The fourth meeting of Pacific Palisades merchants was held last week at Spanky Lane, a children’s boutique on Via de la Paz, to discuss ways to get the message out to Palisades residents to shop locally, and also to address concerns about the empty storefronts in the business district. Ironically, Spanky Lane’s co-owners Angela Wilder and Marni Diamond notified customers this week that they are going out of business. This follows the closure of Nevicella Apparel and Petique, also on Via, a week ago. The April 22 meeting was sparsely attended but included Palisadian Joe Ziden, who runs Z Gallery (a home furnishing store in Santa Monica), and expressed interest in seeing how local stores were doing. Councilman Bill Rosendahl’s field deputy Jennifer Rivera attended the meeting to hear concerns and to see if Rosendahl could help in any capacity. ‘We’re trying to understand the real issue,’ Rivera said. She was told about the empty storefronts on Swarthmore Avenue and Sunset Boulevard, some of which have been vacant for almost two years. Many merchants were also concerned about the lack of building maintenance on those properties. ‘We’re reaching out to you, to see if there’s anything we can do politically or legally,’ Marni Diamond told Rivera. Many of those who attended said it would be helpful if Rosendahl would speak to Palisades Partners, landlord for nearly all the stores on the 1000 block of Swarthmore, plus the empty spaces on Sunset, vacated by The Nest Egg and The Office Supplier. ‘Hopefully, we can meet with a member of Palisades Partners,’ Rivera said. ‘Bill is willing to talk to them. We need to know their long-term goal.’ Another overriding frustration expressed at the meeting is that local residents buy goods through the Internet under the mistaken belief that it is cheaper than shopping in town. Angela Wilder explained the dilemma in succinct terms: ‘When you buy stuff on the Internet, you’re flushing independent stores down the toilet. That is your choice. But when these stores close, you’ve made that choice.’ The group discussed ways to encourage local shopping, including having waiters and shop owners wear T-shirts with the SHOPP logo, and SHOPP signs posted in the store windows, reminding Palisadians to support local businesses. A SHOPP gift basket is being assembled and will be given by realtors to new residents. The baskets will include a bottle of wine donated by Gelson’s and another local wine dealer, free Theatre Palisades tickets, merchant coupons and a SHOPP merchant directory. The merchant meetings are held the third Tuesday of every month, now at a new location to be announced.
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