Nothing personal, just business

Re “Closed doors on Crenshaw,” Opinion, Jan. 31

In 1960, I was driving past O’Connor Lincoln-Mercury on Crenshaw Boulevard when I saw a white Mercury convertible on its showroom floor that captured my attention. I went in and bought that car from Edris Aubry, the uncle of Erin Aubry Kaplan, who notes in her column the demise of new-car dealerships and upscale shopping in the Crenshaw area. I would add that many fine restaurants have also disappeared.

I am sorry to see that Crenshaw Motors Ford has finally closed its doors, but I don’t believe these businesses represented, as Kaplan states, a “great social and retail experiment that failed.” Businesses leave a community when the business environment sours and they are no longer able to make a profit.

CHARLES PALMER

Los Angeles