Poll question: the homeless problem
In a heartfelt Facebook post from Workman’s Ace Hardware of Riverside, Calif., the family owners announced plans to close the store indefinitely. Among other challenges, Ted and Pam Workman pointed to a nightmare scenario of homelessness – a growing problem in California, and many other places -- intruding on the operation of the business.
Here is an excerpt from the post:
“Homeless, vagrants, transients, whatever they are, were just another nail in the coffin. People don’t want to shop in what they deem as an unsafe area. I tried very hard to clean it up, but more just kept showing up. I stopped allowing them in the store, and got a bad rap. We were 1,000% Ace Helpful and got blamed for not allowing them to shop. Turn your back and there went another pair of gloves, a lighter, batteries, you name it. The trash they left behind daily, the needles, the urination and feces, kicking in my windows for no apparent reason, blocking my back entrance, being topless around the store, and much more, all added to the difficulty of owning a business. The police tried to help, the shopping center tried as well, but there is no solution.”
That scenario leads to this week’s poll question: Is your business feeling ill effects from an out-of-control homeless problem?
The poll is open on the right side of the page. Also, HBSDealer encourages your comments – click "comments” below, or send us your thoughts to [email protected].
Here is an excerpt from the post:
“Homeless, vagrants, transients, whatever they are, were just another nail in the coffin. People don’t want to shop in what they deem as an unsafe area. I tried very hard to clean it up, but more just kept showing up. I stopped allowing them in the store, and got a bad rap. We were 1,000% Ace Helpful and got blamed for not allowing them to shop. Turn your back and there went another pair of gloves, a lighter, batteries, you name it. The trash they left behind daily, the needles, the urination and feces, kicking in my windows for no apparent reason, blocking my back entrance, being topless around the store, and much more, all added to the difficulty of owning a business. The police tried to help, the shopping center tried as well, but there is no solution.”
That scenario leads to this week’s poll question: Is your business feeling ill effects from an out-of-control homeless problem?
The poll is open on the right side of the page. Also, HBSDealer encourages your comments – click "comments” below, or send us your thoughts to [email protected].