested heavily in. To me it was a very small thing to ask, and bordered on common sense.

How do you attract Nikkos, Rosati, Geigers if you allow other business to block their walks with really ugly signage that would NEVER make it past review in City Hall.

You two can giggle, but it only makes me look forward to the day when the new library open, and every photo has ten or twenty temporary signs in every picture hawking beds, geriatric diapers, game rooms, subs, etc.

Maybe it is time to match the walk to the talk.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 6:50 am
by Jeff Endress
At first, it was sort of funny....harkening back to episodes of the "Three Stooges", with sandwich boards. But as we go on week three, I'm sure that every one in Lakewood has already seen the stupid signs, and is as tired of them as I am. It really does dress up downtown Lakewood....in the costume of East Cleveland.

A couple of things we can all do:

1) EVERYBODY call this place. Askew when the final going out of business sale will be, and whether it will be an auction with "everything to the walls".
2) EVERYBODY drop a little note to the store pres. Indicate that while you normally support Lakewood Businesses, you don't want to make a Major purchase from an operation being run on a shoe-string budget...maybe not get the item purchased, or concerns over after sale service.
3) Can City Hall get involved? I'm highly sensitive to the free speech issue, but this is commercial speech, which is subject to regulation. Perhaps the sign carriers should be licensed, or the size, type face be regulated (traffic hazard, you know) or other measures used to regulate commercial signage (I mean what difference does it make if it's stationary or moving?).

Just a couple of thoughts. I think I'll send a solicitation to represent them in their liquidation/bankruptcy. Yes, I know they're not going Chapter 11, but if they think that's the impression they're creating, perhaps it will stop.

Jeff

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 7:07 am
by Jim O'Bryan
Jeff

I have tried the first two. The owners has only increased the amount of signs. I mentioned that he might be driving business from the store, and his answer was. This works for me at Northfield and downtown Lorain.

All I can think is that he has caller id, because the amount of signs in front of my studio doubled. This is why I wonder, is it an op?

Rosati's was taken to task and told, NO small very expensive A-Frame sign in front of their store declaring flavor of the day. To gaudy, and not legal. But this store can block the windows of Rosati's with one or two walkers, proclaiming whatever.

City Hall is the answer. They have been getting calls, but have failed to act.

But as a lawyer, instead of Lakewood's famous Chef Geoff. Would it not be false advertising. They are not going out of business, and they do not have $2 million in overstock.

In another thread outrage is shown as a resident of Westlake owns/controls a majority of Section 8. But little concern over another out of towner, dragging down the city, it's businesses, and even adding one more reason to the list of those that are thinking of moving.

Combine this, with RTA traffic on side streets, and through residential areas, and even my wife and I wonder, is it time to cash out, or sit back and watch Lakewood go to hell in a hand basket.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:33 am
by Linda Beebe
Jim: Don't you even think of leaving town! We need you here!

I agree those signs are annoying and an eyesore. , commercial speech can be regulated - time, manner and place, and we have signage laws on the books.

I agree with Jeff that calling City Hall would be effective. Call your council person, the police, the housing department and the members of the architectural review board and ask that the sign laws be enforced. Everyone in town - not just storefronts (and the schools!) should be held to the same standard.
Linda Beebe

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:10 am
by Stephen Calhoun
As I frame the shot, I tell the cameraman to lie on the sidewalk and get the walker full frame from the shoes up. The Walkers that devoured Lakewood.

[Cut] To door on mayor's office.

[Cut] To chipmunks playfully pushing nuts to winter den.

[Cut] To Storefront

[Cut] To walker's shoes

[Voice over]

"One of the main reasons I ran for Mayor in 2003 was because Lakewood needs ACTION. Again, ACTION."

[Cut] To pertinent section of sign ordinance.

[Slow pull back] Paper ordinance is in hands of Kaufmann Krewe. They are seen to be discussing it. Prince's Sign O' the Times wells up from audio track.

<<
Baby make a speech, star wars fly
Neighbors just shine it on
But if a night falls and a bomb falls
Will anybody see the dawn
Time, times

It’s silly, no?
When a rocket blows
And everybody still wants 2 fly
Some say a man ain’t happy, truly
Until a man truly dies
Oh why, oh why, sign o the times

Time, time

Sign o the times mess with your mind
Hurry before it’s 2 late
Let’s fall in love, get married, have a baby
We’ll call him nate... if it’s a boy

Time, time

Time, time
>>

[Cut][black and white; observers in fifties' office garb] Quick montage of observers dialing city hall.

