The lack of visitors is affecting the businesses established in Placita Olvera, many of them with Hispanic owners, which could cause the closure of its activitiesa decision that about 20 businesses have already had to make.
The owners of premises in the commercial area assured that Tourists do not come to the historic little square like beforewhere many of its businesses have not managed to recover from the losses they suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
According to the tenants, before the pandemic, restaurants and some stores offered their services seven days a week at least until 8:00 p.m. Currently, almost no business opens every day and, at certain times, the place looks empty.
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“We’re getting to the point where I don’t know if the business is going to be here.“Declared Gregorio Berber, owner of the La Luz del Día restaurant, in an interview with the Telemundo network.
“Now it takes a week to make the same sales we made on a Sunday.“added Gregorio, who mentioned that he is the third generation of his family to manage the restaurant, which his grandfather opened in 1956.
According to the merchant, visitors no longer returned to Placita Olvera as before the pandemic, while people who are now dedicated to working remotely from home, They have forgotten the restaurants they frequented when they went to their workplaces.
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Due to the drop in sales, Berber said the restaurant went from opening seven days to only five days, cut service hours and reduced the number of employees.
Berber also mentioned that Your income only allows you to pay half the rent.so the debt it already has with the city, which owns the place, is increasing.
Another of the owners who shared his concern about the situation that Placita Olvera is going through was Eduard Flores, who is the fourth generation to manage Juanita’s Café restaurant.
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According to Flores, his family opened three restaurants in the area when he was a child, so he spent his childhood among them. However, the Hispanic said that is currently witnessing the way that history is fading.
“It is ending little by little, They are bankrupting the businesses of old merchants. Twenty-something have gone bankrupt, I’ve lost count,” he said.
Flores said that three businesses closed just last month, and added that one of the problems that has contributed to the drop in the number of visitors to Placita Overa is the presence in the area of homeless people, who leave garbage, use drugs and scare tourists.
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The owner of Juanita’s Café considered that The city of Los Angeles, which owns Placita Olvera, does not invest enough in the placewhich harms the arrival of more tourists.
The manager of Placita Olvera, Dominika Lynch, of the Pueblo de Los Ángeles Historic Monument, assured that the city is working on plans to attract more visitorsincluding a competition related to the 2026 World Cup.
Lynch said he is looking for strengthen your relationship with the Los Angeles Police Departmentobtain more resources and raise funds with the Park Affiliation to pay for more security.
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The manager mentioned that the animal blessing event, which took place this Saturday, attracted about 8,000 visitorswhich helped several businesses.
Lynch acknowledged that not all establishments benefited from this Saturday’s event, and that the owners They must also find strategies to increase their sales during these types of events..
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· Businesses in Placita Olvera are faltering
