Editorials

Just call the oak a learning tree

Mistakes happen. That's the way life is. Optimists actually embrace mistakes, calling them learning experiences. Last week a tree company hired by Old Town developers made a mistake. A whopper, actually. The company was supposed to cut down an oak tree, but not the oak tree they cut.

Good Samaritan Sue Sedgley, owner of Romantiques, even made a rescue attempt, but in a scene that might have been choreographed for a situation comedy, town staff assured her that the company had a permit to remove a tree.

Once the 20-foot oak was history, someone pointed out that it wasn't this tree but that tree that was supposed to be removed.

To their credit, Old Town developers owned up to the error immediately--calling the town to take full blame and to offer to make amends.

One could hardly say that the development and renovation of Old Town has been without errors and missteps. But in the past, the owners were not so quick to accept blame or offer remedies.

New owners have now taken over the shopping center. In a community that likes its businesses small and local, news that the huge Federal Realty Investment Trust had become the new owner was greeted with skepticism.

We still like our businesses small and local, but we will give Federal Realty this: The company has worked very hard to cooperate with the town, and specifically with neighborhood concerns. With its quick response to the oak tree comedy of errors, one might even credit Federal with having learned well from past mistakes.

Saving what's unique

The good news is that the popular Rinconada Pharmacy will remain in business. The bad news is that the new store at Vasona Station will be much smaller, thus forcing owners David and Vivian Matsuo to downsize.

One of the charms of neighborhood drugstores is that one can find everything from lipstick and Mother's Day cards to bows and Tabu perfume.

That pleasure will now be missing at Rinconada, which will be a pharmacy and medical supply store only. Unlike the big chains, however, this pharmacy still mixes compounds and can customize prescriptions.

Like many Los Gatos businesses, this store is unique. Like other one-of-a-kind businesses, it needs community support to stay open.

The neighbors who protested its closing say they'll be out in force to oppose a use permit for Longs, which is scheduled to move into the spot Rinconada Pharmacy is vacating.

There's value in fighting the good fight, in making one last stand to preserve the unique over the big chain. But in the long run, what will make a difference is whether the Rinconada Pharmacy's old customers find their way to the new store.

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