CUSTOMER PARKING ONLY

WHAT EXACTLY DEFINES “CUSTOMER”?

  We recently have had a small but important issue with a local strip mall named VISTA VERDE CENTER. This mall is managed by a group called MABRY MANAGEMENT. The issue in this case has reminded me that many times I have been asked the same question by individuals from all over the country when they have legal disputes with property owners and managers regarding parking in lots that say “ PARKING FOR CUSTOMERS ONLY. VEHICLES SUBJECT TO BE TOWED AT OWNERS EXPENSE”.  Now first off let me say that we DID NOT get a vehicle towed away, but a small but obvious hint was made by the mall management. This hint was: caution tape was wrapped around our bus and assign was placed right in front of the bus door with the previously stated phrase so I have to assume that the manager thinks that the owner of the bus IS NOT a customer. Sparking me to call the owner (Will Mabry) with respectful request for call back to discuss his definition of “CUSTOMER”.

   Neither Mr. Mabry or any other representative for the management company have responded to phone calls and messages to accept our patronage OR comment on their definition of “customer”. In the event that this management group does in fact wish to make a statement, that statement will be posted here as soon as it is available.

     The action of towing non customers cars is actually a GREAT way to control parking for businesses and I will be the first to SUPPORT such action especially if a non customer is blocking or taking up space from potential customers. Neither of which is the case in our situation with our bus. In many cases, I have told people that their car was in fact legally towed when they told me they feel that it was unfair. On another note…I also have told people they should fight for their rights when their cars were NOT legally towed, but those are cases where individual circumstances may need to be considered. After talking to the owners of several unrelated businesses such as Albertsons on Western Avenue in Palos Verdes,  Staples on Pacific Coast highway in Torrance, Best Buy on PCH in Torrance, Wal-Mart on 190^th St in Torrance, and several small local businesses,  I have been given the clear understanding that “CUSTOMER” means.. Any person(s) that financially contributes to the business, by purchasing items from us, is a potential customer of ours, or in the case of a few businesses such as 24 Hour Fitness in Compton, state that any of the nationally recognized “members” are considered customers even if they don’t spend money at that facility.

   This brings me to the conclusion that IF you patronize a business then you should be able to park in the parking lot without question UNLESS it is recognized that there is either a time limit as many business have “2 hour parking for customers” or notification limiting the size or type of vehicles allowed on the lot such as “No Big Trucks” OR “NO tractor trailer trucks” etc.  The questions raised here regarding parking in what is commonly referred to as “public parking lots” is

1:  How do you know who is a customer and who isn’t?

2: What do you consider a “customer”

3: How long is a legitimate customer allowed to remain in your parking lot or structure?

4: Do you think there will be a problem if I leave my vehicle here all day since its more convenient so I can commute to work?

These questions were asked in a random survey by myself to at least 20 businesses in our area, and the SAME answer was given unanimously to question number 4: “Yes, I don’t see any problem with you leaving your vehicle here since you’re a regular customer” after they asked if I intended to leave it for an extended amount of time.

  Now on to case in point with Vista Verde Center, between myself, acquaintances, and ANFA group members, a few individual businesses such as Jack In The Box, Vista Verde Deli, Mirage Car Wash, and The ARCO station on the corner, combined have over $200.00 per day patronage.  I have breakfast and lunch almost daily and would consider myself a customer.  I use Mirage car wash regularly on a personal basis and refer people to them through Facebook advertising, and I regularly buy gasoline at the ARCO due to prices and convenience. I also have left my pickup truck parked in the lot all day on a daily basis and never had a problem or had anyone even ask or imply that my truck wasn’t there as a customer. I have an acquaintance who parks his car there daily and NEVER has bought anything from any business..he uses the lot as a commuter parking so he can ride to work with someone else (type of vehicle withheld for his protection).  As for the groups bus….we do have our name and website information on the front and back of the bus in plain sight. And as many of you know…our website contains several contact emails and phone numbers, but none of our officers have been contacted by the management group in an effort to verify our status as “customer”. Obviously as a Christian, non profit, donation based organization we do not have the financial assets to pay towing fees or undergo legal battles to recover such fees in the even our bus, personal vehicles, or my camper (which I drive occasionally and leave there all day so I can do other things) so we voluntarily will not park there…but in doing so, we also WILL NOT be patronizing the businesses there. If the management feels that since we have a bus that means were not customers, then we will not be customers, NOR will any member of our group when group functions are in process. I have also respectfully requested that our group members and acquaintances NOT patronize any business managed by the Mabry Management group whether it be this location or any other location if the see a Mabry Management Group sign on the property. I have even offered to all ANFA members that we will cover any additional fuel costs to go the extra 1½ mile or so to a different Jack in the Box and a different ARCO station. After talking to several of our group members, they feel the same way I do…”customers” should be allowed to park no matter what they happen to drive unless its otherwise posted.  We DO NOT wish to take our business away from companies like Jack in the Box and ARCO, so we will continue our patronage just at a different location. However the other small businesses there have no other location, so we just will be forced to patronize other similar businesses in other locations.

  These issues are issues that arise all over the country not just here. It affects a lot of people when they patronize businesses, but due to having large vehicles, such as Campers, RV trailers, busses, tractor trailer trucks, motorhomes, pickup trucks with business trailers, etc, they are singled out and it is assumed that they are not valued customers. I feel that ANYWHERE you live and go,  if you see a sign that says for customer parking only with no other vehicle descriptions, you should take a few minutes to ask the property management the question “What do you define a “CUSTOMER” as?” “How do you know who is and isn’t a customer?” and “How long is a customer allowed to stay at your business?” and “if I come in my ‘camper, RV, bus, truck or work vehicle..am I still a customer so I can park in your lot?”

Please feel free to email your results to This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it Please include the city you reside in, and the name of the business you partronized. Your email address and name will remain anonymous, but we are surveying the issue of  “How much does a business value its customers and potential customers?”. OR if you think you have had your vehicle unfairly ticketed or towed, let us know that as well