Movie’s Impact on Businesses

* Ventura has thrown a reception, one to which I never received an invitation but have been forced to attend nonetheless.

Unlike most receptions though, where you have a choice of entree, or at least a buffet table to peruse, the city has only offered one course: swordfish.

And they are making sure I eat some.

I attended the Nov. 6 Ventura City Council meeting along with many other downtown merchants. I chose to speak and did so nervously and not nearly so eloquently as my mind’s eye had envisioned.

But my point was this:

My business is in the 700 block of Main Street. I have never been asked about the filming of this movie, nor was I ever offered any avenue of recourse if my business suffered because of it.

My business has suffered considerably. Fortunately, I have planned for some down times and will weather this storm by selling off enough inventory at or below operating cost to make up for my current cash shortage.

Why should I be forced to burn inventory to offset a loss that occurred directly as a result of a $250 city-issued permit to shut down two essential downtown business blocks for three weeks?

I already endure, willingly and without complaint, parades and street fairs that hurt my business. My customers do not come to see John Travolta; they come to see what I have for them.

When my customers know the street will be closed for a street fair or parade or filming of a movie, they tend not to come. And for the past three weeks, they kept tending not to come.

The filming of “Swordfish” affected downtown like an unnatural disaster. Perhaps it’s time to call in FEMA [the Federal Emergency Management Agency] for relief because I don’t see it coming from anywhere else.

WADE HORIGAN

Ventura