Oh, Christmas Tree. Oh, Christmas Tree Lot? You cannot have a Christmas Tree—or maybe any tree— if you do not have a tree lot or someplace to go to purchase it.
You know, the kind of place Ralphie’s dad (from the movie A Christmas Story) would wheel and deal his way into purchasing the perfect holiday tree. Or maybe where Charley Brown bought the most famously bad holiday tree of all time.
Not many of us are as adventurous to cut down a holiday tree as Clark Griswold. As someone who has done that before as a child, it’s not nearly as fun as it might appear – well, maybe for a preteen boy who is not allowed to touch any tools that cut.
When you think about those lots full of trees—and for that matter, any seasonal item sold from temporary commercial businesses located on vacant lots and spaces across cities in America— you have to take note that it is an important part of commerce. Those lots provide an opportunity for merchants who cannot otherwise establish a permanent retail business the ability to sell their wares to local families at a price substantially less than if those customers had to drive hours to procure goods.
In order to open a tree lot here, a temporary use permit is required, including an application with a site plan and a fee of $121. If the applicant comes to a tenant build-out meeting (held each Tuesday at the Municipal Center) with all the proper documents, the merchant will walk out with the permit, according to Linda L. LaCloche, Communications Managers City Manager’s Office with the City of Naperville.
Linda further stated, “It is a good use of dormant property, increasing business activity during the year, and we show our support for that activity by making the permit process as easy as possible.”
Linda previously held a position with the City of Columbus, Ohio, before joining the City of Naperville in April 2013.
Hummm. Ohio, the state where Ralphie lived. Coincidence?
