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Nextdoor Wars: Unbearable mural in Spring Valley
Freeways meet free expression
Originally settled in the 19th century and known for its natural springs and citrus groves, Spring Valley has evolved into a patchwork of strip malls amid freeway on-ramps. And it's most likely because of its proximity to one of those ramps that the above mural sparked so much comment.
The Original Post
“Just curious to know your thoughts,” the poster asked innocently. “This image is on a building entering an on-ramp in Spring Valley.”
Comments/Observations
Donna: There was a long thread about this a couple of weeks ago. Bottom line was the men didn't seem to care or thought it was fine but it bothered most of the women.
Perhaps that's because it's the women who must think of the children? A number of comments were variations on this theme:
Victoria: It being an adult store is fine, it’s the fact you have to look at this ugly ass wildly inappropriate mural every time you want to get on the highway and kids regularly have to see it.
Can this possibly be what Aretha was referring to when she sang about the Freeway of Love? Could be! Viz:
Jessica: Well that place has been there for a looooong time and when they tried to get rid of/move it when they built the 125, the residents voted to keep it there. Lol
Tommy: They Demolished every building but that 1 then built the freeway around it UNREAL
Bonnie: The reasoning is crazy. It was considered a landmark because there was no other porn shop in town!!
Sue: It's because those types of businesses are impossible to relocate. So it's easier for CalTrans to leave them alone than try to move them somewhere else. Same with Little Darlings in Lemon Grove, though it's finally gone. Strip clubs and adult bookstores can't just move anywhere so they are often the last remaining after a freeway goes in.
James Barnes: They tried to use public domain to remove this place, and the strip club on Campo, but they sued and won, so they routed the 125 around this place and over the strip club....both locations were willing to sell, and open in a new spot, but the city would not grant the business permit, so they remained where they were. Looks like the strip club closed down recently though....
Sue: Because it'll make more money as a dispensary which is opening soon, I think!
Nextdoor: come for the civics lesson, stay for the moral outcry combined with aesthetic side-eye.
Lauren: Disgusting.
Kathy: Totally disgusting. Lacks any morals.
Zed: Classless and unnecessary...vulgar and lewd.
Diana: Pretty trashy. Wouldn't want to have guests visiting see it.
Sherrie: My opinion: it’s stereotyping women as objects. Women should be offended. We are much better than depicted like that. Demoralizing. My opinion only.
Donna: Tacky!
What to do about it?
Doug: The business just being there, right next to a residential area, is bad enough. But it is legal. But why would the owner paint such a tasteless and controversial mural on the side of the building??? It is almost as if the owner likes to troll the neighborhood residents, for added shock value & irritation to the community. The owner is definitely an undesirable excuse for a human being. Hopefully some gang bangers will go by there in the early morning hours, when the biz is closed, and spray paint graffiti all over the side of that building including over the ugly mural.
Stevo: If people stop patronizing the store, it will go out of business. Amazing it's still there, since you can get anything on the net now.
Cathy: Bring it up at the next Spring Valley Planning Group meeting.
Dale: In my imagination, it's a perfect drive-by paintball target.
Noreen: Start a campaign against it. Try Get It Done. Call your city officials and complain.
But alas, in the end...
Kenny: The First Amendment, sometimes it sucks.
Final Thought
This isn’t just about one cartoon woman with improbable proportions. It’s about what people think belongs in public view. It’s about art, morality, zoning laws, free expression, and that weird intersection where suburbia collides with chaos. It’s also, in a way, very Spring Valley: a place where you can tour a 19th-century adobe house by day, and drive past a teddy bear dominatrix...also by day.
Here's something you might be interested in.
Nextdoor Wars: Unbearable mural in Spring Valley
Freeways meet free expression
Nextdoor Wars: Unbearable mural in Spring Valley
Freeways meet free expression
Originally settled in the 19th century and known for its natural springs and citrus groves, Spring Valley has evolved into a patchwork of strip malls amid freeway on-ramps. And it's most likely because of its proximity to one of those ramps that the above mural sparked so much comment.
The Original Post
“Just curious to know your thoughts,” the poster asked innocently. “This image is on a building entering an on-ramp in Spring Valley.”
Comments/Observations
Donna: There was a long thread about this a couple of weeks ago. Bottom line was the men didn't seem to care or thought it was fine but it bothered most of the women.
Perhaps that's because it's the women who must think of the children? A number of comments were variations on this theme:
Victoria: It being an adult store is fine, it’s the fact you have to look at this ugly ass wildly inappropriate mural every time you want to get on the highway and kids regularly have to see it.
Can this possibly be what Aretha was referring to when she sang about the Freeway of Love? Could be! Viz:
Jessica: Well that place has been there for a looooong time and when they tried to get rid of/move it when they built the 125, the residents voted to keep it there. Lol
Tommy: They Demolished every building but that 1 then built the freeway around it UNREAL
Bonnie: The reasoning is crazy. It was considered a landmark because there was no other porn shop in town!!
Sue: It's because those types of businesses are impossible to relocate. So it's easier for CalTrans to leave them alone than try to move them somewhere else. Same with Little Darlings in Lemon Grove, though it's finally gone. Strip clubs and adult bookstores can't just move anywhere so they are often the last remaining after a freeway goes in.
James Barnes: They tried to use public domain to remove this place, and the strip club on Campo, but they sued and won, so they routed the 125 around this place and over the strip club....both locations were willing to sell, and open in a new spot, but the city would not grant the business permit, so they remained where they were. Looks like the strip club closed down recently though....
Sue: Because it'll make more money as a dispensary which is opening soon, I think!
Nextdoor: come for the civics lesson, stay for the moral outcry combined with aesthetic side-eye.
Lauren: Disgusting.
Kathy: Totally disgusting. Lacks any morals.
Zed: Classless and unnecessary...vulgar and lewd.
Diana: Pretty trashy. Wouldn't want to have guests visiting see it.
Sherrie: My opinion: it’s stereotyping women as objects. Women should be offended. We are much better than depicted like that. Demoralizing. My opinion only.
Donna: Tacky!
What to do about it?
Doug: The business just being there, right next to a residential area, is bad enough. But it is legal. But why would the owner paint such a tasteless and controversial mural on the side of the building??? It is almost as if the owner likes to troll the neighborhood residents, for added shock value & irritation to the community. The owner is definitely an undesirable excuse for a human being. Hopefully some gang bangers will go by there in the early morning hours, when the biz is closed, and spray paint graffiti all over the side of that building including over the ugly mural.
Stevo: If people stop patronizing the store, it will go out of business. Amazing it's still there, since you can get anything on the net now.
Cathy: Bring it up at the next Spring Valley Planning Group meeting.
Dale: In my imagination, it's a perfect drive-by paintball target.
Noreen: Start a campaign against it. Try Get It Done. Call your city officials and complain.
But alas, in the end...
Kenny: The First Amendment, sometimes it sucks.
Final Thought
This isn’t just about one cartoon woman with improbable proportions. It’s about what people think belongs in public view. It’s about art, morality, zoning laws, free expression, and that weird intersection where suburbia collides with chaos. It’s also, in a way, very Spring Valley: a place where you can tour a 19th-century adobe house by day, and drive past a teddy bear dominatrix...also by day.
Comments