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Tacoma businesses blaring music, drawing noise complaints

Businesses throughout Tacoma are sending a message, loud and clear, in the hopes it deters people from staying on their property.

TACOMA, Wash. — Music is blaring at some Tacoma businesses in hopes of preventing loitering on their property. But to several neighbors, it's not music to their ears.

Businesses throughout Tacoma are sending a message, loud and clear, in the hopes it deters people from staying on their property. 

"These are deterrents so that way people can still make their money and we can still come and do what we need to do,” said TJ Hawes, a customer visiting the 7-Eleven on Monday. “Get our lunches without getting harassed or messed with."

However, this strategy has hit a sour note. The city said in the last three months it has received at least four noise complaints about this 7-Eleven blaring opera music 24/7. That's prompting anonymous complaints.

"The same four songs playing over and over again,” said Michael Deibert. “I was hearing the William Tell Overture in my sleep. And then the classic vampire Dracula music constantly playing in your head."

Deibert lives next to a Walgreens along Pacific Avenue. This location and another Walgreens down the road have received several noise complaints as well. 

"Get up, come home, you can hear it of course this is all open, so the sound is reverberating back and forth and it's just like a big auditorium," Deibert said. 

Deibert said the loud music is not effective. Crime and homelessness in this area are still rampant, he said.

He's glad Walgreens has turned the music down within the last year since it started this strategy. But said he wants it off altogether.

"It's a deterrent that's not working," Deibert said.

The Tacoma Police Department has not issued any noise citations, stating it's difficult to cite large corporations. But they're having a meeting with city departments this week to create better harmony in the neighborhood.

Meanwhile, Hawes likes the atmosphere that comes with opera. "Most people may not like it, but honestly I will eat my lunch in my car and listen to it, just because it's totally different than normal,” said TJ Hawes. “And I'll just relax to it."

KING 5 reached out to both 7-Eleven and the Walgreens locations but did not get a comment back on the matter.

    

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