So, Angie has been blogging and has done a fabulous job!! It's my turn to contribute!! I have chosen to write about a subject that I'm on the fence about! "GENTRIFICATION" is it good or is it bad?????? Well, here are my thoughts...... I love neighborhoods that have massive amounts of potential and are riddled with low income families. I see opportunity!!! Now I know so do many others (like developers) but the difference is I see an opportunity for great entrepreneurs to thrive and prosper. Cheap rent means more money on marketing,inventory, and labor (also maybe security) RENT IS A BITCH!!! RENT ALONE WILL BANKRUPT YOUR BUSINESS!!! In this economy it's common. In my opinion it's not about location it's about creativity and passion if you have a great store or product people will go to you no matter where you are located (remember Field of Dreams "build it and they will come")
Now as you all know I live in a north east Los Angeles town named El Sereno home to the famous Charlies Trio and Troys Burgers. On Huntington Drive a developer built a brand new shopping mall that currently houses a Subway and nothing else. Come on, we can be creative...a coffee/tea shop would do fabulous in this center, a wine bar etc.. Why aren't people taking that entrepreneurial leap and just going for it? Now is the time to wheel and deal make ugly fashionably depressed neighborhood's better, not trendy, "better"!!!
One city I love that is going thru some gentrifying is Highland Park. My family has lived there for years. My mom and aunts went to elementary, junior high as well as high school. They witnessed the remains of "The White Flight". Highland Park has beautiful Victorian and Craftsman designed homes rich in architectural history. On York boulevard a few businesses have opened up that are not 99cent stores or liquor stores. These are actually real entrepreneurs trying to accomplish their dream and saw potential in this economically depressed neighborhood. Cudos to them. They are the pioneers that will restore this town to it's original glory. I am so in love with towns that have small busineses when you actually are able to go into the store get one on one service with the owner and really get on a personal level. Don't get me wrong, I love the Big Chains but there is nothing like personal service and having a personal connection to a store you love.
One city I love that is going thru some gentrifying is Highland Park. My family has lived there for years. My mom and aunts went to elementary, junior high as well as high school. They witnessed the remains of "The White Flight". Highland Park has beautiful Victorian and Craftsman designed homes rich in architectural history. On York boulevard a few businesses have opened up that are not 99cent stores or liquor stores. These are actually real entrepreneurs trying to accomplish their dream and saw potential in this economically depressed neighborhood. Cudos to them. They are the pioneers that will restore this town to it's original glory. I am so in love with towns that have small busineses when you actually are able to go into the store get one on one service with the owner and really get on a personal level. Don't get me wrong, I love the Big Chains but there is nothing like personal service and having a personal connection to a store you love.
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