Disturbed by Losing Neighborhood Stores

I have followed the Sam Hall Kaplan column in the real estate section for quite awhile. It says what I feel about a community working for the people who live in it.

I am very disturbed about the direction our community of Pacific Palisades is going. The price of land and building has gone up so much that no one can afford to do business in our village, except banks, real estate, savings & loans and gas stations.

Every small business catering to the needs and wants of the people living here has to leave--a variety store, hobby store, bookstore and now a fabric store that has had classes and sponsored many projects. The community spirit will rapidly leave.

I have spoken to the Chamber of Commerce, and they agree with me that it is a shame, but say that that’s private enterprise and people are in business to make money. I don’t want to sound prejudiced, but much land is owned by foreign people with lots of money who force prices up and force people out who have long been here and supplied services the people wanted.

I realize it is everyone’s right to make money, but isn’t there anything we can do as citizens to keep some of these stores functioning or do we have to see more banks and real estate businesses come in?

SUSAN MILNER

Pacific Palisades