To students, Westwood Village often seems like a city of culinary landmarks: long-established eateries such as Diddy Riese and “Buck-Fifty” are practically UCLA traditions.
But to business owners, these establishments are more like the exception than the rule.
Westwood is notorious for having a high restaurant turnover rate, which local business owners largely chalk up to the difficult business dynamics in the Village.
Steve Fato, general manager of Asian restaurant Yamato, said it is “very, very difficult” to run a restaurant in Westwood ““ more so than in other areas.
“The Westwood community is very picky,” he said. “They demand for much.”
Part of the problem is the clientele breakdown, he said. Yamato serves both students on a budget and wealthier patrons looking for a high-end dining experience.
“High-end customers come in and they say, “˜It’s too cheap, there’s something wrong here,'” Fato said.
Yamato itself recently replaced Eurochow, an upscale fusion restaurant that closed down a couple of years ago.
Fato said while Westwood can be a bleak landscape for higher-end restaurants, fast-food places seem to be doing well.
Even so, not all fast-food eateries have prospered.
Few current students would remember U-Dog, which just a few years ago was a hugely popular hotdog stand that sold $1 sausages.
But as rent and food prices went up, U-Dog had to raise its own prices, which turned customers away and eventually forced the restaurant to shut down.
This year, The Stand opened to fill the hotdog void in Westwood.
The Stand is part of a chain of restaurants that manager Stephen Sanginito said he believes will be crucial in helping the eatery succeed.
“I think the problem is for independently-owned restaurants here,” he said. “It’s a lot easier when you have support behind the store.”
Though novelty can help any restaurant profit when it first opens, corporate backing is a sort of insurance even after initial interest wears off, Sanginito said.
But he added that he believes the changing business culture in Westwood is ultimately responsible for the high turnover rate among restaurants.
“Westwood isn’t what it used to be,” Sanginito said.
Twenty years ago, Westwood was a popular nightlife spot, drawing crowds from all over Los Angeles.
But gang activity in the area eventually led to a shooting in the ’80s, and the Village’s popularity dropped off after that.
Pressure from property owners has helped maintain Westwood’s quiet atmosphere ““ there are stringent restrictions on dancing, liquor and noise.
Sanginito said he notices it most on the weekends, when The Stand’s business typically dips.
“That was something that really surprised me, the weekends here,” he said.
“Either students go home, or they’re here all week and they want to go somewhere else. There’s nothing that draws people to Westwood.”
He added that he believes revitalizing the shopping scene would help bring people in, as would adding parking.
“There are a lot of vacant stores, which is never a good sign,” he said. “You’ve got your museums here, you’ve got your theaters here, so there’s no reason retailers shouldn’t be here.”
Chris Reich, the owner of Mio Babbo’s, which has been in business on Gayley since 1977, also said revitalizing the Village would help curb the restaurant turnover rate.
“Westwood is a cute little town and they really need to work on it,” he said. “There are so many cute little towns that have feeling, … maybe more little fairs or functions. They have the film festival ““ that’s always kind of a nice thing.”
He added that high rents likely account for some of the financial problems restaurants experience in Westwood.
But ultimately, Reich said it all comes down to what a restaurant can offer its customers.
“A lot of these places think they know how to run a restaurant and cook food, and then they open up and it’s like, “˜Oh my God,'” he said. “Of course it’s all about money, but making the person happy is kind of what I’m all about.”