This is an opportunity for me, a novice, to ask:
 
exactly how DO shell shops get their shells?
 
I always wondered.
 
Elizabeth
 
 
 
 
 
 
At 11:44 AM 6/25/98 -0700, you wrote:
>Dear Conch-L'ers,
>
>As some of you know by now, The La Jolla Cave & Shell Shop is going out 
>of business. To be more precise...being forced out of business. Last week 
>an article was published about the closure in the La Jolla Light, a local 
>paper. What follows is an exert from that article.  I thought some of you 
>might find the comments of the land owner James William Allen (who is a 
>golf manufacturer and ultimately responsible for the closure)interesting 
>...especially the second paragraph.
>
>>From the article by Dave Schwab, Light Business Editor, Thursday, June 
>11, 1998
>
>        "As much as tourists are good for our economy — they've taken 
>over our city," he said.  "I've quizzed a lot of people and they're 
>reaction is always the same: They've been to the shell shop, but it was 
>15 years ago, and they'll be upset it's going ... but.  It's like that 
>Polaroid camera that's been in your closet that you haven't used in 30 
>years."
>        "There also are some drawbacks to sea shell retail," added Allen, 
>pointing out he's been told by institutions like Scripps Oceanographic 
>that reefs are being destroyed around the world by shell "miners" 
>prospecting to fill the needs of retail outlets like La Jolla Cave & 
>Shell Shop.
>
>Comments from all you 'miners' out there are welcome.
>
>Kim Hutsell
>Field Research, Marine Malacology
>San Diego
>