Editor,
Four weeks ago Laguna hosted Hospitality Night on Forest Avenue. Visitors left the event with an illusion of buzzing night-life, food concessions, open galleries and a crowd of visiting patrons.
Last Saturday night I walked down the same Forest Avenue to find the block lit-up by Christmas lights. Cars packed every available parking space, but not a soul was there, not even a Grinch. The stores were closed to patrons so there were no business sales, the parking meters clocked-out at 7 p.m. providing no more city revenue.
In Europe and progressive cities this scene is completely reversed even in winter time, downtown streets are full of vendors selling hot wine and finger-food, on-street parking is replaced with tables and chairs and, yes, eateries are open for business.
Downtowns in Europe’s tourist-driven cities warm-up at 10 p.m., or try Seattle’s Old-Town and Pasadena’s Old-Town. With established Laguna Beach businesses fleeing Laguna at every lease-cycle, our city needs to re-think the use of downtown as a community business district instead of a free parking lot.
Les Miklosy, Laguna Beach