[zoom in] Old phone dial; dialed over and over; spins crazily.

[Song fades]

***

It's a only a medium story that the city powers can't be aroused to enforce the lawful kernal. Bigger story if carpet bagging close out king isn't paying the walker's a living wage; (etc.:big picture economic analysis plugs in). (Not a carpet bagger? Story becomes problematic...back to medium size. Now it's about enforcement. Snooze.)

Background check needed: what's the web of entrepreneurial activity of business owner? Are the walker's sub-contractors? What's the pay rate? What's their story? Fun job?

Now we get to a better story, imo. Granted, once again we're in the territory of the rough cut between communal civic values and liberty's chaos, and, perhaps there is the wish to have it both ways with somebody not getting what they want, yet, we might as well drill through the surface advertising semiotics down into the rush to the biggest civic closeout sale of all time.

If the city won't actionactionaction, then, the LO might tell the 'hole' story and name the vectors of exploitation, (which the inquiry will dig up,) and connect the dots in certain terms.

It's time, time...

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:18 am
by Jeff Endress
I see some real possibilities in Steve's idea. The Observer can be a force to effect change. We need to "interview" some of the "employees, find out what Man-power operation they are from, wages, hours, etc. Run computations of the "advertising budget". Expose the retailer as a slick operation who is taking advantage of the economically downtrodden. How much did they pay "Super" Joe Charboneau for the TV spots? What about worker's comp, unemployment, withholding? How about a analysis of "garage sale" sign limits, etc.

I'm too busy in the kitchen right now to take it on, but it would make a good front pager.

Jeff

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 12:40 pm
by Kenneth Warren
LO street inquiry concerning Quiznos sign walker yields the following:

Hourly pay rate: $10 per hour.

Manpower deployment from Accutemps, North Olmsted.

Further LO street inquiry into mattress sign walker yielded the following:

Manpower deployment: by owner.

Marketing strategy deployed in multiple sites, east and west of Lakewood.

Inventory and price point: Good sleeping. Price point could hit $700.
"These are mattresses, not beds."


Kenneth Warren

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:04 pm
by john crino
Someone just better save this city already. I've only been involved here for a year and I'm tired of it.
Also, can someone just print the sign walkers company's name and phone numbers so we can commence phone calling here and not have to figure out who to call and what #s? Thanks.

Jim, if you moved, there would be a hell of a lot more than a bunch of sign walkers on your new westlake front lawn....... :wink: Think Steve Martin dressed as an Egyptian.....

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 4:46 pm
by Danielle Masters
I am so glad I am not the only the one who finds these walkers an eyesore. I was shocked to see them here in Lakewood. This type of cheap advertising is very popular on the west coast. In fact in Arizona I would see sign walkers every few blocks. Its just tacky.

Now the next point is how difficult it is to get signage approved in the city. I know of several business that can't get their signage approved, but yet the city is allowing ugly signs to walk the city. It makes no sense.

I hope some city officials will way in and let us know what can and will be done.

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 8:48 pm
by Jim O'Bryan
john crino wrote:Someone just better save this city already. I've only been involved here for a year and I'm tired of it.
Also, can someone just print the sign walkers company's name and phone numbers so we can commence phone calling here and not have to figure out who to call and what #s? Thanks.

Jim, if you moved, there would be a hell of a lot more than a bunch of sign walkers on your new westlake front lawn....... :wink: Think Steve Martin dressed as an Egyptian.....


John

Not moving, here for the duration. If I sold one of the house I would re-buy in Lakewood.

I will not give any business that hurts the cityscape any advertising. So I will not post any name or number.

However I will say that the Law Department and Council is on it.

Mike Dever stopped Steve Davis and I at United Dairy Farmers, on Detroit, and said lets get this taken care of NOW. Rumor has it being kicked around at the next council meeting, so I would like to declare the next Observer Party at City Council followed by coffee and Sweets at Bela Dubby, on the Observer.

New Observer slogan; Work, Work, Party, Party, Work, Work, Party...

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 9:35 pm
by Dan Slife
how dare you civic yakers turn intelligent convesation into action, action, action! :lol:

THIS, is what it's all about!
think, think, think... think harder, then do, do, do

Posted: Tue Sep 20, 2005 10:43 pm
by Jim O'Bryan
Jim O'Bryan wrote:
john crino wrote:... I would like to declare the next Observer Party at City Council followed by coffee and Sweets at Bela Dubby, on the Observer.

New Observer slogan; Work, Work, Party, Party, Work, Work, Party...



My wife just reminded me that Bela is closed on Monday