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Restaurants <br />We interviewed seven respondents, representing eight variously -priced <br />restaurants and chains in the Times Square area. Two were located on 46th Street's <br />Restaurant Row, two on Eighth Avenue, and three elsewhere in Times Square. One <br />restaurateur was also a building owner. <br />All of the respondents believed, in general, that the presence of the adult use <br />establishments was not good for their business:, One of the owners was not at all <br />affected; he said, by the adult businesses,' because the block on which hisrestaurants <br />were located was free of such uses: But although this restaurant operator had been <br />`offered properties on Eighth Avenue as well as on'43rd Street, he said that he would <br />not open restaurants on those sites even'if they were free. "My customers want to <br />be'.&tertained; to be in an upiifting'environment. My'places attract family and friends. <br />I don't want my customers to be put off.by the atmosphere." <br />"�• ��f.jO twi}z;f•i Jir... ..7 `t1 p/�, -..r f ^.tr•:� •• ._-.,.•r.' :'..i-�. _( - .-' <br />Buttheownerof a lower-priced coffee shop on Eighth Avenue who claimed <br />that he sought tourists and local business said that the presence of these businesses <br />made for a "terrible" influence, and that Eighth Avenue was no longer "a very popular <br />area".. He said that business is off after 7:30 or 8 at night on this Avenue, compared <br />to business a few years ago. <br />Another popular restaurant with a' -substantial core of regular customers who <br />are not bothered by the presence of porn stores said, however, that the restaurant has <br />great difficulty attracting the corporate parties that they have been seeking. They <br />believe that there Is a public perception thafthe area is unsaNiory, since they have had <br />the experience of attracting potential "parties,- -and then 'having those potential <br />customers cancel. This manager also expressed concern that tourists may"-'p as'sher <br />restaurant by because it Is sandwiched between pornography establishments. <br />Three of the restaurant operators described complaints from customers about <br />IoltePzin.g::'The food establishments located on or near Eighth Avenue.said.that they. <br />belldVed that new porn businesses were relocating from 42nd Street; they aiso said <br />that'4be::fiamboyant advertising of porn stores, even ads seen from across*the avenue, <br />had,,'&;negative effect on'their.business. :r <br />All these respondents were aware of and complained"about drug dealing which <br />they could not directly tie to the adult entertainment ventures, but which they felt <br />were part of the same picture. - <br />Both a small coffee shop owner and the owner of two larger family restaurants <br />expressed their opinion that Times Square remains a promising business growth area <br />and that they intend to stay. But the coffee shop may be forced to move off Eighth <br />Avenue, and would like to unless conditions improve. <br />EVER00227 41 <br />