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Add an EventCapitalism--not People's Park--killed Cody's Books (Part 2)
Based on deductive reasoning, its the only conclusion that best fits the facts.
As the title says, I submit to you that Capitalism--not People's Park--killed Cody's
"How's that," you say?
Look everyone, I am not going to suggest that homeless people (or rather Cody's potential customers' perception of homeless people doesn't dampen sales at Cody's, but even Cody's current owner, Andy Ross, is saying that the primary cause for the death of Cody's is competition from business on the Internet itself (Ross also blames People's Park, the homeless, drug users, youthful punks who hang out on Telegraph Avenue, and "lack of police presence").
Some Telegraph business owners have also complained about high rents. Still others have complained about lack of parking spaces.
I maintain that capitalism is the problem. Of course, none of these opinions are based on scientific, peer reviewed study, but at least my analysis is more thorough than any others I have read or heard thus far. Instead of scapegoating, I prefer deductive reasoning. I'll leave it to urban planners or students of urban planning to actually conduct a study, assuming that they can conduct one independent of the capitalist biases inevitably tied to their study (I ought to know, because I happen to have a Bachelor's Degree in Architecture from the University of California at Berkeley).
Let's explore as many factors as possible that might affect business on Telegraph Avenue as well as how it specifically effects Cody's in particular.
Counterculture, People's Park, Drugs, and Youth Culture are not the Problem
First of all, let's consider People's Park. People's Park has existed since April, 1969. It's almost 40 years old. In that time there has been a significant turnover of business on Telegraph Avenue, but there has likewise been a significant turnover of businesses everywhere in the world. I have not done a scientific study comparing the rate of business turnover on Telegraph to business turnover elsewhere. Such a study would be very complex, because there are many factors that must be considered (witness all of the points I raise below, for example).
Most people associate People's Park with homelessness, anti-social youth culture, and drug abuse. Therefore it may be tempting to make the same argument for them as I do for People's Park, but whereas People's Park has remained more or less constant for 37 years (aside from the riots over its continued existence), these other factors are not necessarily constant.
While I have not done a study on Homelessness, it is indeed likely that Homelessness has increased as a result of Market fundamentalist economic policies enacted by the US Government and the State of California over the course of the last 33 years (real wages have not kept pace with inflation since Richard Nixon ended the Breton Woods System in 1973). The Passage of the "anti-tax" Proposition 13 in 1978 ushered in an era of increasing brutal class war against working people in California that continues to this day.
These problems are widespread, and not isolated to Telegraph Avenue, but homelessness is a symptom, not the cause. If anything, those that criticize the City of Berkeley for being "soft on homelessness" (read: not sufficiently brutal and draconian towards homeless people as opposed to attacking the problem of homelessness) prove my point (That homelessness cannot be the cause of Cody's demise), because Homelessness has been more prevalent on Telegraph Avenue than other places, and yet, Cody's has managed to survive for years in spite of it.
"Anti-social youth culture" isn't to blame either. Telegraph Avenue has endured the Free Speech Movement (in the mid 1960s), Anti-Vietnam War protests (in the late 1960s and early 1970s), Anti-Apartheid Protests (in the mid 1980s), riots over People's Park (in the early 1990s), and riots over the beating of Rodney King (in 1991).
This last riot did cause a turnover of ownership at the now defunct electronics store, Uncle Ralph's, but that is more a result of Ralph's failure to purchase an insurance policy, and an employees failure to lock the security gates protecting the merchandise than anything else. Ralph's actually survived until 1995 and was deliberately strangled out of business by the capitalists who purchased the business from Ralph (I know this, because I was working at Uncle Ralph's from late 1994 until it died in 1995. The dismal conditions, low pay, and horrid morale is what ultimately drove me to join the IWW in the first place). Even there it was ultimately capitalism that killed the business, not "riots".
If anything, Telegraph Avenue has been relatively quite in the past decade. Cody's managed to survive all of the tumultous events in the past, so how could "youth culture" or "riots" suddenly cause it to die a decade later?
