My sense of what is happening in the local marketplace is no less than gut-wrenching. Even with all the "things are getting better" in the media, our reality is that local stores are closing.
Frustrated and a little bitter is the sense you get from statements made in the Grizzly article dated 2/23/11 (
Moonridge closing ), by Mike Gray, the owner of Wild Wings on Moonridge Rd.
Mike is not alone in his frustration. Neither is he alone in his sense of pending doom when looking at the horizon. It's a common theme when you talk to almost any small business owner these days. Yes, even those in the Village.
As for his complaint of a lack of identify or vision for the community, I disagree vigorously. That is an easy out and I hear it all the time and it's is just untrue. As far back as the 80's consultants and citizen groups have repeatedly come to the out-of-this-world conclusion that Big Bear Lake is a 4 season resort that serves visitors as it's primary (only) industry. Even in the 80's and as recently as last year, subsequent studies have come up with the same thing. All the reports have agreed that we under serve our customers when we are busy and struggle to survive when we are not busy. All the conclusions have been the same.. We need to make infrastructure improvements to provide a better customer experience when we are busy, and better develop our retail marketplace including restaurants, hotels and amenities to better compete with other destinations in the area.
For several years business owners have been urging the City Council to take action to support our local economy with new and fresh marketing, re-branding and easing of development code regulations that would allow the Big Bear Lake Marketplace to better compete with other destination marketplaces in Southern California. To spend improvement agency dollars for what they were intended for.. to make improvements and better the local economy.
Specific language has been used by me and others to focus on economic development. One clear need is to establish a fully authorized economic development commission to set goals for our survival and our future. To create a path to implement changes and guide the necessary spending to meet these goals. Other communities do this.
In March 2011 it will be two years since City Manager Jeff Matthieu responded to the Village Business Association and Charlie Brewster's
plea for economic development and said.. "We’ll see what we can attack in a powerful way". I'm embarrassed to tell folks what we have attacked at all.
The comments by Mike Gray have nothing new to add to the perception by Big Bear Lake small business’s that the City has failed to take any meaningful action that would have any chance to improve the immediate reality that continues to decimate our local economy. To my knowledge, there is still no plan to even address economic development.
Here are some of the most visible business closings over the past year or so.
The Vintage Restaurant. Big Bear Lake Central
Papa Jack's BBQ. Big Bear Lake Central
Bear Mountain Trading. Moonridge
Lakeside Home Decor. (Downsized to the Village) Moonridge
Friends Salon. Moonridge
Tradewinds Shop. Village
Blondie's Bar and Grille. Village
Pages in Time. Village
Grizzly Mountain Gourmet. Village
Michelle's Deli. Village
Alexandria's Dress shop. Village
Beary Crafty. Village (formerly Anything but Ordinary). Village
Kenai's Korner. Village
Heart of the West. Village
Edelweiss Books. Village
The Pub. Village
Big Bear Souvenir. Village
Equada Outfitters. Village
The Cave is lodging owner Dave Stone's newest venture in the Village. Stone bought the property (and the vacant lot next door) and has been remodeling the interior since February. The Cave will be a theater seating performance stage venue with a dance floor and VIP booths near the beer and wine bar. Seating capacity is around 350 and according to www.eventful.com there will be plenty going on starting this summer.
