Does Newport Beach Want Successful Businesses?

Hello again...

Long time huh?

Nowadays, it takes lots to get me soo fired up that I cannot resist researching, formulating, and spouting off at the mouth (or at the keyboard.)

So here we go again, and forgive me if it feels rusty.

Chronic Tacos' plans denied.

Good topic to return to?

I've been following this little story for a while...and correct me if I understood this incorrectly...

• Chronic Tacos on the corner of Balboa and PCH wants to expand.
• They want to serve beer (which they later rescinded).
  
• They want big screen tvs
• They want a seating area for customers.
• They are very busy in the little spot they are in.

Ok. Here are the complaints, and again, please correct me if I understand this incorrectly...

• Chronic Tacos is too busy, so parking is difficult in front of it, or around it.
• The people that go to Chronic Tacos are lazy bums who throw their trash in the parking lot.
• The people that go to Chronic Tacos are young, and thus horny, and must throw their used condoms in the grass behind the restaurant (which by the way happened "near" another Chronic Tacos in a land far far away...)
• The people that go to Chronic Tacos are loud.
• The people that go to Chronic Tacos can't buy beer at the Liquor store next to it, at the Circle K on the corner, at the Pizza Joint next to it, at the Sushi Joint next to it, or at the bar on the corner, so they will HAVE to buy beer at Chronic Tacos, and thus create lots and lots of problems to the neighbors.
• They sticker their windows...but these are different types of stickers that are on the windows at the Donut shop, the scuba shop, the Coffee shop, and Circle K.

Are you kidding me?

According to the Daily Pilot article,

"Councilman Steve Rosansky scolded restaurant owner Dan Biello for litter in the shopping center parking lot outside the stand and the appearance of his storefront, which is covered in bright-colored stickers."

and Rosansky, as a HUGELY SUCCESSFUL FRANCHISE OWNER OF ONE TOGOS RESTAURANT, which then qualifies him as a restaurant expert who is able to judge a HUGELY SUCCESSFUL 28 MULTI-STATE RESTAURANT CHAIN, continues

"criticizing his (the owner of Chronic Tacos) attention to Newport Beach in comparison to Daniel's other 23 restaurants"

Now lets back up for a second...

If I told you about a restaurant that:

• Serves quality Mexican food fast
  
• Serves quality Mexican food cheap
  
• Has a seating area
• Has some big screen tvs
• Serves Beer
• Has Stickers on their windows
• Is hugely successful
• Has serious parking issues.
• Young people like to go to it.
  

What restaurant would you think about?

Need a hint?

Ok...it's owned by three surfing brothers.

Another?

Ok...there's one in Fashion Island.

Yup...Wahoos Fish Tacos.

CHRONIC TACOS WANTED TO OPEN UP THEIR VERSION OF WAHOOS FISH TACOS WHERE OTHER BUSINESSES HAVE OPENED AND FAILED.

This is the same Wahoos Fish Tacos that I've personally seen that same Councilman Rosansky at numerous times.

This is the same windowed stickered-hard to find parking in their sometimes littered parking lot-beer serving-big screen tv showing-taco serving-restaurant that Steve Rosansky goes to.

How much do you want to bet that if Wahoos tried to open up in that same location, there would be unanimous votes of support?

Then why no Chronic Tacos?

I still can't figure it out.

Now let's address the parking and trash issue in that plaza (I used to live right next to it...)

• That vacant location is now empty.
• That vacant location is large.
• That vacant location is OFTEN VACANT
• Business open and close in that OFTEN VACANT LOCATION.

So a HUGELY SUCCESSFUL restaurant, who will probably be there for many, many years, will contribute lots of sales tax revenue to the City, where you'd probably see Councilman Rosansky enjoying food very similar to Wahoos Fish Tacos, is not allowed to expand and improve the area?

A crappily run restaurant chain does not:

• Get named to the Daily Pilot's 103 most influential people list in Orange County. Twice.
  
• Have numerous and numerous locations in very, very conservative areas (Idaho?)
• Opens their doors to numerous charities to help raise money year after year. If the Newport Beach Chapter of the Surfrider Foundation trusts the owners of Chronic Tacos to help them raise dough...
• Wonderful reviews and writeups in numerous well trusted publications (here's one...)
• and donates food for very civic-related events.

In a down economy where Restaurants are closing down left and right, we punish a restaurant who wants to expand?

Instead, that crappy plaza will continue to have a large vacant spot, which will get repeatedly vandalized.

Small businesses which will not impact parking (?) will open and close there.

If the City wants to bitch about a dirty parking lot, talk to the owners of the NUMEROUS business who share the parking lot AND talk to the plaza operator.

Why hasn't the City gone after Jack in the Box or Circle K for the ugly dirty parking lot.

The City has backed itself into a corner now.

Nothing that resembles anything successful will be able to open up in that large vacant spot.

Nothing that requires people to drive to and park their cars to will be allowed to open there.

Nothing that caters to young (= loud, dirty, drunk, and horny) customers will be allowed to open there.

And if one does, I sure to hell hope Chronic Tacos sues the HELL out of Newport Beach.

See you at Wahoos soon Rosansky!