As for "drugs" (in particular Pot, Speed, Meth, Crack, Heroin, Cocaine, LSD, Ecstasy, Pills, and Booze), these are also widespread problems that have existed longer than either People's Park or Cody's. Anyone with half a brain knows, however, that it's not just homeless people or countercultural youth who abuse these substances. Arguing the opposite is yet another example of class war propaganda by the capitalist class (remember, it's the Capitalist class that import most of these substances into the United States in the first place. This is well documented). Anyone with a degree in history knows well that prohibition against alcohol was an unmitigated disaster. The "Drug War" is modern-day prohibition. It, too, is an unmitigated disaster.
Use of "illegal" drugs is widespread. Probably at least 75% of all Americans use "illegal" drugs. To suggest, somehow, that potential customers are scared away from Cody's due to drug use, is simply ridiculous, since most people have used "illegal drugs" at some point in their lives anyway. I would be willing to bet that a great many people use those substances particularly in their teens and twenties. Most of Cody's potential customers are at that age.
In any case, if any of these problems--whether localized or not--were actually the cause of Cody's failure, one would expect all businesses on Telegraph Avenue's South Side district to be failing at once. That isn't happening, of course.
Lack of Parking not the Problem Either
Several Commentators, including Moe's manager, Gene Barone, and regular Berkeley Daily Planet contributor, Michael Katz, have cited "lack of parking" in the neighborhood as a cause for the demise of Cody's, but that cannot be true either. Here's why:
- (1) In addition to street parking nearby, there are several parking garages in the neighborhood, and they validate parking tickets;
- (2) While parking on the streets nearby is difficult, that has always been the case. Parking has not grown appreciably more difficult (in terms of available spaces) in the neighborhood in the past thirty years. The relative density of the neighborhood has been high-medium for years, and it hasn't changed much during that time.
- (3) There are nearby, un-metered, "letter permit", two-hour parking zones, but in more active business districts there are even less parking spaces and no such limited free parking spaces.
- (4) What has changed in the past ten years is that parking meters and parking fees have increased more and more rapidly (ultimately as a result of capitalist economic policies), and mass transit fares have increased, while service has decreased. If anything, there is not enough public transit serving Telegraph Avenue, and this is a result of class war committed by the capitalist class.
- (5) Even so, I would guess that most of Cody's regular customer base live within walking distance of the store (I did for almost ten years), so neither parking or public transit are likely to be significant factors. Again, if they were, we should expect to see all businesses on Telegraph Avenue near Cody's and People's Park failing equally, but that isn't happening!
What factors are likely to be the cause of Cody's failing?
- (1) Internet Competition - Cody's current owner, Andy Ross, argued that Cody's has suffered largely due to competition from online booksales, particularly Amazon.com. That's a somewhat logical deduction. In the past ten years, competition from online sales has been cited as the cause of many an independent bookstore's demise. Another locally famous independent bookstore, "A Clean Well Lighted Place" is closing as well. But there are alternatives to Amazon. The IWW links to two of them: abebooks.com and TomFolio.com. Cody's could easily have joined these networks. Perhaps they did. Competition is always fierce among booksellers, even among independents on these independent networks.
- (2) Competition from Superstores and Corporate Chains - Borders, Barns & Noble, Target, and WalMart have grown aggressively over the past decade. No doubt these outfits have siphoned away customers from indepedent stores, like Cody's. Although Cody's sells a lot of unique titles, stores like Borders sell enough independent titles to dent the sales at stores like Cody's. What cannot be found at Borders can be found on the internet (for example, most anarchist, socialist, or labor titles can be purchased directly from their publishers or friendly distributors, such as AK Press and Charles Kerr).
- (3) Bush Capitalism - Massive tax cuts to the richest members of the Capitalist Class; outsourcing to "third world" nations; illegal and costly wars for oil, power, and profit; anti-union policies; active and increased union busting; refusal to increase the minimum wage; massive cuts to social democratic "safety net" protections; refusal to prepare and plan for disasters (such as Hurricane Katrina); and Enron style scandals are all examples of class war committed by the rich against the poor. All of this has reduced the disposable income of most working people or "consumers" as the capitalist class would reduce us to. Books, like it or not, are considered a luxury item. No wonder book sales are down.
