Lawsuit Bans Car and Coffee Crowd from Shopping Center
12-16-09, 02:16 PM
#1
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Lawsuit Bans Car and Coffee Crowd from Shopping Center
It was 6:15 a.m. on a Sunday when Tom Bellows pulled his treasured 1979 yellow MGB into the parking lot of a Woodland Hills shopping center and prepared to hang out with other classic car aficionados, as they had for years.
But instead of being greeted by longtime friends, he said, he was surrounded by four security guards hired by the owners of El Camino Shopping Center, who ordered him off the premises.
"They told me to get the blankety-blank-blank out," said Bellows, 71, a family therapist from Northridge. "They said I couldn't park my car there because it was a classic."
It was a startling way to learn of a lawsuit filed Oct. 19 on behalf of Regency Centers, the Delaware-based owner of El Camino Shopping Center. The lawsuit targets the classic car lovers and the Village Coffee Roaster, a tenant that had spearheaded the informal Sunday gatherings.
Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the lawsuit alleges trespassing and nuisance, and serves as a restraining order against the motorists, listed anonymously as John Does 1-500.
It claims that the owners of the Ferraris, Porsches, Mustangs and other classic cars hog too many parking spots at the 135,883 square-foot, Vons-anchored shopping center off Mulholland Drive near the Ventura Freeway.
Regency Centers would not comment, citing the pending litigation, said spokeswoman Bonnie Hayflick.
Ernie Park, an attorney representing Regency Centers, also would not comment. Vons, with its corporate headquarters based in Arcadia, did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit has forced the classic car lovers to abandon the Woodland Hills strip mall and instead gather for coffee and socializing on Sunday mornings at a shopping center in the 19000 block of Plummer Street in Northridge.
To be fair, several classic car enthusiasts admit, the Woodland Hills mall's large parking lot was occasionally near or at capacity with these tricked-out vehicles until about 10:30 a.m. on the last Sunday of the month. Some even parked illegally in the red zones.
Troyan said he had specifically advertised to the classic car lover demographic several years ago and encouraged them to come to the shopping center on Sundays for an early morning cup of coffee. Word soon spread among the car-collecting community that El Camino was the place to be on Sunday mornings.
But three years ago, mall officials called Troyan and ordered him to stop promoting the car club gatherings, he said. The advertisements stopped, but the car lovers still pulled in. Aside from buying coffee, they also bought bagels, got haircuts and shopped at other open stores in the strip mall, Troyan said.
...
"We used to have regular customers here on Sunday and they're gone," Troyan said. "If you pull up in your Ferrari, you're told to get out. They will intimidate the hell out of you. But if you pull up in a minivan, you can stay."
But instead of being greeted by longtime friends, he said, he was surrounded by four security guards hired by the owners of El Camino Shopping Center, who ordered him off the premises.
"They told me to get the blankety-blank-blank out," said Bellows, 71, a family therapist from Northridge. "They said I couldn't park my car there because it was a classic."
It was a startling way to learn of a lawsuit filed Oct. 19 on behalf of Regency Centers, the Delaware-based owner of El Camino Shopping Center. The lawsuit targets the classic car lovers and the Village Coffee Roaster, a tenant that had spearheaded the informal Sunday gatherings.
Filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court, the lawsuit alleges trespassing and nuisance, and serves as a restraining order against the motorists, listed anonymously as John Does 1-500.
It claims that the owners of the Ferraris, Porsches, Mustangs and other classic cars hog too many parking spots at the 135,883 square-foot, Vons-anchored shopping center off Mulholland Drive near the Ventura Freeway.
Regency Centers would not comment, citing the pending litigation, said spokeswoman Bonnie Hayflick.
Ernie Park, an attorney representing Regency Centers, also would not comment. Vons, with its corporate headquarters based in Arcadia, did not respond to requests for comment.
The lawsuit has forced the classic car lovers to abandon the Woodland Hills strip mall and instead gather for coffee and socializing on Sunday mornings at a shopping center in the 19000 block of Plummer Street in Northridge.
To be fair, several classic car enthusiasts admit, the Woodland Hills mall's large parking lot was occasionally near or at capacity with these tricked-out vehicles until about 10:30 a.m. on the last Sunday of the month. Some even parked illegally in the red zones.
Troyan said he had specifically advertised to the classic car lover demographic several years ago and encouraged them to come to the shopping center on Sundays for an early morning cup of coffee. Word soon spread among the car-collecting community that El Camino was the place to be on Sunday mornings.
But three years ago, mall officials called Troyan and ordered him to stop promoting the car club gatherings, he said. The advertisements stopped, but the car lovers still pulled in. Aside from buying coffee, they also bought bagels, got haircuts and shopped at other open stores in the strip mall, Troyan said.
...
"We used to have regular customers here on Sunday and they're gone," Troyan said. "If you pull up in your Ferrari, you're told to get out. They will intimidate the hell out of you. But if you pull up in a minivan, you can stay."
