The Baskin-Robbins ice cream parlor at 1026 Swarthmore is going out of business Dec. 28 after 55 years in Pacific Palisades.
“It was really beloved,” store owner Chris Fracchiolla said. “A lot of folks came in who used to work there. It’s kind of sad.”
Fracchiolla said they have not made money since 2009. He said rent doubled in 2007 or 2008, and they were also affected by the recession and the closure of Mort’s Deli.
“It’s pretty much like the rest of the block. It’s too hard to do business there,” Fracchiolla said. “The center of gravity of the town has moved across Sunset to Antioch.”
Fracchiolla said he was waiting to see what would happen with the sale of the Village property to developer Rick Caruso. The deal has been delayed due to soil contamination discovered at a former dry cleaner at 1045 Swarthmore.
“We have no idea what’s happening. A year ago, [the sale] seemed imminent. We were led to believe it was imminent,” Fracchiolla said.
Fracchiolla works full-time as an associate pastor for the Methodist Church of Pacific Palisades and has no plans to return to the retail or food industry. He hopes people will visit the store before it closes.
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