As predictable as the tide's ebb and flow is new White Rock restaurants opening and failed White Rock restaurants closing. I understand the obvious reasons why some businesses fail: too much competition, high rent, lack of customers during winter or bad weather, razor-thin margins.

But there's a couple White Rock businesses that seem to be stillborn and I'm curious why:

• Seed and Stone (a weed shop on west beach) had their sign on a store for months and months, but it never opened. The sign recently disappeared.
• Chef Tian's (east beach) has had a big sign on the the building for a year, but has never opened.

I'm presuming that both businesses spent money on a lease and spent money putting up signs, so I'm curious what prevented them from opening.