Riverside 7-Eleven plays classical music to scare away the homeless

Austin, Texas – If you’ve been to 7-Eleven in Oltorf and Parker recently, you may have noticed classical music and opera.

The owner says the goal is to keep the homeless from being there and harassing customers. Some clients say they’re all for the music, while others find it annoying.

The city says they received eight noise complaints at the location on January 1st. The Austin Police Department says they are responding to noise complaints if it continues. If there is a complainant and they can confirm the wrongdoing, they will issue a verbal warning. If they have to return within a certain number of hours, they may issue a fine.

Shopkeeper Jagat Patel says no one from the city has shown up. He doesn’t know if the actual decibel level is within the city’s ordinance, but plans to lower the sound level.

Patel says the homeless population was a big problem.

“Especially a lot of my female clients and my younger clients are afraid to come here because the parking lot is constantly hung out by people extorting money,” he said.

He says he had to pay a professional to clean up the needles. Others who work nearby say they were attacked.

“I have to carry this big old knife with me just to defend myself, it’s sad that you have to do this,” said Joe Miranda, who works nearby.

Patel says he started playing music about 10 days ago and the idea came to him because other store owners have it.

“Research has shown that classical music is annoying. Opera is annoying and I guess they are right because it works,” he said.

“Now that they have this music playing, we have less homeless traffic here,” Miranda said.

Miranda says she thinks it’s the right decision.

“It helps, it doesn’t annoy us because it doesn’t bother us, but it probably bothers them because they use drugs,” he said.

Others think the opposite.

“I believe just talking to them and asking them not to stick around or live nearby, whatever, I think that’s the best solution,” Frederick Carter, who lives nearby, said.

He says he started going to another 7-Eleven where there is no music.

“This music is not very good, it is loud, it is unpleasant for me, I don’t like it, it can be heard from afar, it is very disturbing,” he said.

As long as the music continues.

“We are in the process of moving away from this because the people who live opposite the parking lot are also my clients and we don’t want to make things difficult for them,” Patel said.

He says something needs to be done about the camp in the abandoned building next door.

“Running a business is becoming a huge headache and a lot of my clients are scared,” Patel said.

APD said they were unable to answer our questions about homeless people in the area today. They have mentioned in the past participating in city outreach programs to get people connected to housing and services.