Out with the old, in with new

My name may be familiar to students who have been attending UCLA
for the last few years because I have been actively
working to create a community out of the North Village (the
apartment house neighborhood to the west of campus). But for those
of you who are new to Westwood and are anxious to know about
Westwood Village, I will tell you I have a long history here.
My family moved to Westwood in 1956.

Way back then, Westwood Village was a must-see destination, and
residents and tourists flocked to stroll the streets. They
witnessed world premiers of Hollywood’s latest spectacles and
brushed shoulders with movie stars walking along the
boulevard. They dined at charming restaurants like Mario’s
Italian Restaurant and finished off their evenings with a sundae at
Wil Wright’s Ice Cream Parlor.

That was then, this is now. Any community has its ups and
downs. But poor Westwood Village seems to have lost the history
which made it unique. I miss what it used to be. When I
was in junior high school my friends and I would meet in front of
the “VD,” Village Delicatessen.

The VD has been gone for years, and in its place: the empty
store to the right of the Fox Theater. Also gone is
Ship’s Coffee Shop where I could get a shipshape burger with
fries and a great pickle, or order breakfast, and toast my own
bread right at the table.

No more Ship’s… that’s been replaced by a
red-granite monolith.

Progress I guess.

I used to love walking up and down the aisles of J.J.
Newberry’s 5 & dime; I think I bought my first lipstick
there, but that’s gone too.

Okay, so things can’t always remain the same; time marches
on. But now nothing seems to pull me to the quaint little Village I
remember. And even if I wanted to succumb to the promise of
something new to discover there, unless I have the time to walk–it
just ain’t gonna happen. 

I haven’t got time to drive around and around looking for a
place to park. And that, in a nutshell, is what prevents the
return of Westwood. 

Parking. Easy, cheap parking serves as a welcome
mat. What a pleasure it is to shop at the Promenade in Santa
Monica or even Beverly Hills.

About seven years ago Westwood merchants decided to do something
about the Village’s tarnished star and formed what is known
as a “Business Improvement District,” the Westwood
Village Community Alliance. During that period of time some
seven million dollars have been spent to improve Westwood’s
image and lure businesses to try again. While there have been
some improvements such as Ralph’s and Victoria’s Secret
(which, no doubt, holds some excitement for student shoppers), the
comeback has been slow.

Walking along Westwood streets one still sees many vacant
properties. And my guess is the magic cannot be
returned to Westwood without parking improvements.

And what about the college crowd? They abandoned Westwood
merchants when Ackerman Union became the UCLA mall. The only
real draws for students in Westwood are the movie houses, and
Madison’s, Maloney’s and The Westwood Brewing Company
which all provide what UCLA can’t.

Soon a large project, Westwood Palazzo, will be built along
Glendon Avenue which has been the Village ghost town for many
years. Gone will be street meter parking; Glendon will be
widened, and two tall buildings will be erected on either
side. At street level will be retail shops, and above them
luxury apartments. 

And in the process, Westwood Village will lose a landmark
““Glendon Manor, the oldest apartment house in Westwood.

UCLA is blessed and cursed by being located smack-dab in the
middle of some of the most expensive real estate in the
nation: Bel Air, Beverly Hills, Holmby Hills, Westwood and
Brentwood. The prices for goods in the Village reflect
this. In order for students to shop here, they need wealthy
parents or a well-paying job.

But perhaps I’m not looking at the Village through the
eyes of a newcomer unburdened by Westwood
history. There’s always a big crowd waiting to eat at
California Pizza Kitchen, which is okay if you like restaurant
chains and waiting in lines. I’d rather walk a few doors
down Broxton to Damon & Pythias. Although the name might
conjure up grape leaves and such, it’s really fresh down-home
cooking. And the prices are reasonable.

If you like sweets, try Diddy Riese. Recently it was forced
to raise its prices from a quarter to thirty-five cents for one of
its mouth-watering chocolate chip cookies, but Mrs. Fields still
asks $1.19. There are jewelry shops, clothing stores from
upscale to bargain basement, hair salons and Oakley’s Barber
Shop (one of Westwood’s first merchants). And, of
course, first-run movies. 

It’s exciting and intoxicating to start a new chapter in
your life, leave home and begin college. Explore. My advice is
to take a leisurely stroll some evening to see for yourself what
the Village has to offer. While Westwood is still working on its
comeback, there are plenty of places worth at least a try.