A proposed rave clothing store in Claremont has become a flashpoint for debate over what types of retailers belong in the Village, with some business owners arguing the store will alter the character of the shopping district.
Since January, The Rave Box, located at 141 Harvard Ave., has been stuck in limbo waiting for final approval from the city to open its doors.
After moving from Upland last year, owners Janelle Huerta, 33, and Steve Morales, 28, were ready to bring their unique stock of rave attire, including neon spandex, fishnet stockings and bedazzled cowboy hats, to Claremont Village, known for its boutiques and eateries.
Huerta and Morales opened The Rave Box in March 2020, initially selling rave attire and gear from their own home.
“We were excited after being nearby in Upland and we knew this area already had a lot of young people into the rave scene,” Huerta said by phone last month. “Then the backlash came right away.”
Huerta said she received negative online comments from multiple businesses about the store’s potential opening. There were lots of rumors about the types of products The Rave Box sells, she said, including false claims the store stocks sex toys. In February, the couple started an online petition in support of their business, quickly garnering over 2,000 signatures.
But after cutting through initial red tape and receiving a conditional business permit, five nearby business owners filed an appeal March 1 that put a halt to Huerta’s and Morales’s plans. Owners from the Bunny Gunner Gallery, Claremont Village Eatery, Studio C Gallery, Square I Gallery and Bert and Rockys Ice Cream Shop filed the appeal.
Calls seeking comment from all five businesses were not returned as of Friday afternoon, March 10.
According to the appeal, the business owners’ concerns range from the “adult-oriented” clothing being sold to the clientele who may shop there to the location of the business in the downtown area. The proposed business is located in between a toy store and a pharmacy, which the appellants say isn’t a suitable place for the rave store.
At a City Council meeting on Feb. 28, some of the appellants let the city know about their frustrations.
“What type of element are we welcoming into the Claremont Village,” said Yvette Duchardin-Hart, owner of the Bunny Gunner Gallery, during public comment. “How can we believe they can be respectable neighbors?”
At the same meeting, another business owner, Marodeen Ebrahimzadeh, of Square I Gallery, said The Rave Box wouldn’t mesh with the culture of the Village.
“After 30 some odd years in the Village, allowing that type of business to (get) a license,” Ebrahimzadeh said. “We cannot believe the city is allowing this.”
Huerta said her shop is being targeted by those who don’t understand rave culture.
“Their whole idea is that we’re gonna scare people away” from the Village, Huerta said. “We want to be a part of this city but we have been stopped every step of the way.”
A private appeal hearing was held Wednesday, March 8, and a decision is expected early next week by Assistant City Manager Katie Wand, according to Community Development Director Brad Johnson.
As part of that hearing, both Huerta and Morales invited city personnel into the store to see the products and layout for themselves. Morales said Friday that he feels “good” about the responses and feedback he got from the city after the tour of the store.
In an emailed response Thursday, March 9, Johnson wrote the business appears “to be a retail clothing store the way they are set up currently with their merchandise.”
The store’s business license would be valid if the city rejects the appeal, but that doesn’t necessarily settle the matter.
Following Wand’s decision, either the appellants or Huerta and Morales have 10 days to appeal the ruling to the City Council. The council could decline or go ahead and hear the appeal, the latter of which would take some time.
While Huerta and Morales have already set up most of the interior of the shop, with dressed mannequins and sparkling tops already in the front window display, they are forced to wait until a final decision on their license is made before making any sales.
This worries both of them. They haven’t made any income since arriving in Claremont.
“It’s getting harder and harder as each day goes by,” Morales said Friday. “We have a family to support at the end of the day.”
The couple has three children, including a newborn, Morales said.
With the rave festival season underway, the couple have lost weeks’ worth sales. They’re hoping the back-and-forth struggle to get their license ends soon.
“We want to succeed in Claremont,” Huerta said. “Just give us a chance.”
Editor’s note: This story has been updated to correct the name of Bunny Gunner Gallery.
