LA HABRA : Businesses Protest Street Closure for Fair

The I Love La Habra fair has not drawn an affectionate response from some business owners who are angry over the plan to shut down part of a busy boulevard for the celebration.

Jackie Fogel, owner of MacKinnon’s Stationery store on La Habra Boulevard, said the fair will cause her to lose money on the busiest weekend of the year, just days before Valentine’s Day.

She said her business, which is across the street from the Civic Center, will suffer when the city closes La Habra Boulevard from Euclid to Cypress streets Feb. 9 through 12.

“I’m very upset about this,” Fogel said. “I believe in community service but not on my busiest weekend.”

City Council members recently approved closing the boulevard for the 14th annual fair after a Chamber of Commerce survey showed that 17 of 18 businesses along the fair’s boundaries said they had no problem with the closure. The 18th had said that the fair might interrupt its drive-up banking service.

Fogel said she was not contacted for the survey. Clezio Sensi, owner of the La Habra Foreign Car automotive repair shop, said that he was not notified either. He is also against the boulevard closure.

“My business’ (survival) depends on heavy La Habra Boulevard traffic,” Sensi said. “I don’t think the city should close the street. It will cause a big inconvenience to a lot of businesses here.”

The fair, which features dozens of food and crafts vendors, traditionally has taken place in the old Fashion Square parking lot. City officials decided this year to have it on La Habra Boulevard in an effort to bring more shoppers to downtown La Habra and promote pride in the city.

No one protested the street closure last week when the council voted on it. Sensi, however, said that he will go to next week’s council meeting to ask the council to reconsider its decision.

City Manager Lee Risner said Tuesday that he was “taking a look to find out what the problem is.” The council may want to hold the fair elsewhere, he said.

Sensi said he will suggest that the city close a street not as busy as La Habra Boulevard.