# Why some Cities loose money



## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

I recently decided to move my store to another nearby city as it would cut my commute from 12 miles to 1.5 miles. The location I liked was a small strip mall with businesses that would create some incidental traffic. In the mall was Burger King, McDonalds, coffee shop/bakery, bar/grill, nail salon, Spa, a Curves salon, Florist shop with a contract post office, financial advisor and a Verizon premium distributor. My shop would have been next to the florist shop/post office on one side and the bar/grill on the other...

Financial details were being finalized with the owner, I stopped by the city community development office and found that most of what I do would not be permitted.
1) vinyl signs - considered to be light manufacturing
2) Rhinestone decals...just like vinyl signs...I could sell garment that I bring in that are already decorated..
3) sublimation...questionable...might be considered under artisan crafts section...which normally means hand crafted which sublimation isn't

Maybe this is an indicator why some cities are experiencing loss of revenue!

Anyone else experience the same?

Excuse the spelling in the title...got carried away with 'o'


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## wormil (Jan 7, 2008)

charles95405 said:


> ... I stopped by the city community development office and found that most of what I do would not be permitted.


I'm not familiar with CCDO. Landlords will sometimes restrict some types of business so there isn't too much competition but I've never heard of a city restricting types of businesses unless they adult orientated or potentially dangerous.


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## cremaster (May 15, 2010)

if the bar/grill cooks any food, then that is also considered manufacturing. 

According to the IRS at least...


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## Enrique (Apr 27, 2011)

Charles, did the CCDO say you can't have your business in the CITY or in that AREA? Cities will restrict the type of business with zoning laws. Flip through a phone book (yes, I said phone book) and you'll notice most businesses within the same category in any given city are usually in the same area, or at the very least in clusters throughout the city.

I could be wrong but I don't think it's legal for a city to ban any kind of business so long as it's not criminal. You have to have the right to earn a living doing whatever you want.


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

The denial was based on THAT particular location....not in the city in general. In fact there are two other retailers within 5 blocks that do vinyl signs...I don't do a huge amount but do make some $$ from that. I wanted this location because of the prospect of incidental pedestrian traffic, with an eye to increasing the rhinestone biz and sublimation...


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## Enrique (Apr 27, 2011)

So you were making quite a leap there, accusing the city of throwing money away just because they wouldn't approve your location 

It's understandable that you had your heart set on that particular location but unless you want to take months or years of your life to change the zoning laws, you'll have to find another place to do it. Say, 5 blocks away.


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## royster13 (Aug 14, 2007)

charles95405 said:


> The denial was based on THAT particular location....not in the city in general. In fact there are two other retailers within 5 blocks that do vinyl signs...I don't do a huge amount but do make some $$ from that. I wanted this location because of the prospect of incidental pedestrian traffic, with an eye to increasing the rhinestone biz and sublimation...


Do the other stores have the right zoning for what they are doing?....


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## charles95405 (Feb 1, 2007)

Don't know about the other locations.....some folks do not check zoning...and I am not the zone enforcer.sooooo I just move on...or in this case not move


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## binki (Jul 16, 2006)

Sorry to hear the city is so short sighted they can't tell a retailer from an embellisher from a manufacturer. Would a tailor be considered 'light manufacturing?'


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