Net steals sales? Blame the homeless!

Websites take sales away from local Berkeley shops --
so let's blame homeless youth on Telly?

Debate renews
over Berko's bohemian "Ave" .
....

[ via Franhattan alt-history group:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/franhattan/ ]
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Thursday, May 11, 2006 (SF Chronicle)
BERKELEY/
Troubles on Telegraph/
Closure of Cody's is only one of signs of 'The Ave's' decline
Patrick Hoge,
Chronicle Staff Writer
Copyright ©2006 SF Chronicle

http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2006/05/11/BAGI1IPJMQ1.DTL

The closure of Cody's Books on Berkeley's Telegraph Avenue is the latest,and perhaps sharpest, blow to a famed but increasingly troubled area renowned for its intense pedestrian traffic, youth-oriented businesses,
colorful street vendors and vagrants.
Business owners, city leaders and UC Berkeley officials say things have hit a disturbing low on "The Ave," where the commercial vacancy rate is approaching 15 percent and last year's sales tax receipts were 30 percent below what they were in 1990 when adjusted for inflation - the sharpest decline of any business district
in the city [of Berkeley].
[.....]
Almost everyone attributes the problems to increased competition from Internet outfits selling books and music --
two staples of Telegraph Avenue -- at rock-bottom prices
and the fact that items once found only in
Telegraph Avenue's offbeat shops are now sold
in more mainstream venues.
But some believe that an increasing number of people
are avoiding the neighborhood because of the homeless
who frequent the area -- especially the youth.
[.....]

But Telegraph Avenue is also not alone in its economic woes,
with downtown businesses hurting almost as much [....].
The entire city has seen sales tax receipts stagnate or decline,
with the notable exception of the trendy Fourth Street shopping district that has seen almost consistent
growth since the 1980s [....].
[.....]

Doris Moskowitz, owner of Moe's Books, another venerable bookstore that is next to Cody's Books,
agreed that Telegraph has some serious blight but
said the bookstore her father founded in 1959 will not be leaving.
"I believe the neighborhood is just about to turn around,"
she said.
.....
Chronicle staff writer John King [also] contributed to this report
[ by Patrick Hoge ]
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Copyright ©2006 SF Chronicle
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