- (4) Andy Ross's Greed - Cody's owner Andy Ross has opened two additional "Cody's" stores in the past ten years. The first is located in west Berkeley's yuppie dominated "Fourth Street" district. That neighborhood is far more automobile friendly, and in an autocentric culture, that can make a difference--but note that this is not the same thing as a "lack of parking" on Telegraph Avenue. The Third Cody's is located in San Francisco. Ross has possibly pulled many potential customers away from the Telegraph store to the other Codys'. Furthermore, Cody's is union. By closing one store, Ross can lay off a bunch of unionized workers. Has anyone even considered that the whole "People's Park" angle could be a ruse?!? Ross has done slimy things in the past, such as allowing the Berkeley Police to use an office in the second floor of the Telegraph store to spy on People's Park and the street below.
- (5) Rising price of fuel and all it affects - Contrary to the Peak Oil alarmists, it is Capitalist market manipulation that is responsible for the current spike in oil prices, not "Peak Oil". They are correct, however, in pointing out just how dependent modern industrial society is on oil for a lot of its basic needs. Capitalist market manipulation isn't just responsible for high gas prices. The increasing cost of oil drives up the cost of all things that depend on oil, from energy and electricity generation, to food production, to transportation costs. All of these have a ripple effect on the cost of items such as books and the purchasing power of those who might purchase those books. That must have an effect as well.
- (6) High Rent Prices - One factor that other Telegraph Business owners repeatedly cite is high commercial space rents. More investigations of that possibility should be conducted. It's logical to assume that high rents are making business tough on Telegraph. However, Telegraph has always been a high rent district, and like parking, transportation, homelessness, drugs, youth culture, and People's Park, one would expect high rent to drive all businesses out--not just Cody's. Still, "high rent" combined with other factors, could be responsible for Cody's demise. Again, the class war is being waged by the capitalist class. Sometimes the big capitalists subdue the smaller ones.
- (7) University of California Greed and Malfeasance - It would take many blog entries to fully describe the long, bloody history of the University of California at Berkeley's use of the city and its surrounding neighborhood as a company town. Needless to say, the University has much money and very likely some of it could be spent to provide mutual aid to the surrounding neighborhood on more equitable terms than is currently done. Certainly this unequal relationship could be a factor in Cody's demise.
What could have been done
What could have been done to save Cody's? Again, that could be several more blog entries, but here are a few ideas:
- (1) Sell textbooks at Cody's - Why aren't textbooks sold at Cody's? There are three bookstores in the same neighborhood that sell text books exclusively. Why couldn't Cody's sell some textbooks as well? Not only would that be a form of mutual aid and built in revenue, those students buying text books would see the other books that are also available. That could only help sales. Did Andy Ross even think of this idea? If so, why didn't he argue in favor of it? Is there some law prohibiting it? Either way, it is capitalist market fundamentalism that prohibits or discourages this form of mutual aid to take place.
- (2) Student discount cards - One idea that local businesses and the University have discussed is student discount cards. Currently such cards allow students to purchase items at the Student Union (books, food, office supply, and apparel--most of it still made in sweatshops unfortunately) at reduced costs. Similar discounts at participating Telegraph Avenue merchants have been proposed. That's a good idea. It creates another form of mutual aid, though not perhaps as guaranteed a revenue stream. Again, this challenges the market fundamentalism of capitalism, but it seems that enough members of the capitalist class recognize that hard-line capitalist doctrine is hazardous to even their survival.
- (3) Mutual Aid among local businesses - Beyond the two ideas described above, there are further examples of "mutual aid" that local businesses could practice, such as cooperating with each other instead of attempting to drive each other out of business, including mutual discounts, a renters' association (to limit high rent), profit sharing, and other similar forms of collective solidarity. Capitalist market fundamentalism as well as legal prohibitions make that difficult. Generally, the only time these businesses do cooperate is when they engage in class war against the homeless and their workers.
