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Permalink Reply by Danielle Holland on October 26, 2009 at 1:38pm

Yes we do need stores like Trader Joe's & Fresh & Easy!!! I've been saying that for years and for some reason, I've never had my question answered: "Why don't we have stores like that here, in View Park / Leimert Park?" Why? I'm tired of seeing 10 - 12 phone communication companies or .98 Cent Stores here. We need better city / town planning as to how many kinds of shops per square block may have.

We need to get rid of the third world, old tired, ghetto looking store fronts and create a nice village experience. I see Leimert Park's potential beauty but we're not going to look appealing to some of the new up scale stores or boutiques if we continued to allow the current landscape, of our community to open the same ole - same ole. Sad to say, I've lived in View Park for 10 years and only shop in Zambi's, Eso Won, Lucy Florence, Sable, the Creole & Jamaican restaurants there.

Why did they get rid of the Starbucks on the corner of Mt. Vernon & Crewshaw? Who's brilliant idea was that to close that shop? I love Trader Joe's & Fresh & Easy. It would also be nice to have more fine dining restaurants as well. Thx for this article and allowing me to voice my opinions, in my community.

Danielle Holland
View Park

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Permalink Reply by James Fugate on January 21, 2010 at 10:54am

Not enough support for the Starbucks, but I'm glad you come to EsoWon. We love seeing you. Fresh & Easy will be great, but I would love a 99cents store, Heaven is going to any 99cent store, I Mean Heaven.

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Permalink Reply by Ernie Mixon on October 28, 2009 at 12:57am

I concur with Ms Danielle below. She said it all... the same ol same ol in our community is dead and stanky. I applaud Trader Joes & Fresh and Easy coming to our community. I predict when they come it will be very successful for them! and perhaps show other upscale healthy business's that we will come if you build it! ...

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Permalink Reply by enhager on January 8, 2010 at 10:51am

Fresh&easy is opening in South LA next month and having a job fair on Monday.
No word yet on when the Leimert Park-adjacent location will open.

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Permalink Reply by James Fugate on January 21, 2010 at 10:46am

I love Fresh and Easy, you will find that they provide great food at great prices.
James Fugate
EsoWon Books

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Permalink Reply by Sapphire on August 31, 2010 at 6:01pm

It is not only about a lack of spending power or high land cost that prevents major chain stores from building/opening in the community.

The major reason is fear! Fear that there will be riots again, fear of theft and other issues that seem to prevail in the community. No one wants to take the chance of opening up only to have it torn down by the very community it is intended to serve. In this day and age, retailers simply move on to other areas.

Fear is also one of the reasons the merchants are not doing better in the Village (in addition to many other problems), and surrounding area. The general public do not want to shop/eat/visit any place where they feel threatened and unsafe, no matter what the merchants have to offer, and this includes people of color from other areas of Los Angeles.

I certainly hope that Fresh & Easy does well.

Security has always been a major concern in the Village. It is unfortunate, but true~

Oops! Sorry, I just realized the date of this thread.

So, tell me, how is the store doing?

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Permalink Reply by enhager on August 31, 2010 at 8:08pm

While I do sometimes think there are those kind of worries that make businesses think twice (even though the riots were nearly 20 years ago), it didn't stop Macy's, Wal-Mart, Sears, TGI Fridays, Starbucks, etc from moving into the area.

I've never heard about security problems in the village and the area is very safe. The crime in the area is at low levels not seen since the '60s. But I agree for those outside the area, a reputation is very hard to change.

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Permalink Reply by Sapphire on September 1, 2010 at 8:03am

Again, the area has a rep for not being safe, and I am happy to hear that crime has gone down in the area. This was not the case back in the late 90's, early 2000's. Just read the crime reports from LAPD during that time.

As a major stakeholder in the area for years, and one who was very involved in the renovation of LPV, as well as helping to bring Walmart to the area, I have first hand knowledge of why many major retailers did not want to locate in the area.

Prior to the park being renovated there was much crime/drugs in the park. One of the reasons we designed the park as it is today was to prevent drug dealing/users from ruining it for everyone else. Women in the community could not bring their children to the park to play. We also found that it was NOT the LP community that caused the problems, but outsiders who came to the park/community from other areas.

The Village should be a place that is visited by hundreds of thousands each year, and should be a major tourist attraction for the City of Los Angeles, but again, security and "feeling safe" was a major concern.

It is unfortunate that a great place like the Village is located in an area that has an negative reputation, which is basically unfounded.

Thank you for your response!

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Permalink Reply by Kimberly Wade on December 6, 2010 at 11:26am

In the aftermath of the Civic unrest of 1992, some of the most persistent complaints from the residents of South Los Angeles concerned supermarkets. There just weren't enough of them. Although two Smart & Final stores were looted, they were reopened within one week. A third store was burned to the ground but was reopened in a space 45 percent larger than the original market. Smart & Final continues its policy of opening stores in inner city areas typically shunned by other grocers.

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Permalink Reply by Crystal on October 28, 2010 at 1:23pm

I agree crime is at is lowest since the 60s. If they do bring these stores into my community, they will give people other options besides Ralphs / Food 4 Less that sit on both ends of Crenshaw. I will not have to drive to another community to spend my money. I just hope that both of these establishment will hire within the Crenshaw area first, and will be aware of the needs of their shoppers. Crime isn't an issue,, respect is.

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Permalink Reply by Cory Tyler on October 20, 2010 at 9:43am

I LOVE Fresh & Easy. Glad they are coming to the Shaw!

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Permalink Reply by enhager on December 6, 2010 at 1:07pm

There is movement on Fresh and Easy - a community group is opposing the layout and the store is considering backing out - let your voice be heard.

http://www.leimertparkbeat.com/profiles/blogs/fresh-amp-easyneeds-your

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