BY JOHN HOPKINS
The Cincinnati Enquirer
After 26 years in business, Great Haircuts Inc. decided to leave the Short Vine section of Corryville several months ago.
Down the street, Perkins Family Restaurant followed suit two months ago. And last week, Pizza Hut was the latest to abandon the area.
"That's just the tip of the iceberg," said Peter Mello, president of the University Village Business Association. "They couldn't deal with the neighborhood anymore."
Businesses are being stifled or forced out by hundreds of teens and young adults who converge on Short Vine, Mr. Mello said. Representatives of Perkins and Pizza Hut couldn't be reached for comment.
For young people, Short Vine has become a popular hangout. Some potential patrons see it as a place to avoid.
The crowds are usually a Sunday night problem for the small business district near the University of Cincinnati.
More than 30 officers were in the area Sunday night. Police put up yellow crime scene tape along one sidewalk to keep a path open for business patrons.
Clyde Nowlin, president of the Corryville Community Council, estimates 2,000 to 3,000 gather on Sunday nights.
"It's a real dilemma because they're not doing anything wrong, but it's hurting business," he said.
There are residents who no longer go to the Kroger or ,tWalgreens in University Plazabecause of the situation on Short Vine, Mr. Nowlin said.
Some think the youths are being chased out of Eden Park and then flock to Corryville. Their numbers are not an everyday occurrence on the streets of Short Vine.
"Our biggest problem in Corryville is perception," said Mr. Mello, owner of Daniels' Restaurant and Pub on Short Vine. "People perceive that it's dangerous."
Many ideas have been employed over the years to create a new image for Short Vine -- everything from piping classical music outside to barricades to hired security.
In other neighborhoods -- especially downtown -- the city would have solved the problem in a matter of days, Mr. Mello said.
City Safety Director Kent Ryan could not be reached for comment. He said Sunday night on a visit to Corryville that the city is looking for a solution.