- (4) The People's Bookstore - The Cody's workers, a neighborhood cooperative, The University, or the City of Berkeley, could collectivize the store and turn ownership over to the workers or a trust of some sort. Certainly many organizations, including the IWW or the Network of Bay Area Workers Collectives (NoBAWC) would be willing to help with these efforts, if the workers AFL-CIO union isn't. Again, however, this idea is a direct challenge to capitalism, and I suspect that Andy Ross is not really interested in saving Cody's rather than simply making a buck.
Ultimately these problems extend far beyond Telegraph Avenue, Cody's, and People's Park. Capitalism is an engineered system of organized thuggary. A game where the goal is to reach the top of artificially conceived, fictional power pyramids. The only solution to that problem is to subdue and eliminate the cause, and that cause is capitalism, pure and simple.
Bottom Line, Cody's is a casualty in the struggles between businesses in their will to power under the logic of capitalist market discipline, not People's Park or the downtrodden masses. To argue otherwise is to ignore reality.
Based on deductive reasoning, its the only conclusion that best fits the facts.
People's Park has nothing to do with the decline in business - and yes there is a decline - have you noticed that over 50 % of the vendors have left? - that's because we can't make a living - so the decline in business on the Ave. is very real.
Parking - sorry but you are wrong - we need some, most of what you stated is untrue - i know, i have to find a space for my van everyday at 10 am - even at that hour it's nigh on impossible. Why would people come to Telegraph when they don't have to spend time looking for parking at Fourth Street, Jack London Square or Shellmound Street? Sure Telegraph is cool, but it ain't so cool that we can expect everyone to take the bus to it - it just ain't that good.
Muggers, rapists, or petty thieves - the problem as i see it, is that on most other streets, these asshole are locked up and/or served with stayaway orders but on the Ave. they are tolerated - these few asshole are the ones scaring our customers away and it's because we won't deal with these few people - and it is very few, but we know who they are and still we tolerate them - i would put "proffesional beggars" in the same category - standing out there for 8 hours a day shouting "sparechange for the homeless" when you've never spent a night outside in your life, is bullshit - i'm talking about the guys outside "Fat Slice" - i watch them with theirs new Nikes and cell phones - still we put up with it - fuck the fake homeless.
I have more to say but other things to do - i love Telegrapgh but we have allowed it to become a shit hole - time we looked at backyard.
And one other thing - do a search on commercial property to lease on telegraph - those prices are the reason the are no funky shops on Telegraph opening up and surviving.
"No one gives a shit what you did in the sixties"
Several Commentators, including Moe's manager, Gene Barone, and regular Berkeley Daily Planet contributor, Michael Katz, have cited "lack of parking" in the neighborhood as a cause for the demise of Cody's, but that cannot be true either.
But here's why you're wrong:
(1)Not - there is only one and it is often full
(2)Not true - the students have become far more affluent and many now bring cars - who do you think owns all those cars in the lettered paking area - if you don't believe me, watch how many parking spaces open up when term ends.
(3) Doesn't mean anything if all the spaces are taken up with student cars which only move for street sweeping.
(4) Lovely idea buses, but the reality sucks.
(5) No, many many of the people who visit the Ave, and actually spend money (not spending their time dog-earing the books) do not live locally and are not able to use public transport.
Dear "Catch 23":
You seem to be an intelligent person, and you make some valid points, but I think you miss the overall thrust of my editorial comments.
You wrote:
[Y]es there is a decline - have you noticed that over 50 % of the vendors have left? - that's because we can't make a living - so the decline in business on the Ave. is very real.
