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Protesters want sign holders out of business Mail Tribune / Jim Craven Matt Conens, foreground, was among the people Saturday in Phoenix who protested the proliferation of signs by the Heilig Meyers furniture store, in the background. The store retaliated during the protest by sending out additional signs. But doomed furniture store has judge�s approval to advertise By Paul Fattig PHOENIX � Enough already, says Matt Conens. Weary of seeing brightly colored Heilig Meyers furniture store going-out-of-business signs popping up recently in Medford and Phoenix, Conens armed himself with signs of his own to protest the signage Saturday. "This really, really irks me," said the Medford resident. "I�m tired of seeing Southern Oregon roads littered with these going-out-of-business signs. "It�s just not right," he added. "And to know they apparently have federal permission, that really sucks." He was referring to an order issued this fall by U.S. Bankrupty Court Judge Douglas Tice Jr. in Richmond, Va., where Heilig Meyers is based. The order gives the local store, as well as some 300 other stores going out of business in the national chain, the latitude to put out the signs, said Neal Chaykin, consultant in charge of the sale. "I have a federal bankruptcy court order to allow me to conduct business and advertise in any way, shape or form I see fit," Chaykin said, although noting the signs are not meant to be offensive and are up only on the weekends. With a Dec. 31 deadline looming on the court order and the local store expected to close by mid-December, Chaykin said the signs are part of the advertising package that includes local television, radio and newspaper advertisements. The firm also hired eight people Saturday to carry signs advertising the bankruptcy liquidation. "As long as we keep our signs within two feet of the sidewalk, we have right to put up as many signs as we need to," he said. "Actually, those protesters are helping me," he added. "They are causing more people driving by and stopping to see what is happening." But Teresa Shaw and her daughter, Sarah, 15, said many passersby appeared to support the protest. The two Medford residents joined Conens in Saturday�s protest at the 4100 block of Pacific Highway across from the Heilig Meyers store. "We�ve had a lot of people honking their horns and giving us thumbs up," Shaw said. "We�re concerned that our streets are being littered with all these signs. They are all over the place. It�s not very attractive." Shaw, who works as a checker in a local grocery store, held up signs reading, "Don�t Support Litter" and "Heilig Mess." "We also have other furniture stores here locally who aren�t allowed to put up these signs," she said. Sarah�s sign simply read, "Stop the Signs!" A few feet away from the three protesters was one of Heilig Meyers sign carriers. "I�m just trying to earn a little extra money," said the man, who would only give his first name of Mike. He said he is a welder by training. "I think their protest is kind of funny � it�s pretty extreme," he said, then added, "I just want my 50 bucks for the five hours I�m doing this; that�s all I care about." But Conens, a former television reporter for a local station who is now a freelance communications consultant, said he cares about what he terms as littered landscape. "I don�t think a federal judge back east should be able to tell people in Southern Oregon that they have to put up with this litter," he said. "This court order is rewarding businesses that are failing, and gives them an advantage over other local businesses who can�t put up these signs," he added. Moreover, the Heilig Meyers signs will prompt others to join in the sign war, he warned. "Everyone is going to start doing it," he said. "This is about stopping litter, and about giving businesses an unfair advantage over others." Noting he is a first-time protester, Conens said he doesn�t intend to make a career out of it. "We just want them to pick up their signs off our streets," he said. "We�re sick and tired of these signs." Mail Tribune Home | Ottaway Newspapers, Inc. | Dow Jones & Co., Inc. | Privacy | Contact Us Copyright � 2000 Mail Tribune, Inc.