Warning:  What follows is pretty much a rant

When it rains, it pours.  Have you ever felt that sometimes fate just conspires against you?  That pretty much sums up my mood when I got the news about developments at Theater Square.  Failed Toy West is being reopened this weekend.  When I found out that Toys West was to go out of business after only two years, I was not surprised as sales are way down.  Basin Street Properties that owns the entire Theater District had invited them and then some, to open a branch of their toy store in Petaluma. Why they would do that eludes reason!  Jungle Vibes Gift and Toy Emporium, Early Works Toy Station and Hobby Town already in business here, two of us for 15 years, were already suffering losses in sales due to downturn in the economy.

The following blog is a report on our August 28th Fire Dance party -- A street Dance Party with big sound delivered by Rastafarian DJ Tony behind the store on the Water Street Promenade.

The scene of the crime:  Families with kids came down on an unusually warm summer August night, to hang out on the waterfront behind the store hula hooping to the dance beat of techno-reggae rhythms, and even the adults tried out the hoops and other spinning toys, some staying until 10:30 (that turned out to be the main crime as City regulations require us to turn off the sound at 10) oops.  Well over a hundred party goers gathered that night.  Once again Jungle Vibes helped create memories for families and kids.  The event culminated with a super fine performance by Allison, a beautiful dreadlocked young women (soon off to Burning Man.)  Allison did a series of 4 dance routines on her flaming hula hoop and fire staff, all to appreciative applause. All this and not a drop of alcohol and absolutely free for the community.

The response from the community to our rather desperate Economic Disaster Sale was incredible.  There were hundreds of people all day long for four long days and $16000 dollars worth of sales.  Does it fix our $200,000 problem? Nope, but it started one heck of a conversation about the crisis, what might be done and it gave us another gift – we know we are not alone and the community really cares about our future, together.  Thank you for that gift.

I am not overstating this, honest!  Customers talk to me every single day, but I think they all really know the answer, it is really bad for everybody.  The case of this 15 year old retail store on Petaluma's Main Street is not unlike a home owner with a lost job,  less income, and yet an increased expenses. It's not because this business got into debt and can't pay the bills.  We have been very conservative and have almost no debt at all, just the products we offer you.  As governors and mayors with state and city budgets to wrestle can attest retail spending has rolled back a decade and yet total expenses are nearly double 1999.   A little bit of math and you have your answer.  Independent businesses reach this breaking point with different tolerances, just as individuals can weather this meltdown differently.

The saga began many years ago at Gundlach-Bundschu Winery in a wine cave that had just been completed in 1991.  The occasion, an odd assortment of musician the center of which were a didjeridoo player, drummer and a harpist, in a cave all alone at night with the lights nearly out -- get it?  Well that primal sensory experience had an enduring effect on my psyche (having seen Peter Weir's 1977 film The Last Wave many times), and was my introduction to the avant garde pagan edge of northbay culture that was then becoming associated with Burning Man.

Spinning, flaming orbs in ecstatic dance was destined to evolve in this free spirited cultural mixing pot.

Friday's on Fire, Check out this great video and these photos of the night

Check out the cool video Pete made of our Kids Open Mic event.  Chris Samson shot a bunch of photos you got to see!

 

Well, I didn't mean to leave you all hanging.  I know that not knowing the fate of these cute feathered friends could be traumatic.  So here's the story.  (If you missed our first story you can view it here.)

We of course had it planned out before we even went down to Rivertown Feed to pick up our little friends. They went to Ellen Bicheler's little garden-stead.  She is none other than the queen of sustainability in Petaluma.  As director of Daily Acts, a wonderful nonprofit, she has been inspiration to many of us in Petaluma's GoLocal community.