I am not arguing that there isn't an overall decline in business on Telegraph Avenue. In fact, I would be surprised if there wasn't. The US Economy is in bad shape and it's going from bad to worse. (See what I wrote about "Bush Capitalism"). As books are generally considered luxury items, likewise the arts and crafts that you and your fellow vendors sell on Telegraph are also likely to be considered "luxury items". Furthermore, I suspect that most street vendors have always struggled to make ends meet, even in "good" times. Now that times are hard, not only do you and your fellow vendors suffer the brunt of slow sales, your cost of living elsewhere has likely increased. Even if that isn't true for you personally, it's likely true for most of the street vendors, and if they suffer and go out of business (or move elsewhere), it has a ripple effect. An injury to one is an injury to all.
Parking - sorry but you are wrong - we need some, most of what you stated is untrue - i know, i have to find a space for my van everyday at 10 am - even at that hour it's nigh on impossible. Why would people come to Telegraph when they don't have to spend time looking for parking at Fourth Street, Jack London Square or Shellmound Street? Sure Telegraph is cool, but it ain't so cool that we can expect everyone to take the bus to it - it just ain't that good.
I didn't say that lack of parking combined with poor public transit wasn't an overall problem, but I did say that it wasn't the main problem that resulted in Cody's demise. (Even Andy Ross isn't making that claim--unless you are Andy Ross). If Parking were the primary problem, then all businesses on Telegraph would be suffering equally, especially the chanins which have outlets elsweher, particularly Amoeba, Blondies, Rasputins, La Vals, and Tower just to name a few. As far as I know, they aren't.
Muggers, rapists, or petty thieves - the problem as i see it, is that on most other streets, these asshole are locked up and/or served with stayaway orders but on the Ave. they are tolerated - these few asshole are the ones scaring our customers away and it's because we won't deal with these few people - and it is very few, but we know who they are and still we tolerate them - i would put "proffesional beggars" in the same category - standing out there for 8 hours a day shouting "sparechange for the homeless" when you've never spent a night outside in your life, is bullshit - i'm talking about the guys outside "Fat Slice" - i watch them with theirs new Nikes and cell phones - still we put up with it - fuck the fake homeless.
Asking for spare change is freedom of speech, 23. If you take that right away, you destroy the First Amendment. As for the other forms of undesirable behavior, I am not arguing that it isn't a problem that needs to be addressed, but you and many others are either lying, ignorant, or confused about what "the left" is arguing with regard to such behavior. "The left" is not arguing that you and others should be forced to endure anti-social behavior. "The left" is saying that instaed of the cops arrest every questionable person in sight (Rudolph Guiliani police-state fascism), individual civil liberties that are supposedly gauranteed under the Bill of Rights in the US Constitution are not suppoed to be taken away if the needs of capital demand it.
Yeah, there are fake homeless peopel and scam artists, and many of them seem drawn to Telegraph Avenue. About 14 years ago, I got suckered in by the "three card Monte" shell game, twice, but that was due to my foolishness and inexperience. Perhaps, if you and other Telegraph stree vendors whated to do something effective, you'd organize an association--dare I say, a union--and draft education materials that you could give to your customers, informing them about who are the scam artists. That's a hell of a lot more effective (and far less authoritarian) than resorting to police-state measures.
Finally, as you can see from my personal anecdote, this has been a problem for at least two decades. How could that suddenly, now be the cause of Cody's demise, when the problem has fastered for so long?
i love Telegrapgh but we have allowed it to become a shit hole - time we looked at backyard.
I think you're just getting old and bitter. My late, compassionate humanitarian, but Ayn Rand following, grandmother, Elizabeth Bettelheim (author of the book Co-ettiquete, which is a guide to co-ed dormatory living) described Telegraph Avenue as being more or less a "shit-hole" in the 1960s.
In other words, people have been calling Telegraph a "shit hole" for decades.
I am not arguing that we should let anti-social problems continue to fester, but for christsake, don't fall into the trap of calling for police-state crackdowns and chainstores. That would cure the disease by killing the patient!
And one other thing - do a search on commercial property to lease on telegraph - those prices are the reason the are no funky shops on Telegraph opening up and surviving.
I agree with that point, and you will see that I listed "high commercial rents" as one of the possible real reasons for Cody's demise. Excessive rent is one of the ills of capitalism, by the way.
"No one gives a shit what you did in the sixties"
Why would they? I was born in 1971!
