This week I took the time to visit and talk with the owners of several small businesses along Bouquet Canyon, including Marci’s Sports Bar & Grill, Twisted Kazuyo Restaurant Caterer, Stamp and Mail Center, Bouquet Plaza Liquor, and 7-Eleven Bouquet Canyon.
The heartbreaking reality was the same at every stop: They are losing thousands of dollars every day. Their losses ranged between 30% and 70%. Some have already started dipping into their life savings just to stay afloat and some will not last 11 months. That’s how long Bouquet Canyon Road is scheduled to be closed as a result of the Lennar development of 375 new homes.
These are not large corporations. These are local proprietors; local residents just trying to provide for their families and live out their dreams of being business owners.
They are not opposed to the building of new homes. Their opposition lies in the prolonged road closure that is slowly putting them out of business.
Something must be done. Someone must recognize that protecting and supporting the survival of these small businesses is equally important as expanding our housing supply. We should not have to choose one at the expense of the other. Lennar, time for you to step up!
Valerie Bradford
Saugus
