Matt and Wildroot: Ron's Barber Shop Closing.

[MrNewportCustom]

Ron, my barber for the last six or seven years (and I've recently learned that Matt Deckard and Wildroot are also clients of his), is being forced out of his shop after thirteen years at the same location, the Aztec Hotel in Monrovia, CA. This is a REAL barber shop, not a salon. A one-man operation.

Ron told me the story: A couple weeks ago, a couple men who were being thrown out of their shop came to Ron and offered to buy his. Ron declined their offer. So, the men went behind Ron's back and struck a deal with the building owner. Ron has a month-to-month lease, so he has to be out in thirty days, and there's nothing he can do about it. He asked for a lease at the start, but the owners wouldn't give him one. The current owners took over in 2000.

Ron built this shop and his clientelle from nothing, and has always been on time paying his rent and utilities. He was given notice just this morning, two days after paying his rent.

Matt, Root. Give Ron your phone numbers. If he opens another shop he'll call you. If he doesn't open another shop, he said he's going to the city (county or state or whichever, I forget) and will try to become a barber shop inspector. He will also let you know if that's the course he takes.


Lee
__________________________

Ron is a good man. I hope he opens another shop.

 

[PADDY]

So annoying...

This scenario happens time-and-time again sadly.

Individuals work all the hours God sends to build up their own business. Then, they are put out of the premises through landlords/owners putting up the rent to an extortionate amount or not renewing and then someone else moves in and takes over the shop/premises[huh]

This is not 'fair play!' (who ever said business was), but I just 'cannot' condone this type of commercial robbery, at the expense of the hard working people who just want to make a go of things.

All I can hope for 'him' is that it is somehow a 'blessing in disguise' and he gets a better place and can take his client base with him.

 

[Diamondback]

Makes me wonder if the two guys who made the offer and then got your barber kicked when he wouldn't sell have a Familial relationship (note capital "F")...

 

[panamag8or]

It would serve the new guys right if Ron did become an inspector.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Gotta talk to Ron.

Ugg... Took long enough to find a real barber that does what I want with my hair. Not a stylist, just a craftsman who can give a good old fashioned cut...

Argh.

 

[Tomasso]

He asked for a lease at the start, but the owners wouldn't give him one. The current owners took over in 2000.

Sorry but I can't fault the owners in this case, as month to month leases are temporary situations. Ron had seven years to find a suitable space that would afford him a long term lease. BTW, moving is a very common event that shouldn't warrant the closure of a business.[huh]

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Sorry but I can't fault the owners in this case, as month to month leases are temporary situations. Ron had seven years to find a suitable space that would afford him a long term lease. BTW, moving is a very common event that shouldn't warrant the closure of a business.[huh]

Ron understands that, and that's exactly why he wanted a long-term lease. It's been a "temporary situation" for thirteen years, because neither set of owners would give him one. And Ron told me that the current owner is not good with money. The vendors for the bar haven't been paid in months, and neither have a few hotel employees. Makes one wonder where she's putting this money.

Ron isn't upset about having to close up shop and move ("One door closes, another opens," he said.), so much as he's upset about the underhanded way they made the deal behind his back, knowing that he didn't want to sell. If the owners had come to him before closing the deal, he said he would have changed his mind and sold them the business. Because of their sneaking around, he'll get absolutely nothing but a boot print on his rear in the deal. (So, everything he's put into the shop goes with him. He's basically going to strip the place of everything but the built-in cabinet and the linoleum.)

Yes, this sort of thing happens all the time, but there's something to be said for ethics.


Lee

 

[Benny Holiday]

Ethics, indeed.

We had a similar occurrence here in Sydney that saw the destruction of Sydney oldest and most-loved jazz venue, Soup Plus. Soup was located for thirty years in the basement of a building owned by big-name hoity toity fashion designer Carla Zampatti. It featured Sydney's best jazz artists and had an amazing atmosphere, and was renowned as the place to go to see greats like Brad Child and his amazing 13-piece swing band, tenor legend Paul Furniss, guitarist George Golla, and on and on - from Dixieland to Bop, ther Soup Plus had them all.

Zampatti kept upping the rent until the owners could no longer afford to stay there, and relocated. Alas, the costs of renovating a new premises and moving were neverrecovered by what was a very small business that was all about cheap, good food and great music. End of an era.

I hope Ron flourishes in whatever he decides to do next.

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Makes me wonder if the two guys who made the offer and then got your barber kicked when he wouldn't sell have a Familial relationship (note capital "F")...

Noted. But the answer is: No.

The "Family" of which you're thinking doesn't run any business for one simple reason: they're too stupid. (Yes, I said "STUPID. The term "Wise Guy" is somewhat of a misnomer). Wise guys aren't . . . I'm sorry, Wise guys ain't real bright, and don't have no business sense, whatever. Capisce?

So instead of becoming proprietors of bars, restaurants and night/dance clubs, they become "partners" and "vendors". They supply the goods that stock the shelves and, in turn, get a percentage of the business. They continue with the partnership until the business is driven into the ground. After that, the fate of the legitimate proprietor is precarious, at best.

Now, we all know that the goods they supply are never come by, shall we say, "legitimately." But it's often easy to know exactly from whence these supplies originated: just check the morning paper for stories about highjacked trucks or looted warehouses, and you get an idea how the supplier works the supply/demand aspect of his personal economic status. Namely, he supplies the goods, then demands the money.

This practice also works well with larger clothing and accessories stores. But smaller stores, such as barber shops, get "protection." It's less money, but wise guys do understand the idea of "bulk", and often protect several blocks of storefronts at one time. (Wise guys also understand another form of "bulk", because they tend to eat five or six full meals a day. . . . Which are always free.) "Protection" dues are collected weekly.

These guys taking over Ron's shop want to run their own business, and under the above criteria I would dismiss any Familial relationship. Also, the mob has little to no association with Southern California. I don't know why, and neither do the wise guys, but that's just the way it is. (Source: Joey the Hitman.)


Lee
______________________________

To learn more about the Mob, read The Way of the Wise Guy.