Dear "23":
I stand by what I wrote. Before I launch into that, however, I can tell you that Although I probably do not spend anywhere near as much time on Telegraph Avenue as you do (at least not anymore), I can say that at least nine-times out of ten when I have driven to Telegraph, I have been able to park within a lock of Cody's. In fact, I am usually able to get a parking space near People's Park (and no, my car has never been vandalized in that neighborhood, ever).
The problem with both of our experiences is that they're anecdotal. To get an accurate account, you'd have to conduct a scientific survey that included parking space availability in locations where shoppers would be likely to park; the balance of customers who walk, drive, bicycle, or use public transit to get to Telegraph Avenue (and if you wanted to be really specific, you'd have to treat each business separately. I personally would drive or take the bus to go to one of the record stores, but I wouldn't drive there just to go to one of the restaurants, because there are far more alternatives elsewhere that are closer to where I live and work.); The frequency and availability of bus routes that serve the neighborhood, the cost of parking (including parking fees, meter rates, time limits, parking ticket fines, the thoroughness of parking enforcement, etc); and a whole host of other factors.
Since I doubt that you've conducted such a survey, I have to conclude that your responses to what I wrote are your opinion based on your perception.
That's fine, but opinions aren't facts.
In response to what you wrote, however, I will say this:
- (1) In addition to the parking garage (I assume you and I agree that it's between Telegraph and Dana and between Durant and Channing, there are several other parking lots nearby. In fact, there is probably as much parking available on Telegraph as there is in the Berkeley & Shattuck Square neighborhood (and there are homeless people there, too).
- (2) Ever since I can remember, there have been affluent students at UC Berkeley. When I was at Berkeley (1989-94), I often felt alone and isolated, because I was one of the few students who not only didn;t own a car, but I didn't even get my driver's lisence until I turned 23, six months after I graduated in May of 1994. While a lot of the students I lived with spent their weekends going to Tahoe, Reno, Las Vegas, Yosemite, and elsewhere, I would make myself content to hike in the hills around Panoramic Way. Unless tudents are bringing two or three cars with them, I doubt the statistics have changed much.
- (3) Again, as I stated, I have been able to find parking nearby 90% of the time. How is that I am succeeding where others are failing?
- (4) That's a copout. That's like saying that "humans are by nature lazy and greedy". It's also an opinion, not a fact. In European nations, where public transit is taken seriously, people use it and love it, and the fight like hell to keep it from being used as a tool in the class war by the capitalists, unlike the USA (see what I wrote about BART on my IWW blog if you want more information about this).
- (5) I could be wrong about this last point, but neither you nor I have done a scientific study, so who really knows but those who have? I am certain that Andy Ross didn't commission such a study.
Even after all of that, I am wrong about the five points, it still doesn't change the fact that lack of parking isn't the primary cause for Cody's demise (it could at least be a factor, I'll admit, but certainly not the only factor or even the main factor). Here's why:
There are other independent bookstores nearby (new and used). None of them are going out of business.
There are other chains located nearby who have outlets elsewhere. None of them are going out of business.
What makes Cody's unique?
Could it just be that Andy Ross is practicing greedy capitalism and is making excuses for his shuttering of a neighborhood institution? His other stores are staying open.
Of course, it's possible that those stores are suffering as well, but if you follow the news as much as I do, you'd see that independent bookstores are suffering all over the place. A Clean Well Lighted Place for Books is up for sale. Black Oak in San Francisco apparently is as well (the original Black Oaks in Berkeley is apparently doing well--and yes, homeless people congregate on that block as well, and parking is not very easy there either. ( Just try to go to Saul's Deli sometime around lunchtime and you'll see what I mean ).
Bottom line, I stand by my original argument that Capitalism killed Codys.
