Parking Is An Issue…
Yes, parking is a major issue when choosing a location for a retail shop – and an issue I did not consider at the time I leased my spot in the San Rafael City Plaza in downtown San Rafael. After all, there are plenty of retail merchants in downtown San Rafael, and it seems like such a vibrant area.
It turns out that downtown San Rafael has a history of parking problem. Unlike many other downtown communitites in the area, San Rafael parking is metered rather ruthlessly. No “free two-hour parking”, which is common in other areas. No abundance of parking lots on every corner. Yes parking lots are scattered here and there (still metered, mind you). The fact of the matter is that local people in general loathe metered parking. “This is the suburbs after all, not a big city like San Francisco!” I know of customers that rarely visited the shop because they hated parking in downtown San Rafael.
Yikes, I wish I knew that before I signed my lease.
Next time: Garlic Fries and Cashmere do not mix well.