12-16-09, 02:39 PM
#2
Idiots... So this means no more awesome car and coffee meets/pics.
"We used to have regular customers here on Sunday and they're gone," Troyan said. "If you pull up in your Ferrari, you're told to get out. They will intimidate the hell out of you. But if you pull up in a minivan, you can stay."
That is hotcarism I’m offended! It’s car segregation, I’m suing!
"We used to have regular customers here on Sunday and they're gone," Troyan said. "If you pull up in your Ferrari, you're told to get out. They will intimidate the hell out of you. But if you pull up in a minivan, you can stay."
That is hotcarism I’m offended! It’s car segregation, I’m suing!
Last edited by Oleg400; 12-16-09 at 02:43 PM.
12-16-09, 03:02 PM
#7
Lexus Fanatic
Legally, the El Camino shopping center owners are correct and can prevent loitering and tresspassing by car owners not shopping there and just using the place for a hangout, BUT there is an old saying.....what is legal is not always prudent. First, the shopping center itself is NAMED for an old classic car (the Chevy El Camino)
....so the name itself invites owners to gather there. Second, if you p*** off the wrong people, you could end up with broken windows or other forms of vandalism.
....so the name itself invites owners to gather there. Second, if you p*** off the wrong people, you could end up with broken windows or other forms of vandalism.
Last edited by mmarshall; 12-16-09 at 03:08 PM.
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12-16-09, 03:39 PM
#8
Lexus Fanatic
Legally, the El Camino shopping center owners are correct and can prevent loitering and tresspassing by car owners not shopping there and just using the place for a hangout, BUT there is an old saying.....what is legal is not always prudent. First, the shopping center itself is NAMED for an old classic car (the Chevy El Camino)
....so the name itself invites owners to gather there. Second, if you p*** off the wrong people, you could end up with broken windows or other forms of vandalism.
....so the name itself invites owners to gather there. Second, if you p*** off the wrong people, you could end up with broken windows or other forms of vandalism.
First, the name El Camino wasn't necessarily named after the car (you can look up what it means in Spanish, the name itself does not invite gathering)
Second, implying that this group is the "wrong people" that could lead to "broken windows and vandalism" is not a stereotype of car enthusiasts that I want to perpetuate.
Of course business is business on private property and the owners are seeking to increase revenue maybe. Agreed what is legal is not always prudent.
Last edited by IS-SV; 12-16-09 at 05:12 PM. Reason: sp
12-17-09, 12:08 AM
#10
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This was the biggest form of free advertising, ever. I know the center owners are concerned about parking spaces and free loaders who don't come to buy, however, I am willing to bet that almost all of the type of people who show their cars at and event like this are the type of people who have money to spend, the type of people that you want to attract. It should not matter if it is a cup of coffee, a bagel, a haircut, or just a pair of shoelaces, if they are spending their money with me, we do not turn them away.
In this economy how can you possibly afford to turn away a virtually guaranteed customer base?
Sometimes I wonder how business owners can be so myopic.
In this economy how can you possibly afford to turn away a virtually guaranteed customer base?
Sometimes I wonder how business owners can be so myopic.
12-17-09, 06:25 AM
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This was the biggest form of free advertising, ever. I know the center owners are concerned about parking spaces and free loaders who don't come to buy, however, I am willing to bet that almost all of the type of people who show their cars at and event like this are the type of people who have money to spend, the type of people that you want to attract. It should not matter if it is a cup of coffee, a bagel, a haircut, or just a pair of shoelaces, if they are spending their money with me, we do not turn them away.
In this economy how can you possibly afford to turn away a virtually guaranteed customer base?
Sometimes I wonder how business owners can be so myopic.
In this economy how can you possibly afford to turn away a virtually guaranteed customer base?
Sometimes I wonder how business owners can be so myopic.
I was thinking this too. I'm sure they could find a better place though. This would be the perfect time to own a stand alone coffee shop on a nice pice of land with a big paved lot.
12-17-09, 09:15 AM
#12
Lexus Fanatic
Originally Posted by IS-SV
the name El Camino wasn't necessarily named after the car (you can look up what it means in Spanish, the name itself does not invite gathering)
Second, implying that this group is the "wrong people" that could lead to "broken windows and vandalism" is not a stereotype of car enthusiasts that I want to perpetuate.
Of course business is business on private property and the owners are seeking to increase revenue maybe.
Agreed what is legal is not always prudent.
12-17-09, 09:24 AM
#13
Lexus Fanatic
I don't need to look it up. I know what it means....I'm bi-lingual English/Spanish. Formally, it means "The Road". Informally, it means "The Truck'". The term was used for the semi-truck bed on the back of a regular passenger car (as with Ford's old Ranchero and Subaru's Brat/Baja)
Let's hope a more hospitable gathering place does happen.
12-17-09, 09:32 AM
#14
Lexus Fanatic
I don't drink, BTW....never did. 
Let's hope a more hospitable gathering place does happen.