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Friday, February 10, 2012
Old Soul Co. Holds Open House In Oak Park
by Dustin L. Littrell, published on October 16, 2009 at 5:01 PM
Storyline: Oak Park Now
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Old Soul Co., a local roaster, baker and coffeehouse currently operating at two locations in midtown, announced it will be opening its third location at the 40 Acres Art Gallery and Cultural Center in Oak Park. The community and local media are invited to an Open House, where the Mayor and local civic and business leaders help Old Soul Co. celebrate the growth and renewal of a vibrant and vital neighborhood.
With a proven track record of investment and commitment to the community they live in, Jason Griest and Tim Jordan are proud to bring the Old Soul Co. brand to another corner of the central city that they love and admire; with renewed investment of time, energy and financial resources, these owners are excited about all that the Oak Park community has to offer, and are thankful to St. Hope Development for sharing in their vision of creating "THE" community gathering spot for the area.
WHO: Owners – Tim Jordan and Jason Griest
Mayor Kevin Johnson
Council member Lauren Hammond
Oak Park Business Association President Terre Johnson
Community members and supporters
WHAT: Open House; Meet-n-Greet; Coffee and Pastry Giveaway
WHEN: MONDAY, October 19, 2009 at 11:00am – 4:00pm
WHERE: 3546 3rd Avenue, 40 Acres Art Gallery and Cultural Center (former site of Starbucks Coffee Co.)
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After all they are what will keep it going, not those collecting government checks each month.
There is no doubt they are being subsidized by SHRA or the City....the location simply cannot support a coffe shop. I can guarantee you one thing if STARBUCKS CANT MAKE IT..no one can. SO WHY DO THE TAX PAYERS NEED TO SUBSIDIZE ANOTHER BUSINESS THAT WOULD FAIL WITHOUT OUR TAX DOLLARS?
Hey DUSTIN go ask that question...how much is it going to cost tax payers?
That spot, btw, has had plenty of foot traffic and daily visitors- the downside has been that Starbucks was overpriced, closed early, and didn't offer freshly prepared food (which is a recipe for disaster in any food service in Sacramento).
Old Soul Co. has a very extensive record of establishing their business by violating various jurisdictions' and departments' rules and regulations and defiantly resisting compliance when those agencies require corrections. This is a matter of public record and is no secret, since the owners have frequently and defiantly complained about it in the media.
Although their press release (above) claims "a proven track record of investment and commitment to the community they live in," Old Soul Co. owners have been disruptive and uncooperative neighbors to the residents and businesses directly affected by their alley business and scofflaw behavior.
What Old Soul Co. has is a proven track record of very good PR and very, very good connections. Business boosters and local media (pre- SacPress) have enabled the golden myth of Old Soul Co.'s impacts on Midtown, by dismissing any of the mundane and/or illegal realities.
Old Soul entered the alley as a "wholesale only, never need parking business." Their expansion was completely backended in to the alley and mostly done illegally. They aren't the only business that does what they want and then if they get caught, maybe gets permits or waivers after the fact.
The matter of rules and regs is not intended to merely inconvenience self-righteous "rebels" like the Old Soul Co. owners. Planning and other laws help to integrate mixed use and create livable situations that really do serve the community as a whole.
To their credit, if the owners of Old Soul Co. did not feel quite so untouchable, due to the enabling of the media and those powerful connections, they might not have had the attitude that rules don't apply to them. They might have been more cooperative and considerate of "the community they live in."
The actual track record of Old Soul Co. is quite different than the PR. Their business and their PR and their connections may thrive. Meanwhile, those who are working on issues of mixed use, planning, livability, sustainability, "nighttime economy" and community, will refer to the Old Soul Co. proven track record of what not to do.
Tax payers should not be forced at gunpoint to subsidize your coffee.
The building Old Soul will move into is owned by St Hope Develpoment Company, which purchased the building for a laughable 100K (according to public records) and is now worth almost $2 million, after being remodeled using tax dollars. The entire building is subsidized by tax dollars. Old Soul would thus be subsidized by tax dollars, and other incentives, paid for by the tax payers, to open a location, where Starbucks failed.
There is no way on earth Old Soul could survive in that location without heavy tax subsidies, after all Starbucks couldn't do it even WITH tax subsidies.
Obviously, the details of the deal to get Old Soul to move to Oak Park will be kept confidential.