Monday, July 13, 2009

Gee, I thought I was right...

about my most favorite mono-rant........
my position that a City has done either nothing to help small business, or has done everything it can to eliminate small business.......
While Monocle magazine isn't an expert on cities...building & running them...but they do know what it takes to make a World Class City livable...and how it got there, & from them comes this article (available by subscription or in the back issue)
concerning a terrible failure of city governments to nurture and appreciate the role of small business in the beloved urban environment.

Most cities get an F- for the ugly cavalier attitude it takes when Gentrifying An Established Neighborhood ....it is never done to improve the lives of those who are already living and doing business there.....

THE HELM...may have an opinion on downtown...

Most small business people agree their City was absent and therefore negligent and quite sinister, in the lack of help for any small business to carry on...and this small business too...

Here, it was the work crew, the women, specifically, that gave a shit during the worst of the rains, and the rains that created RIVERS OF MUD, (that flooded Broadway and invaded the basements of several businesses...It was them that nailed indoor/outdoor carpeting pads in front of our front doors to help cut down on filth and to lend a welcoming ...something to the brave and few customers that wanted to shop in downtown Tacoma....
The work crew have been wonderful.

But when I go, and I will go, because, as neat as my landlord has been, as soon as the papers are signed on the Elks remodel deal (if they are), my rent will skyrocket. The FREE entertainment, the FREE place for young musicians to play, the FREE art space, the cheap and swell Lifestyle Accessories emporium, known as Rampart will die.....


The recent remodeling of Times Square was done with the positive and uplifting involvement of New York City government going out of their way to help the small and medium and large businesses weather the near-fatal upheaval of their business and their lives, in the case of small family businesses.

The Condo Builders, and the Russell-suckers are getting ALL the benefits of the renewal efforts. Down here, ALL the small businesses can just go belly-up 0r tits-up and leave.
Then, the landlords and empty-lot slumlords can make BIG bucks by raising the rents, and building even more condos to stay empty.

The condo builders make their money AS THEY BUILD...not by selling the condos...By the time the For Sale signs go up, the money has left town and Tacoma is left with very expensive abandoned deserted buildings, right in the urban core.

The condo-selling is almost the Afterthought...in this government scheme to transfer taxpayer money to the wealthy instead of uplifting all classes, and specifically the working class and the middle class in Tacoma.

I give you the Luzon Bldg. as a prime example of corporate bullshit and sleight-of-hand.


In 5 to 10 years the north end of downtown may start to move up again...more folks moving downtown...and the businesses that move in to service the people will be corporate chains.(Trader Joe's, McMenamin's, Whole Foods....then...Olive Garden, Outback, Chevy's...Applebees...)

Really, Russell gets taxpayer money to stay in Tacoma....I don't think Russell needs a flippin' dime of taxpayer money ...
But I do. And so do my neighbors. We're small, and we'd like to stay and grow. But we are being held back.

I've made my mind up to leave Tacoma and take my small business with me to a community that values Originality, Art & Heart....unless a Miracle happens...and a Miracle did happen on the way to the Last Portland Dead show... (yes, we found a ticket to get into the Portland show !!)

so, I suppose ....lightning could strike again....and illuminate a Pot Of Gold...in the same way Tacoma made Mr. & Mrs. Mason rich...I don't need millions...or a street named Tressie...but I'd sure like it if Government would get out of my face.

2 comments:

Sarah said...

I would hope that whenever the Elks deal goes thru and is actually refurbished, you would get a lot more foot traffic back on antique row. Trust me, I still go there. But when the Elks is shiny and new, tourists will like all the little shops and vintage wares (here's hoping).

I think some tourists don't always make it beyond the museum district and Pac Ave.

I loved Rampart from the Steve days, he was always so friendly, and love that you guys have kept it alive in your own way. Don't give up yet.

propriatress said...

Thanks for taking the time to read and comment...
I really do want more retail down here...it's so lonely!
Ask my neighbors...I really do want us all to have a great success, and not just in the Capitalist way...($), but to be creative and to give Tacoma tons of fun and inspiring things to do!

So, I do hope the Elks project happens and I hope a million more businesses open up...

Sadly, our business has been decimated by the City of Tacoma. The Elks project, if it ever happens, will be at least 2 more years away. My lease is up in May 2010, and I'll go...
Steve was able to keep Rampart going, with my/husband's help for part of the time, only because Steve had a very very cushy City of Tacoma job.....I find that extremely ironic.


The new city manager Eric Anderson, only has one idea for Tacoma...and that is to turn Tacoma into the most condo-friendly retirement/bedroom community that exists to employ every single MBA that UWT can spit out.

Business is the enemy of Art (true fact), Art exists for its own sake. Business exists only to make money. We, are caught in the middle. I'm not rich, will never be, but I'm feeling pretty happy...and pretty creative...and that is a feeling that no amount of money can buy!! But bring some money downtown anyway, just in case...;-)