7-Eleven Plans Muzak War on Rowdy Youths : Teen-agers: Merchants at the shopping plaza say customers are intimidated by skateboarders and party-goers looking for the nearest beer bash.

A convenience store in Thousand Oaks that has become a weekend gathering spot for teen-agers plans to use a new weapon in the battle against rowdy loiterers: elevator music.

Representatives of Muzak and Southland Corp., which owns the 7-Eleven chain, are working out a deal to pipe classical and easy listening tunes at the chain’s 24-hour store at 3309 Kimber Drive.

The use of pre-programmed musical selections has produced good results in British Columbia, Maryland and Washington state, where store owners reported similar problems with loiterers, Southland spokeswoman Margaret Chabris said. She said the music acts as an audible repellent.

“It’s not cool,” she said. “It turns them off.”

Joe Gomes, Southland’s operations manager for Ventura County, said he plans to finalize a contract with Muzak soon, but did not know when the music would begin airing at the 7-Eleven store in Newbury Park.

The tunes would range from classical compositions by Mozart to violin renditions of popular rock tunes, Muzak representative Deena L. Thompson said. Either way, she said, “the kids hate it.”

Judy Lazar, a Thousand Oaks City Council member who heard about the plan at a crime prevention meeting last week, warmed to the idea.

“It’s a very different kind of proposal,” Lazar said.

“Personally, I love that kind of music,” she added. “I also have a 14-year-old, and I’m sure he wouldn’t hang around and listen to that stuff.”

Merchants and neighbors have complained for years about large crowds of young people who congregate at the 7-Eleven and other stores at the Wendy Kimber Plaza, Lazar said.

Because of those complaints, the city and the Sheriff’s Department recently asked the plaza’s four property owners to boost the number of lights in the area. Southland, at the city’s request, has pulled the plug on its arcade games after 10 p.m.

The Wendy Kimber Plaza is considered the biggest trouble spot in the city, Sheriff’s Sgt. Bruce Hansen said. Every weekend, the Sheriff’s Department can count on at least one call to break up fights and disperse crowds of up to 100 youths.

“We’ve had 50 calls since the beginning of the year,” Hansen said. “We don’t have that level (of calls) anywhere else in the city.”

Merchants say customers are intimidated by crowds of skateboarders and party-goers trying to find the nearest beer bash.

“We have a lot of problems with the kids,” said Ally Chan, 22, a bakery clerk at Jane Marie’s Donut & Baking Co. “The customers complain because they don’t feel safe.”

Chan said that last month, a teen-ager threw a smoke bomb into the doughnut shop. “We call the cops, but they just run away, and then they’re back the next day,” she said.

Civic leaders say youths congregate at the lot because there is little for them to do at night in Thousand Oaks.

Thousand Oaks, a suburban community of about 104,000 people, has 7,405 teen-agers between 12 and 17 years old, according to the 1990 U.S. Census. Another 6,704 youths from 18 to 21 years old also live in the city.

Brenda Coleman, director of a city-run teen center on Janss Road, said that when she worked as a youth outreach counselor years ago, deputies used to chase young crowds from the Conejo Community Park, the Park Oaks Plaza on Moorpark Road and the former wild animal park known as Jungleland at Thousand Oaks Boulevard and Conejo School Road.

“What do they do? There probably isn’t a whole lot,” Coleman said. “They’re obviously too young to hit the clubs, and they’re too old to come here” to the teen center.

Although weekend dances, concerts and comedy shows are held each week at the teen center, it may be too far away for those who don’t have cars, she said.

“Geographically, we’re nine to 10 miles from the heart of Newbury Park and areas in Westlake Village,” Coleman said. “For a 12-, 13-, 14- or 15-year-old, that’s a long way to go.”

Saturday was a typical night at the Wendy Kimber Plaza. Twice during the night, more than 100 teen-agers converged at the plaza to trade party information, pick up dates and socialize, all to the beat of loud heavy-metal and rap tunes.

About 9 p.m., a caravan of more than 50 cars filled the lot. Some youths stayed in dark corners drinking from bottles in paper bags.

Kelsey Tompkins, 19, staked out a spot in front of the 7-Eleven store and waited for her friends. She said she prefers the parking lot to restaurants and clubs in Ventura or the San Fernando Valley.

“Why go there? This is five minutes from my home, and all my friends are here,” she said, surrounded by a group of buddies. “Everyone knows everybody here.”

Jeff Dornan, 17, said he comes to the parking lot after he gets off work at a fast-food restaurant to relax and find out what’s going on.

“I don’t understand what’s wrong with the parking lot. It’s a public place,” he said. “Everybody goes to school. They have to have a social life. They come here and release.”

Within minutes, two sheriff’s cars drove up to the lot. Although deputies cited none of the teen-agers, they quickly got into their cars and drove away.

“We have a right to party here,” said Adam Rodney, 17, before he left with a group of friends. “Let’s get out of here, man. There goes the party train.”