The "Whatever" Economy

Writer and periodic Boing Boing guest-blogger Susannah Breslin spotted this funny/desperate real estate sign. Whatever.

[#1 posted by knoxblox, June 24, 2009 3:56 PM]

I'd like to rent just one square foot, please.

[#2 posted by Xeni Jardin, June 24, 2009 4:03 PM]

Whatever.

[#3 posted by cinemajay, June 24, 2009 4:03 PM]

I will take the door and charge anyone access to the rest of the store.

[#4 posted by Takuan, June 24, 2009 4:07 PM]

I will take the fire exit. And a match.

[#5 posted by Stefan Jones, June 24, 2009 4:08 PM]

The proper way to pronounce that last line is with a slightly puzzled and put-upon rising inflection.

"Or whatever?"

[#6 posted by MadFist, June 24, 2009 4:30 PM]

Wonderful. = )

[#7 posted by juancb, June 24, 2009 4:52 PM]

Quite nice, reminds me of Liam Lynch's "United States of Whatever"

So this guy walks up to me and is like "I want to rent 1500 square feet of your store", and I'm like whatevah!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xz7_3n7xyDg

[#8 posted by gdholtby, June 24, 2009 4:56 PM]

Can I rent the top half of the space?

[#9 posted by fnc, June 24, 2009 5:21 PM]

"I'd like to rent 1000 square feet, in a checkerboard pattern of one foot squares interleaved with non rented space. Thank you."

[#10 posted by hokano, June 24, 2009 6:28 PM]

You have to laugh, I suppose. Wonder if they had this much fun in the FIrst Great Depression.

I imagine they did, actually.

[#11 posted by gabrielm, June 24, 2009 6:28 PM]

@FNC
Just like Palm Springs!

[#12 posted by Anonymous, June 24, 2009 7:25 PM]

Made me laugh. It's fun to think of a better way to say it, though. I think a better way could have been "5000 S.F. available. Call for details on reduced-size lots or entire suite."

[#13 posted by Xeni Jardin, June 24, 2009 8:37 PM]

@#12 anonymous, my inner copyeditor is clapping vigorously and standing up in my chair smiling.

[#14 posted by zuzu, June 24, 2009 9:18 PM]

I will take the door and charge anyone access to the rest of the store.

Isn't that how it works at One Wilshire (the Meet Me Room (MMR))?

[#15 posted by Anonymous, June 24, 2009 11:04 PM]

In the town where I live there is a sign offering 4 months free rent for commercial space with a one year lease @ $1.00 / sq ft. The sign has been up for a few months.

[#16 posted by PaulR, June 25, 2009 3:44 AM]

I wonder: if you rented 10,000 Sq.Ft, would you only pay half the rent.

[#17 posted by nasalgoat, June 25, 2009 6:46 AM]

Here in Toronto, commercial rents are actually going up! Even though the spaces are all empty.

I had a 3-year lease on a space and when it came up for renewal in May the landlord wanted a 30% increase. Unfortunately in these lean times I can't afford the rent anymore so I am closing down my business.

[#18 posted by dculberson, June 25, 2009 8:39 AM]

Knoxblox, sure! But please note that rates go up with smaller suites, to cover costs, y'know. At $3500/sf/month, it just about covers ya.

[#19 posted by dculberson, June 25, 2009 8:42 AM]

Nasalgoat, there are clueless landlords everywhere. Many times if you tell them, politely of course, that you'll move out unless they lower the rent, they'll work with you. The ones that won't? You don't want to rent from them anyway!

Now, if you were paying a significantly below market rate as an enticement to get into the building, they probably won't lower it. Or if their building is mostly full or they have another tenant lined up.. But the cost to secure a new tenant, plus vacancy losses and tenant improvements, usually offsets any gain from a higher rent rate.

[#20 posted by Anonymous, June 25, 2009 9:27 AM]

The choice of that horrific font (copperplate, or some even cheaper lesser copy.) Tells more than the sign...