HomeMy WebLinkAbout7/20/2021 Item 7a, RussellDelgado, Adriana
From: Ray Russell <
Sent: Monday, July 19, 2021 9:58 AM
To: E-mail Council Website
Subject: 900 Higuera Street Parklet
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My name is Ray Russell and I own We Olive San Luis Obispo. We have been a tenant at 958 Higuera Street for 14 years.
We chose Higuera Street and feel lucky to have secure a location because of the high foot traffic and high visibility.
Unfortunately, for over a year now we no longer enjoy our prominent location and visibility as we currently are behind
umbrellas, table & chairs of a neighboring business 964 Higuera Street who occupies the space in front of our store 958
Higuera Street.
While we really like our neighbors (it would matter who occupied the space) and enjoy a pleasant neighbor relationship
their occupying the parklet in front of our store front has a negative impact on our business.
As you know, parking downtown continues to be an issue for a lot of local residents and visitors as well. Many residents
no longer visit the downtown core because of the hassle of downtown parking (customers mention this on occasion).
The parklet in the 900 block of Higuera Street occupy's the two and only parking spaces on the right side of the 900
block of Higuera. This prevented customers having pick up service at our store.
Visibility is another issue as we no longer have a clear view of our store (We Olive SLO) from cars passing by and
pedestrians on the east side of the street. We are a retail store and visibility of our store front windows is critical to our
success. If you look at any retail store on Higuera they all have large prominent windows and displays. The issue is if the
parklet was in front of the 964 Higuera Street location and not in front of 958 Higuera there would not be an issue but
the fact that a neighboring business occupies a space in front of another business is unfair.
Farmers Market use to be a lucrative three hours for our store but with the Parklet in place people walk right past our
store because of the parklet and rails blocking access from the street to the sidewalk from the beginning of Morro Street
past our location on Higuera Street heading north.
Finally, I use to blow and pickup leaves and debris for the entire sidewalk clean each morning from 952 to 958 Higuera
Street. Because of the early occupancy of the parklet this is no longer an option and because of the close proximity of
the ficus tree and food debris left behind it can become quite challenging to keep our block clean.
I feel one business should not profit from expanded space at the expense of another business by occupying space in
front of a neighboring business.
Please consider removing the parklet located in the 900 Higuera Street location as all businesses are now back to being
able to have pre pandemic occupancy and while the parklet is a bonus for 964 Higuera it is negatively impacting business
at 958 Higuera.
Once again, It's nothing personal whomever occupied the space in front of our business we would ask the city
reconsider the effect of another business occupying space in front of another business.
Your time, efforts and consideration are appreciated.
Ray Russell
We Olive SLO
958 Higuera Street
San Luis Obispo, Ca 93401
Ph: 805-595-1376
rrussell@weolive.com
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