Community Corner

Should City Government Prevent a Yogurt Shop from Opening?

Chime in with your thoughts about a business that wants to prevent a similar store from starting up nearby.


A yogurt and ice cream shop is slated to fill a vacancy, the former MetroPCS mobile phone store, at 8 W. Park Ave. in Long Beach, the prospective owners of which are scheduled to seek a waiver for off-street parking requirements at Tuesday’s City Council meeting. But some business owners oppose this resolution.  

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At the April 16 council meeting, Eric Berkowitz, owner of Tutti Frutti, a frozen yogurt shop at 28 W. Park Ave., expressed concern that a similar business would open just a few doors down from his storefront. Berkowitz told the council that he and his competitor, Red Mango, at 32 E. Park Ave., are asking the same question: How can the city can possibly allow a business to open near two similar stores?

Berkowitz also inquired about the life of leases for new businesses opening shop in the city. “The resolutions that come up as far as granting for waivers, does the council review these leases, to see if they are long-term leases or short-term leases or summer leases?”, asked Berkowitz, who worries that some stores may come in for three months and then leave.

Our questions to you are this: Does an (existing) business have a right to have government prevent another similar business from opening in town? Further, does the government have the right to review the leases between a property owner and his tenants?

Let us know your thoughts in the comments below: 

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