Perhaps I should be clear what I mean by "capitalism". Capitalism is not the buying and selling of merchandise. Capitalism is predatory competition by businesses and merchants whose aim it is to dominate the market through their will to power. Capitalism is also the appropriation of the fruits of the labor of the producers by "owners" (sometimes directly, sometimes through the use of a managerial class). Capitalism is furthermore the ability by the owner to make unilateral decisions that are undemocratic and unaccountable to all individuals who regularly perform some sort of work in that organization. Capitalism is finally the division of labor bwteen owners, managers, and producers.
I hope that clarifies my position.
http://www.ci.berkeley.ca.us/citycouncil/2006citycouncil/packet/022106/2006-02-21%20Item%2023%20Quarterly%20Report%20-%20Crime.pdf
You don't seem to be very well informed - Tower went out of business over a year ago - Mark the co-owner of Amoeba has been very vocal about how things need to change on Telegraph - who knows what Ken is doing with Blondies and Rasputins - he may be mortgaged to the hilt for all we know.
For an expert on The Ave. you don't seem to be very well informed - had you noticed that Levals has also gone along with Shambala Books, Island Treasures, Campus Vitamins, Island Treasures to name a few.
Just because a business is still there, does not mean they are not making a loss.
I apologize for making an inaccurate statement regarding LaVals. I wasn't aware that they'd closed.
Are you sure Tower has been closed for a year? I was there not too long ago. Maybe it has been a year.
Rasputins, Amoeba, and Blondies are still there, however. If People's Park is really such a problem, then ALL of those businesses should have closed long ago. They haven't.
As for what the owner of Amoebs's thinks or says, that doesn't mean that he is stating facts. He is in fact, offering his opinion.
Again, without a scientific survey, you really cannot be sure what is going on. Opinions are like assholes; we all have them, but they're often full of shit.
Let's take your comment about crime, for example:
If you look at the (more or less scientific) studies following the URL provided by "CP", you'll see that Telegraph Avenue is considered a "high crime" area, specifically defined by three criteria ("violent crime", "property crime", and "auto burglary").
(Note that I have never denied that this was the case, though I have disputed the relevance.) One might be tempted to conclude that People's Park is responsible for the crime rate, and therefore responsible for Cody's demise, but hold on a second! Look at the graphic representaions superimposed on the Berkeley street maps again, and you'll see that the area immediately south of the Shattuck / Berkeley Square has an almost equally high concentration of "violent crime". The latter also has a much higher rate of "property crime". Telegraph has the highest concentration of "auto buglary".
People's Park is certainly not located just south of Shattuck & Berkeley Square. It is near The Berkeley High School, the YMCA, and the Post Office. It's also quite near the Police Station. What would you concluyde from that?
In my non-scientific opinion, I would deduce that the common features of both neighborhoods are the following:
- (1) Both are dense, commercial districts;
- (2) Both are on streets with dense automobile traffic;
- (3) Both commercial districts are near poorer (but not the poorest) residential sections of Berkeley;
- (4) Both commercial districts tend to attract younger, less experienced (and therefore more inviting) crime "targets";
From this I would conclude that these neighborhoods are prone to crime, most likely a symptom of the war on drugs and increasing levels of poverty with a very weak social safety net to mitigate it.
So are there major businesses failing on Shattuck? Honestly I am not aware of any (The Used Computer store moved, but is still in business. I think the business they replaced, Tupper & Reed, moved somewhere else). Since "property crime" is worse on Shattuck, the crime angle doesn't wash.
Shattuck is equally challenging if you're looking for parking. More Parking is available, but there are more cars on Shattuck than the north end of Telegraph. However, there are many more businesses, so the competition for customers is proportionally greater, so I would not consider that a factor.
That neighborhood on Shattuck is closer to BART and more reliable bus lines, however. I would consider that a significant factor. It also might be tempting consider that as the explanation for why the instances of auto-burglary are lower, but I wouldn't.
So what's left as an explanation for Cody's downfall? Again, I attribute it to a combination of a struggling economy, lack of purchasing power by consumers, poor public transit, Andy Ross's greed, and the other things I listed.
May-be the other business's have more cash reserves to get through these hard times - your logic that these business's are still there and therefore are not suffering does not stand up - Enron?
