I noticed that the Green Mini Market at Holt and Palomares has already closed. If you are not familiar with the place, don't be confused by the name, this was no produce market. Nor was it painted green. It was a cigarette and liquor store. I'll take this closure as a sign that things on Holt are improving to the point where there are not enough ne'er do wells to support another liquor store. But I'm not sure how I'd balance that with the fact that I've seen a lot more mentally ill folks walking around town of late.
Another pending closure is Ken Mart, located next door to the 99 Cents Only Store on Towne. If you've ever gone to that 99 cents store, I know you know this place: it's the place that blasts the music incredibly loud at all times of the day and night. I've never been inside - for fear of further damage to my hearing. From what I could see, they sold high fashion for all ages. High fashion that is now at closeout, bargain prices.
Also closed, Pomona's one and only shoe repair place: Jerry's Shoe Repair at 1092 W. Second. Seems it's been eaten up by the upholstery/ furniture place next door. Kinda sad that you can no longer cobble local.
As for the Stater Bros on South Garey, well it is still closed. The building and parking lot still stand empty, other than the motorhome with a large "W" on it that uses the parking lot as it's home. I like to affectionately call this motorhome "Dub-yah." There's another motor home that's been passing many an hour in front of the still-open Stater Bros. on Garey and Alvarado. I call that motorhome "The HMS Pinafore" because it has "HMC" on the side and is as big as a ship (but twice as ugly).
In reading the paper this past week about the upcoming openings of Fresh 'N Easy supermarkets in surrounding communities, I could not help but think Pomona once again missed the boat. Fresh 'N Easy makes a point of going into markets which other grocery stores have historically ignored. Kinda sounds like Pomona, doesn't it? That's why they recently built in Compton, etc.
I just don't get why Pomona's prince never seems to come, yet the dented motor homes never seem to leave.
THE END
6 comments:
Jerry who ran the shoe repair on 2nd st passed away I quess its been a couple of years now.Also I would like to add is the DPOA who i work for now part time I will be cleaning up the tree planters on 2nd street in downtown Pomona.I will be there today(sunday)cleaning them up and to get them ready for christmas parade and to get them looking like they should back in the day when they first put them in.I have done 2 water fountains also I have been looking at old pictures of the mall to give me an ideal in what they did look like so if your out that way stop by and say hi :^)
yeah! Where's Pomona's friggin' Fesh and Easy?
F&E would be a great replacement for the Stater Brothers. The problem is that, unlike some of the really underserved areas like South Central or Compton, Pomona actually has a decent amount of name brand supermarkets in town. Staters, Food 4 Less, two Albertsons (although on either end of town), plus the three Cardenases and El Super, and the smaller independent markets. You really can't call Pomona a "food desert". F&E could probably do well at the old Stater's on the south end of town, though. Originally the former West Coast RV site (southeast corner of Foothill and Towne) was slated for a shopping center which would bring a full size supermarket and a grocery store. If F&E were to go there, it would compete with Sprouts and TJ's in Claremont, but sometimes that competition actually helps things out and attracts people.
Let's see, I've been here over 6 years now and on Indian Hill alone I've seen these businesses disappear: Food 4 Less, Weinerschnitzel, Radio Shack, La Favorita. Also Hollywood Video and Albertsons (these 2 technically in Claremont).
F&E or TJ would be great at the South Garey old Staters site. I also miss Osuna's Restaurant that became El Molcajete on Holt and Palomares which has shut down as well recently.
Well, Art’s Market is still in Lincoln Park. I was just in there the other day and had a great chat with Ray, who seems to own and run the place. Ze carries quite a few unusual beers too, things you won’t find at Stater’s, including one of my favorites “Blue Moon.” Ze complained to me that a lot of people complain to hir that ze charges too much for beer. Ze says that all a lot of people seem to want is cheap alcohol. I bought six bottles of one of the more exotic varieties and let hir know that I don’t mind paying a little more to support a local business. :)
(Don’t mind the gender neutral pronouns, that’s just my thing, Ray is what most people call a “he.”)
Speaking of another local business too, The Garden (http://www.thegardenonline.com/) on Garey that got burned down a couple of months ago is having an Herbfest this Saturday, Oct. 10th, and there’s going to be bunch of free classes on types of herbs, how to grow them, and how to use them. Anyway, I think it’s going to be a great event.
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