Many Shop Elsewhere, Informal Poll Shows

A citizens group’s informal survey of the local business climate has confirmed what city officials have long believed: San Clemente misses the boat when it comes to providing shopping opportunities for its residents.

The study, released last week by local real estate consultant Wayne Eggleston, indicated that 56% of the respondents said they always or often shop out of town for goods and services for wider selections and lower prices.

Respondents also expressed a general dismay with shops along El Camino Real. Among their comments were that the thoroughfare is an “eyesore,” “tacky” and in need of code enforcement.

Though 89% of the respondents said they enjoy shopping along Avenida del Mar, they suggested that the street offer longer store hours and more nighttime entertainment.

Volunteers spent nearly 436 hours compiling the results of the 10-page questionnaire, which was handed out to 55 local respondents and returned by 51 of them.

The purpose of the study was to get a cross-section of opinion from those with in-depth knowledge of San Clemente, as opposed to a random sampling of thousands of citizens, said Eggleston, who spearheaded the project.

In other findings of the San Clemente Citizens Advisory Group for Business Revitalization, the majority of respondents:

* Think that the Casa Romantica should be open to the public.

* Believe that retail businesses should emphasize the city’s Spanish architecture.

* Want the city to keep its small-town atmosphere.