City Brokering Deal That Would Keep Head Shop Out of Old Town

Monrovia city officials are brokering a deal that would keep a smoke shop from opening on Myrtle Avenue after residents and business owners gave the shop an unwelcome reception.

Azusa-based O.G. Smoke Shop planned to expand to Old Town and signed a lease to rent a storefront at 512 South Myrtle Avenue. But following the city's , the city stepped in to help O.G. get out of the lease, Interim City Manager Mark Alvarado said.

"As of right now we are still talking with the operator and the landlord to see, hopefully, if we can maybe broker something that would get them to look at other options," Alvarado said. "We're concerned that maybe businesses and community residents might not think that having a smoke shop right in the heart of Old Town would be the best use."

Alvarado stressed that the owner of O.G., Collin Spencer, had every right to open his shop, as the city's moratorium on head shops was not passed until he signed the lease. The city was not actively discouraging Spencer from opening in town, he said.

"We're never going to interfere with a business who wants to open up a shop or close a shop," he said. "If the environment doesn't particularly look right for a certain business and there's something that we can do to help all parties agree that another option is going to be more viable, then that's something that we are going to take a look at."

Spencer said in an interview that he would have pushed ahead with his plan to open a smoke shop at the location if he thought it could be profitable. He said he would open despite the concerns of residents and business owners if he thought the shop would succeed.

"The market there is not worth jumping into..., especially if there's going to be any scrutiny on us," Spencer said. "If I feel that it would be a place I could flourish and make a lot of money then I would open not caring what they said."

The City Council will reconsider its moratorium on smoke shops during a public hearing on May 15, Alvarado said. At that point the council could extend the moratorium for up to two years.

When the temporary moratorium on head shops passed 4-1 on Apr. 5, several residents and a local business owner spoke out against allowing such businesses in Old Town because they could potentially sell drug paraphernalia like glass pipes and bongs.

Pam Fitzpatrick, owner of the toy store in Old Town, said she would like to keep O.G. out of Old Town.

"I want to send a message to O.G. Smoke Shop that people don’t want them here," she said.