It is pitch dark when a tall woman approaches the streets, her blonde hair is the only thing you can see properly.
The woman is approaching the food crates, the lights from the building accros the street shine on her.
You recognize ScipitaRourke.

 Ahem, I know it's late but I couldnt sleep tonight, it's not really an urgent matter or anything but some recent events made me think about how business districts should be ran. We all know some cities have tight regulations about setting up while others don't. Now I am curious on your thoughts about how one could run a business on his own outside his home city, is this making sense to you?

Should that person be a lot in the city or is a quick daily visit enough to make him a rightfull business owner? I ask because from my experience business owners work around the clock to keep things running... 2 hours a day is not even enough to pay for the electricity!

Or wait, is this just a cover up to launder some money? But then again, wouldnt that make people suspicious why one has a business in for example Los Angeles whilest he lives in New York.

If you're thinking one should only run a business in their home city, I am with you, I also think one business is more than enough to run besides working for your Crew Leader.  To me it makes no sense what so ever to setup anywhere else other than your home city, this is where you live, this is where most of the stuff goes down...  This is where your Godfather or Godmother makes profit when people visit your city to attend your business and whilest they're at it do some petty crimes and such. Another thing is should a crewleader run a business?  In away it makes sense as thats a sweet way to get rid of some dirty money.  But, I myself discovered quite quickly thats it's a though job running a crew and a business so I passed on the business to Immune. Yes I still own it, but Immune runs it!  She's quite the girl I tell you, hard working employee, if theres anyone who can run this salon properly she can.

So seriously, what would be the ideal business district setting?

Well, this is my two cents on the matter, not that it matters but I will say it anyways!

If you live in New York, your business should be in New York. If you live in Los Angeles your business should be in Los Angeles. However, If someone in Los Angeles makes a deal with Godfather Rourke, to set up a business in New York, that should be fine. They should pay taxes to Mr Rourke, and also it gives a chance for Godfather Rourke to designate a certain person to keep a close eye on that business owner to make sure he isn't stealing from Mr Rourke.

Does that make any sense?

I am inclined to agree with you both here, I feel that If your home city is New York then your business should be in new york. Having a local business helps the local economy in your home city.

Thank you ScipitaRourkefor your comments, i appreciate them.

Yes, that does make sense. But what makes me curious is how in this "mafia setting" you should do such a thing?

Why would one run a bar in New York whilest he lives in Los Angeles or a restaurant?
Wouldnt you want your business at home? I don't understand the desire to set up anywhere else but your home city.

Is there an advantage or something?

Is it perhaps depending on the business you run? The kind I mean?

You wouldn't, Scipita. The purpose of these businesses is to serve as a front for our illegal operations. Therefore, it makes no sense to have one outside of your city of operation. Some people get so wrapped up in their businesses that they forget that they are mobsters and are only using the business as a front. Fuck sakes, they will probably join the Chamber of Commerce soon.

A mobster should not care whether their business makes money or not, either. It's not there to generate profit. In fact, the opposite is true. You want as few people sniffing around as possible. The whole point is to launder money and have something to put on your tax return to justify that nice new house you just bought in White Plains.

Do I believe a mobster should run a business out of the city they work for? In an ideal world, hell yes. As the young gentleman before said previously, if you work for New York, you should open your business in New York. The same goes for whatever city you work for. This makes sense to me, as that's where you live, that's where you can keep an eye on things, and it's where you should keep your sights set as far as making money goes.

Butt_Ox already touched on this, but it's worth repeating. Some people get so preoccupied with the thoughts of earning money that they try to expand far beyond their own city limits and open up venues all over the underworld. To each their own, I suppose. Some people are here to make money, some people are here to be hitmen. There's that odd population that is here to be a crooked entrepreneur, I suppose!

I personally own a few businesses within my own city limits. Never have I considered opening up a business elsewhere. It doesn't make sense to me. As Butt_Ox said, these businesses are fronts for what really go on. I used to sell cocaine in the back room at my old Ice Cream Shop, before the heat became too much and I had to get rid of it. My own headquarters is hidden inside the clothing department store I own. Perhaps I've said too much, but I doubt you all could find it anyway. The entrance is heavily hidden. Anyway, the point I'm trying to make is, it makes better entrepreneurial sense if your business is where your home is.

Another question Miss Rourke asked is- "should a crew leader run their own business?" The answer to that should obviously be no- unless they are keeping it for insurance purposes. It's okay to own a business like Scipita does, that is run by another associate. But for a leader, or a City Head, or a Godfather, your business is the people working for you, kicking up money to you and keeping you living in that plush lifestyle. The reason you have such a large organization in the first place is to ensure that you don't have to spend the rest of your days selling hot-dogs like a vendor on the streets of Chicago.

While only maintaining buildings in your own city is certainly logical, I've been in situations where it made more sense to locate certain businesses outside of my home city.

While I largely agree with your statements about a crewleader refraining from running a business, Marietta, I do think that there are exceptions to the rule. My father ran two very different businesses when he was a leader in Las Vegas. The sports betting operation was certainly more in line with "this thing of ours". He also, though, ran a small bookstore for his entire time in Las Vegas that he continued even after being authed. It certainly wasn't hopping all the time, but he loved that store. It helped center him and gave him a quiet place of contemplation. As long as there are zero detrimental effects to the crew, which is always the first responsibility of a leader, I don't think it's entirely cut and dried that no CL should ever run a business.