Aptos shopping center gets thumbs up for remodeling, thumbs down for communication
There are a lot of sweet options at the Baskin Robbins in Aptos’ Rancho Del Mar shopping center, owner Keang Lee’s favorite is Jamoca Almond Fudge.
But an off the menu, a bitter flavor was served Sept. 1.
“We got the 30-day notice since we don’t have (a) lease anymore, that we have to get out,” Lee said.
TRC Retail, based in southern California, took over the shopping center two and a half years ago. Now, the company wants to remodel.
About half a dozen stores without leases were given 30 days to leave with no promises they’d be invited back.
“I feel very disappointed at first, and I was angry obviously, you know, because this is our livelihood,” Lee said. “We were hopeful that, you know, in a few more years, we can sell the business and pay off our mortgage, you know, and our debts and all the business debt and then maybe retire.”
On Wednesday, Lee worked hard to make some final sales.
Some businesses like Aptos Shoes and Apparel are lucky to have a lease, but owner Merill Lehrer said his neighbors’ departures hit close to home on many levels.
“The two and half years from when they assumed the ownership of this center, stores all around here started dropping out, and at a certain point, a little over a year ago, I noticed my sales were starting to decline,” Lehrer said.
Shop owners and customers gave the remodel a thumbs up, but when it comes to communication about the construction, that got a thumbs down.
“Not a lot of fun to be in a situation like this where it took your landlord a long time to figure out what they are going to do and the impact and they’ve not really owned up to the impact to the merchants that are left behind,” Lehrer said.
As for Lee and Baskin Robbins, he said he might look into opening a new one.
“Even (when) they are angry, they come in and they are angry, they go out and they are happy. That’s the joy of it,” Lee said.
TRC Retail did not respond to KION’s request for comment at the time this article was published.
