Vendors add hometown feel to Blvd.
CROWDS STROLL along Larchmont with vendors on both sides of the sidewalk.
With a viola performing on one side of the street, a steel drum and guitar on the other, ceramics, paintings, jewelry, food and more for sale, Larchmont Boulevard is happening. Add to that the twice-weekly farmers’ market and no wonder the street has been buzzing with sidewalk vendors. “It’s like having a festival every weekend. I think it’s fun and lively and brings a lot of people to the neighborhood,” Diane Sherer of Beachwood Drive said excitedly.
But with rents in the thousands monthly, how do store managers feel about these pop-up shops coming onto the block without paying rent?
Top Drawer, at 140 N. Larchmont Blvd., has only good things to say about the vendors. Store manager Anabel Iniguez said, “It’s a totally positive experience. A plus, plus, plus.” Assistant manager Kat Lee concurs, commenting that they often have a flower vendor (Bloomin’ Sid’s) in front of their location. “Having them there has even brought some customers into the store and makes people converse more and stay longer. [It] gives the area more of a hometown feel. Also, the flower stand makes the view out the window a little nicer.” She’s even considering talking to her corporate office about stocking vases for sale to accompany the flowers.
INSIDE TOPO DESIGNS, artist Roy Cruz (left) and store manager Morgan Stuart pose in front of two of Cruz’s paintings.
A few doors away is Topo Designs, which has a symbiotic relationship with the artist Roy Cruz, who sets up in front of their sport-themed store. The shop at 138 N. Larchmont Blvd. displays and sells his artwork in their store. The store manager, Morgan Stuart, said, “We had this blank wall here and Cruz’s work fit in perfectly. We sold one. We’ve also used plants in the store from Bloomin’ Sid’s. The vendors really help promote the block.”
Cruz said that by displaying his art on the street he sees people’s reactions, talks to them and gets to know them better than he would at a gallery. He likens the area to the Montmartre neighborhood of Paris.
Evie Brashner, who works at Flannel, 134 S. Larchmont Blvd., says the vendors in front of her store always ask permission before setting up. She hasn’t minded having them there. It gets people closer to the store instead of just walking by.
On the other side of the street, Kasim Williams, the manager of Res Ipsa at 143 N. Larchmont Blvd., said, “The vendors don’t bother me if they aren’t in front of my store.”
Another vendor, Stella Ousepian, who owned Bonne Chance on Larchmont for over 20 years and sells jewelry and hand-knit items, said, “One of the cosmetic stores gave me a hard time and asked me not to be there, so I moved.”
Melissa Farwell, director of coordination for California Certified Farmers Markets who operate the two on Larchmont, says, “I don’t feel like [the market] has lost any sellers because of the additional street vendors. Most people who come to the market want to support the market, since our sellers are vetted.”
Are they legal?
SHOPPERS STROLL down the sidewalk.
Street vending is an integral part of Los Angeles culture. It’s estimated there are about 50,000 sidewalk sellers throughout the city, yet only 687 active permits. That means the majority of people selling on the streets do not have a permit, essentially making their activity illegal.
However, in 2018, California legislation passed Senate Bill 946, which decriminalized street vending throughout the state. As the bill states, “It is the intent of the Legislature to promote entrepreneurship and support immigrant and low-income communities.”
That means vendors are now able to sell their wares without being criminalized for it. There are safety restrictions regarding where a vendor can place his or her stand, but sellers cannot be arrested.
In years past, the City of Los Angeles charged about $300 for a permit, which was unattainable for many. Now the cost is $27.51. However, the process to obtain a permit, particularly a food permit, is extremely difficult and one of the main reasons so few acquire them.
Council District 13 (CD13), of which Larchmont Boulevard is part, works with vendor organization Community Power Collective to educate and disseminate information about the permitting process and rules and regulations surrounding street vending. But it’s still complicated and difficult. They haven’t received any complaints about the activity on Larchmont.
“As the son of street vendors, I know the importance they have to our city’s culture and economy. We must create a system with residents, brick-and-mortar businesses and vendors that lets vendors operate legally while balancing the needs of the entire community,” said CD13 Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martinez.
If any residents or businesses in the area want to connect with CD13 about this issue, please reach out to business liaison Hector Vega at hector.vega@lacity.org.
Category: News
