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Browse archives: 2007 | 2006 | 2005 | 2004 | 2003 | 2002 | 2001 | 2000 | 1999 | 1998 | 1997 | 1996 | 1995Published on 01/25/1999 All articles from this issueNot too many beauty salons, council saysBy Joanne Griffith Domingue
Photo by Monique Schoenfeld, Town Crier Wanda Whittaker, who has had a downtown salon for 33 years, works out of the House of Daniel on Main Street. Whittaker doesn't see a problem with an abundance of salons because "they're all busy," she said. Los Altos officials decided last week not to limit salons. Town Crier Staff Writer The Los Altos City Council decided there is not an over-concentration of personal grooming services in downtown Los Altos. Council members considered the possibility of declaring a moratorium on these businesses. But at the Jan. 19 meeting, the council voted 5-0 to do nothing. "I believe in a free market," said Mayor Lou Becker. He said he did not want to get into regulation. The question of an over-concentration of beauty salons cropped up during one of the city council walk-and-talk visits in neighborhoods. At the council's request, city staff then looked at the number of salons in the downtown to see if the numbers were increasing. In 1994 there were 32 personal grooming businesses, in 1996 there were 29 and in 1998 there were 34, said Larry Tong, director of planning. These numbers suggest stability, not an influx, officials said. "I'm glad to see no trend, and therefore no urgent issue," said council member Kris Casto. Some salon operators think there are quite a few downtown salons. "On the face of it, there are too many," said Wanda Whittaker, owner of House of Daniel on Main Street. "But they're all busy. So it's OK. We have too many restaurants. But I go to all of them," she said. Whittaker has had a salon downtown for 33 years. Pam Simko, co-owner of Outrage, also a Main Street salon, said "It would be nice to see other types of businesses. We need more retail, more variety. But if I didn't already have a shop, and I had something to offer, I would feel upset that I couldn't do what I wanted to do." Simko has been at her Main Street location for 13 years. Bob Hatch, president of the Los Altos Village Association, a group that represents downtown businesses, told the council he would like "to push for a more comprehensive study of retail mix. But I don't think a moratorium (on personal grooming businesses) is the way to do it." |