Thanks for inferring that i am an asshole, but i suggest you check your facts first - those are not my comments (about crime).
Perhaps you should come up to the Ave. a little more often - i'd be happy to show you the empty stores (i forgot to mention Berkeley Market is also gone) - i'll be outside Mars, selling the Telegraph Avenue T-shirts and of course the ever popular "Shut up Hippy". Perhaps you'd like to put your money where your mouth is and support the Ave. by making a purchase.
While your there you can watch the empty buses going by on a regular basis.
See you on the street
(Good luck with parking)
First of all, 23, I didn't call you an asshole. My exact quote was, "Opinions are like assholes; we all have them, but they're often full of shit (emphasis added).
"We" means you, me, and everyone else. The point of that vulgar comment is to remind you--and to show the readers that I, too--can express whatever opinions we like, but opinions are merely that: opinions. Sometimes they're based on accurate information. SOmetimes they're not. I am willing to at least admit when I am wrong, and as is apparently the case, I am misinformed about some of the other businesses on Telegraph making the grade.
I also admit I chose some words carelessly, specifically that some of the other businesses were "doing quite well". Obviously that was an ill-informed opinion. I am not an ideologue. If the facts contradict my opinion and I am shown this, I will own up to it and admit, at least on the point, that I am wrong.
I am not sure what "comments (about crime)" you are referencing, so I have no comment about that statement.
I do on ocassion go out of my way to support some of the businesses on Telegraph, but I am one person, and my actions won't make much a difference.
Your comments about "empty buses" is an opinion, not a fact, but even if it is a fact, it doesn't mean that people don't take public transit. I happen to be a public transit worker (I work fulltime on a commuter ferry), and I can tell you that ridership has increased between 30 - 50% on the service I currently work in the last 15 months.
If public transit is avoided, however, that doesn't mean that public transit is a lousy idea, because there is ample evidence that when public transit actually serves those that ride it, most people consider it a good idea. More likely, underutilized public transit is an indication of poor service, and from personal experience, I can say knowing the obsticals AC Transit has to navigate just to survive, I cannot say I am surprised. AC Transit servers a largely low income population, but it has very high fares and poor service by many accounts. Several transit advocacy groups have accused the MTA of institutional racism, favoring BART and other forms of "yuppie friendly" systems to the exclusion and detriment of "working class oriented systems" (like AC Transit).
All of these are tangents, however, and they still don't really address the argument I am trying to make and that is that People's Park is not responsible for the demise of Cody's, nor is lack of parking the culprit. Both the south Shattuck and south-side Telegraph districts have high concentrations of crime (in fact, property crime is worse on Shattuck). Both districts have poor parking availability. Both neighborhoods are close to parks with bad reputations (I forget the name of the park west of Shattuck near the City Hall, but while less famous than People's Park, I have heard that its reputation for being a "crime magnet" is none the lesser.)
What, if any, real differences are there between the two neighborhoods?
Shattuck Avenue is close to a BART station (in fact, it's close to two BART stations), it is also a throughway, whereas Telegraph Avenue ends in what could be called an automotive rat's maze.
Shattuck Avenue has more stores, and therefore, possibly, a stronger draw.
Whether one businesses is struggling on Telegraph or many, not all are closing at once, so location cannot be the primary factor (you will note that I never suggested that it wasn't at least a minor factor).
Again, I challenge you or anyone to show that the primary cause of Cody's demise isn't capitalism in a macro-economic sense, i.e. that the causes of Cody's demise are not local causes, but national and/or international in scope.
As for you, and your struggling business, I wish you no ill will (as long as you extend that courtesy to others). I suggest that you and your fellow street vendors form an association (if you haven't already), and use it to devise a plan to provide mutual aid and guidence for Telegraph Avenue. I would support such a cause in what limited ways that I can, as long as you don't resort to authoritarian, police-state measures (because I am convinced that while they might drive away the anti-social behavior, it would only do so by destroying the essential character of Telegraph Avenue, assuming that they would work at all--they haven't worked on Haight Street in San Francisco, but then, business is thriving there).
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