Topanga Canyon has been closed since March 11, due to its hillside crumbling after a particularly heavy spell of rain. The closure extends from Grand View Drive, just after the Topanga Library, to Pacific Coast Highway. Caltrans District Seven estimates that the 9.2 million pound landslide will be clear by the fall of 2024, if all goes to plan.
This road closure poses a specific problem not only to students who attend Calabasas High School and other neighboring schools, but also to the locally owned shopping centers near the Topanga Library, which are filled with small businesses.
Lots of businesses at Topanga Center are experiencing the decline in customers during this shutdown, and are hurting because of it, including Matt Doolin from Topanga Art Tile.
“It’s quiet in town. The winter has already been quiet because of all of the rain and it’s been a wet year, so that slows business down, and then right when it seems spring is coming, the road shuts down. Business is slow, big time,” says Doolin.
Looking on the brightside, Doolin explains that the decrease in traffic is a blessing, but not so great for the business. He also shares that with more people aware of the shutdown, more locals are coming in and trying to support smaller businesses.
“You know, it’s surprising, we have had some people come, and they actually shop, probably locals, because they are trying to support the businesses. I haven’t done any outreach yet, I mean my business is not a day to day sales thing, some of it is doing projects so I haven’t lost all revenue,” says Doolin. “Other people see the shutdown and go see what’s going on down [in Topanga Center] so there has been a little bit of a crowd in that manner.”
Busto and Sun Custom Hats’ owner, Enrico Busto, also had a decline of customers due to the shutdown, but is determined to make up for it with alternative ways.
“I am trying to do more with social media, bringing more people into the store and other local stores, but also to Topanga. To visit the waterfalls, the 5 best hikes, etc,” says Busto.
In addition to creative community outreach to bring in more customers, owners of shops near the shutdown had a town hall meeting on March 21 where Caltrans spoke a little bit about what was going on with the shutdown; explaining what their expectations were for the amount of time it would be closed.
“Caltrans came to tell people what they were doing and where they were at. Generally they were saying they didn’t have an answer of when it was going to be open,” says Doolin. “They have to get people on site, look at the problem, figure it out, and try to figure out what they’re going to do. Right now, they’re waiting for the rains to stop. Rumors are flying around that it could be closed for 2 months, 4 months, 6 months, so I don’t know.”
This influx of customers who are trying to shop locally is something that is felt by other businesses in the area as well, especially Canyon Gourmet, the local grocery store.
“I think it’s like, we’re not hurting as bad as other businesses because there’s a huge push for locals to shop locally,” says Lyric Latshaw, one of their employees. “People have been really intentional about showing up and being like ‘we’re trading all of our business we used to do at Vons, or Trader Joes, and Ralphs’ so we’re getting less people but more locals buying more.”
In an official statement from the Topanga Town Council, they disclose collaboration with the fire department about new modified routes for emergency evacuation protocols. They have also been working extensively with parents as well as school administrators at Palisades Charter High School and Paul Revere Middle School to improve transportation options and hybrid learning. They also work with small businesses, and found that they would not qualify for any type of emergency aid, but are looking for alternative ways to assist them.
“Supervisor Horvath is looking to see if any of our small businesses might be eligible for business disruption grants/funding at the County Level,” says the Topanga Town Council. “We have also reached out to our State representatives, whom we hope might be able to find or establish some supportive grants to help our unique entrepreneurs hang on during this protracted crisis.”
