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Defending downtown
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| Melissa Krolikowski (left) watches as Michael Collier plays a tune on his guitar during a protest at the Marion Street Café on Wednesday. The protest was against the city’s ordinance to remove tables and chairs from in front of the café. ‘That’s what people come here to do,’ Collier said. ‘They jam, read poetry, express feelings and talk. It’s a place of fellowship for the community.’ JASON MATTHEW WALKER/Lake City Reporter |
Protesters want to keep area’s ‘quaintness’
By JEFF M. HARDISON
jhardison@lakecityreporter.com
A number of protesters defended downtown Lake City’s quaintness by keeping tables and chairs in front of cafés, keeping rocking chairs in front of antique stores and keeping mannequins on sidewalks in front of clothing stores.
Bakeries, barber shops, book stores and other small business interests should be allowed to keep merchandise or artifacts to attract customers in the downtown area, protesters said.
Tammy Robbins, owner of Marion Street Café, located at Marion Avenue and Hamilton Street, held a protest from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Several protesters commented about the city enforcing an ordinance to remove her tables and chairs from in front of the café.
“I totally do not agree with the ordinance to not have tables and chairs here,” Kenny Morrissette, 26, said. “It makes the place more homey.”
Darnel Schauer, 65, agreed.
“I say leave (small business owners) alone,” she said. “Let them earn a decent living. I go by this corner at least twice a day, and I have never seen anything wrong with the tables and chairs being here.”
Theodore Jackson noted Starbucks and other stores have outside seating. Admittedly, he said, it is on private property, but the use of outdoor artifacts as advertising in downtown Lake City has been going on for years, he said.
James Strom, 48, of Gilchrist County, spoke about an event at which he played music in the café.
“The last time I played here,” Strom said, “a while back, the fire marshal came in at about 9:30 or 10 at night, and he looked to see if there were too many people inside. He sat back and enjoyed the music. There was no violation found.”
Melissa Krolikowski, 36, said she has been in Lake City for 19 years, and she sees this code enforcement action against downtown business interests as being “ridiculous.”
Another patron shared his opinion.
“I think they’re saying this is an obstruction,” said Danny Tittle, 20. “Actually, it just offers a place to sit and talk. They just don’t want it to be.”
Randi Carter, 21, said she disagrees with the city targeting downtown merchants.
“Downtown is supposed to be personal,” she said. “It’s all family here. We all know each other. We keep a positive attitude.”
Bakeries, barber shops, book stores and other small business interests should be allowed to keep merchandise or artifacts to attract customers in the downtown area, protesters said.
Tammy Robbins, owner of Marion Street Café, located at Marion Avenue and Hamilton Street, held a protest from 4:30 to 5:30 p.m. Wednesday.
Several protesters commented about the city enforcing an ordinance to remove her tables and chairs from in front of the café.
“I totally do not agree with the ordinance to not have tables and chairs here,” Kenny Morrissette, 26, said. “It makes the place more homey.”
Darnel Schauer, 65, agreed.
“I say leave (small business owners) alone,” she said. “Let them earn a decent living. I go by this corner at least twice a day, and I have never seen anything wrong with the tables and chairs being here.”
Theodore Jackson noted Starbucks and other stores have outside seating. Admittedly, he said, it is on private property, but the use of outdoor artifacts as advertising in downtown Lake City has been going on for years, he said.
James Strom, 48, of Gilchrist County, spoke about an event at which he played music in the café.
“The last time I played here,” Strom said, “a while back, the fire marshal came in at about 9:30 or 10 at night, and he looked to see if there were too many people inside. He sat back and enjoyed the music. There was no violation found.”
Melissa Krolikowski, 36, said she has been in Lake City for 19 years, and she sees this code enforcement action against downtown business interests as being “ridiculous.”
Another patron shared his opinion.
“I think they’re saying this is an obstruction,” said Danny Tittle, 20. “Actually, it just offers a place to sit and talk. They just don’t want it to be.”
Randi Carter, 21, said she disagrees with the city targeting downtown merchants.
“Downtown is supposed to be personal,” she said. “It’s all family here. We all know each other. We keep a positive attitude.”
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For Hire wrote on Aug 7, 2008 9:19 AM:
We are pros at protesting. Call us.
Our number is listed in the protest section of your local rocking chair store. "