Posted on 04/03/2003 5:22:51 AM PST by tdadams
Rachel Travers demands Your Pizza Shop manager Jeff Amsden remove the advertisement of the shop's pizza special from the sign outside the business on 12th Street NW at Cleveland Avenue. The sign announces the business' "420 special." The number has been used as code among marijuana smokers to light up. Travers told Amsden that if he doesn't remove the sign, she will. Amsden told her that if she removes the sign, he will call police and press charges.
Hey, Mom and Dad. Ever wonder what your kids and their friends are talking about when you overhear them discussing "420?"
Patrons of a local pizza shop evidently know what the code name means: marijuana. The High Times magazine Web site notes that 420 was first used in 1971 by a group of San Rafael, Calif., students who would meet after school at 4:20 p.m. to smoke pot.
Others say the term may have developed from police radio codes or even from a rock band's lyrics.
The term is popular with the marijuana-smoking subculture.
Your Pizza Shop at 420 12th St. NW is advertising a "420 special" for anyone with the "munchies," another reference familiar to pot smokers.
"We know that it makes reference to it, but it's also a marketing niche. A lot of people come in and get a good laugh out of it," said Adam Charlikowskyi, manager.
Jeff Amsden, another manager, said, "We do get a lot of orders on that sign" because of what it says.
Rachel Travers, who lives a few blocks away, doesn't appreciate their sense of humor.
"This is making me sick to my stomach," she said Thursday. "Most crimes are committed while under the influence of a drug or alcohol. ( This advertising ) is like saying, `Sure. Drive down my street while you're doped up, come get your pizza and then come rob my house.' Because that's basically what it says. It just disgusts me."
Since early summer, the business has been using the code number advertising daily specials, such as Munchie Monday, Toasted Tuesday and Green Leaf Wednesday. Amsden said customers ask for those specials by name -- and usually with a giggle.
"This ( campaign ) took off pretty good once we started putting the fliers around," said employee Mick Rosteen. Some fliers advertising the "420 Daily Specials, When you have the urge to munch ..." also were taped to pizza boxes.
Charlikowskyi said the advertising is aimed at attracting "a younger crowd," pointing out that the neighborhood is primarily comprised of younger adults.
"I'm 22 and I have no interest in this whatsoever," Travers countered.
A Malvern native, she moved into the neighborhood about two weeks ago as a renter, and had been considering buying a home there.
"It's a nice neighborhood," she said. "The houses are well taken care of. So far, all of my neighbors have been extremely friendly. It's clean. Nobody has trash in their yard. There are no junk cars, and nobody has dogs chained up in the back yard. The businesses are well-established.
"But this ( sign ) does not represent the neighborhood well at all. I don't want to be known as the girl who lives down the street from the pot-smoking pizza shop."
The managers said Travers has been the only one to complain.
When the three met with a Repository reporter and photographer at the sign Thursday afternoon, Travers started a heated discussion with the men, demanding to know, "Why do you have to market to lowlife like this?"
Amsden replied, "It brings the neighborhood in."
The two traded educational background information, and while Travers demanded they remove the sign, Amsden defended it, saying it was a "freedom of speech" issue.
Travers threatened to return later and remove the letters herself. Amsden informed her that he would call the police and file criminal charges.
"It's not ethical, it's not right and I'm not going to stand for it," Travers said.
SIGN OF CONTENTION. Rachel Travers ( right ) lives a few blocks from this pizza shop and doesn't appreciate the business' sense of humor when it comes to advertising. Managers Jeff Amsden ( center ) and Adam Charlikowskyi say the sign, which highlights a marijuana subculture code for smoking the illegal weed, has improved business.
I...ah...heard this from a friend of a friend...
Obviously not located in West Virginia (no zoning laws here).
I would like to know what the outcome of that discussion was. Somehow, I think this woman has the educational qualifications of Jethro Bodine, went right on up through the six grade.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.