Case Study: The Music Lovers | Peter Mehit

imagesEverything that follows actually happened. I’ve changed the circumstances and identity of the people involved significantly, but the gist of the story is true. It’s at once proof of the old adage, ‘The truth will out’.

Sara and Tom have been friends since they worked on a successful advertising campaign for a major spirits producer. In their ten years as friends they’ve shared a lot: Holiday gatherings, the breakup of Tom’s marriage and their dreams of opening a music venue. Sara’s husband Bill was also good friends with Tom and supported their idea of opening the night club, up to the point pledging property he and Sara owned free and clear in San Francisco to secure start up money.

Because of their connections in the advertising and corporate worlds, Tom and Sara knew a lot of inside stuff. For example, they found out that a coastal city was pouring millions into a waterside development and had attracted several X Games type events to the area to take place in about two years time. Knowing this, the pair secured a lease on a large space in the heart of the development, negotiating a six month delay in rent payments.

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On the horrors of getting approval for an ice-cream parlour in San Francisco | Boing Boing


Ms. Pries said she had to endure months of runaround and pay a lawyer to determine whether her location (a former grocery, vacant for years) was eligible to become a restaurant. There were permit fees of $20,000; a demand that she create a detailed map of all existing area businesses (the city didn’t have one); and an $11,000 charge just to turn on the water.

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