Seattle Business Owner Faces Hefty Fine Over "Mystery" Sign

SEATTLE - You see them up and down the sidewalks of Pioneer Square, those sandwich boards in front of stores and restaurants. Now, one local business owner is butting heads with the City over his sign that's been there for two decades.

For the last 20 years you could find the Seattle Mystery Bookshop sandwich board on the corner of First and Cherry. But, shop owner J.B. Dickey recently got a rude surprise.

"It was just our bad luck that the inspector was looking at a sidewalk café across the street and saw our signs," said Dickey.

Dickey got a letter from the City saying his sign was a pedestrian hazard and needed to be removed or else.

"A $97 impoundment fee and up to $500 in fines," said Dickey.

The small business owner did yank the sign even though he insists it was never blocking the sidewalk.

"They've never been in the middle of the crosswalks or the wheelchair ramps," said Dickey.

Just like other businesses struggling right now in Pioneer Square Dickey says he has to do whatever he can to get people to come inside, and he says his sign did just that.

"By having our sign board here you catch people coming north and south, people waiting to cross the street and without directing them up the street it's a huge hit," said Dickey.

And, apparently it works lots of businesses in Pioneer Square use the sandwich board strategy.

Dickey does have one sandwich board in front of his store which he says is legal under the city ordinance. But, he says it's not enough to generate sales.

"That's not the sign that's important. The important sign for us is the one that was down at the intersection, half a block away, kicks tourists and shoppers up from First Avenue," said Dickey.

Dickey has gone to Mayor McGinn's Office for help. He figured out pretty quickly that if you can fight City Hall, as the old saying goes it could take months to win, if you win at all. And, with tourism season starting time just isn't something he has.

"I hope someday, something will change and we'll be allowed to use it again, but for the foreseeable future I don't think that's going to happen," said Dickey.

This sign fiasco has people leaving some passionate posts on a pair of local blogs. You've got some people willing to wear the sandwich board to help out the bookshop, while others say it's an ugly nuisance that needs to go.