Letters: Pacific Palisades’ small-town feel

Re “Pacific Palisades hoping change won’t kill charm,” March 11

While reading about Rick Caruso’s plans for redeveloping the Swarthmore Avenue business district in Pacific Palisades, I was disappointed to learn that the developer is uncertain about the prospects of including a bookstore in the retail mix.

This attitude is perplexing given that Caruso cites Fillmore Street in San Francisco and Main Street in Nantucket, among others, as inspirations.

Perhaps Caruso is unacquainted with Fillmore mainstays Marcus Book Store and Browser Books, cornerstones of the San Francisco literary community for decades. The venerable Nantucket institution Mitchell’s Book Corner has maintained a tradition of personalized attention to its customers for 46 years.

Caruso promised 8-year-old Philip Quigley “an awesome ice cream store” as part of his retail makeover.

While the sweet treats dispensed by such a shop will undoubtedly fill the boy’s stomach, the contents of a first-rate bookstore would nourish the minds and souls of Philip and the Palisades community.

Brian Frates

Santa Monica

The vintage Pacific Palisades stores we remember were home to sole proprietors, not mega global chains like the ones that do business in other Caruso developments.

Small towns have small shops. If the residents of the Palisades are not vigilant and assertive during the project’s planning process, they will have an Americana- and Grove-like malling of their memories and history.

If it does not accommodate the vision and history of Pacific Palisades and its founders, the traffic study alone should be enough to stop the project or get the Caruso team’s attention.

But if you pump in enough canned Beach Boys music, perhaps you can sell any 8-year-old ice cream at a highly profitable price.

David Tokofsky

Los Angeles

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