Chipotle is dead, Subway is dead, Taco Bell has been dead for some time.
Laguna Beach is slowing killing off every fast-food restaurant and sending a clear message to others: Don’t come to Laguna.
High schoolers better like Jersey Mike’s and Jack in the Box because that’s all they can afford. Those are the only two fast-food chains remaining in Laguna. Wahoo’s doesn’t count because it’s tough to get out of there for less than $10.
What happened to the attempts by Chipotle and Subway to open in downtown, you wonder?
Bureaucracy happened, politics happened, stubbornness happened.
Despite a near collapse of Laguna’s business districts – with rows of empty storefronts – Laguna leaders cling to an untenable vision. It’s a vision that still sees a quaint downtown village filled with cutesy art and outdated fashion.
The rest of the world, meanwhile, is moving on to Dana Point, San Juan Capistrano and Irvine, of all places.
One prominent businessman told me off the record that “parts of Laguna are starting to look like Watts on a bad day. And yet the city’s response is, if the plant is dead, let’s step on it.”
There’s no real attempt at reviving anything.
Both Subway and Chipotle suffered essentially the same fate: Laguna demanded too much and took too long. Subway wanted to go into the old Catmosphere location, 381 Forest Ave. Chipotle wanted the former Tommy Bahama spot, 400 S Coast Hwy.
On the one hand, it’s fair for the city to stick to its rules in order to maintain a certain business and aesthetic vibe. Plenty of bespoke cities do that. But on the other hand, the rules should not be a moving target, made up as the process inches along.
To be clear about the demise of Subway, it really had nothing to do with city staff but more about politics. Subway did have to jump through hoops but in the end, it was given a 5-0 approval by the Planning Commission to move forward.
Subway was happy and the bar had been set for other chain restaurants wanting to operate downtown. Unfortunately, before it went before the City Council, councilperson Toni Iseman reportedly pulled it from the consent calendar for “review.”
The move killed the application because it meant Subway could not open by summer. According to my sources, the city’s staff that worked hard on the project were very unhappy, along with all five members of the Planning Commission.
Unfortunately, Laguna Beach has a history of doing this – moving the goalposts or coming up with last-minute shenanigans. It’s infuriating to businesses that need to move quickly, capitalizing on markets, loans or interest rates.
And it’s not just downtown opportunities. Throughout the business community, there are consistent complaints of overzealous city rules and endless hurdles.
The city’s marketing team says Laguna is “open for business,” but the doors remain locked to many.
Both Subway and Chipotle would have been decent, healthy option for downtown visitors, students and others who can’t afford expensive meals.
Instead, you can bet there will be another overpriced restaurant in the Chipotle location eventually. And let’s see if it sails through the city’s byzantine rules unscathed.
Because Laguna Beach loves fancy restaurants. Others can try to enter the kitchen through the back door.
