One of the major restaurants in Visalia (CA) (Bubbas) and one of the city’s furniture stores (UFO) have a problem. The restaurant is so busy that folks (restaurant employees) are parking in front of the furniture store and according to the furniture store manager, THEIR customers can’t find a place to park. Read about Bubba here.
They are acting civilized, so far and everyone is talking nice. Seems Bubba’s employees were banned from parking in Bubba’s parking lot (a good idea, I think) and therefore parked on the street, sometimes in front of the furniture store. However I think the real reason everyone is so nice is that the furniture store is finding that many of the restaurant’s customers walk by their displays (some on the sidewalk) and who knows, maybe they come in and buy something.
Nevertheless, the store has put up unenforceable signs that read "Furniture Store Parking Only" or something like that in front of their windows. At this point the city doesn’t care but of course won’t enforce the parking ban. Bubba’s is doing a land office business, and UFO (the furniture store) is, I think, perplexed as to what to do.
My solution — Bubba’s management tells their employees that they have to be good neighbors and to find a place to park that is off street (mayhaps PAY for parking nearby) and doesn’t affect anyone elses parking. However if they do nothing, my guess is that the furniture store is going to see its numbers up simply due to increased traffic caused by good old Bubba. This is a solution in search of a problem.
Instead of "Furniture store parking only" why not a sign that says "Bubba’s customers get 10% off"
JVH
