Tough times on Ventura Boulevard

You could probably tell this story from many streets in Southern California. Dana Bartholomew of the Daily News picks Ventura Boulevard in Sherman Oaks for an eye-opening if not surprising look at merchants struggling in the recession. It's about eateries that can't sell appetizers, salons that feel empty and more. Even the upscale are cutting back:

For mom-and-pop storekeepers along Ventura Boulevard, the gulf between success and failure can be the 10 feet from shop to curb.

That's 10 feet of sidewalk from the cafe to a hungry diner. Ten feet from the hairstylist to an unkempt mop. Ten feet from the tailor to a baggy suit.

But during a year-long recession when clients have put off spending, the stretch of concrete leading up to any business can seem as vast as a barren desert.

"I haven't seen it this slow in 20 years," said Gail Eisemann, manager of La Frite Cafe, who on one recent Monday had only seen one customer step off the sidewalk into her longtime patio bistro before noon. "Monday used to be one of our busiest days."

--Shelby Grad

Photo: Sherman Oaks Antique Mall. Credit: Los Angeles Times