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Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
Construction in and around the Town and Country Village and throughout downtown Sunnyvale has made doing business difficult for some stores. Shop owners often complain about the lack of parking.
Growing Pains
By Daniel Hindin
Mike and Julie Campbell have been in business in Sunnyvale's Town and Country Village for 18 years. They own the Fireside Stamp Company, a stamp collector's paradise. Over the nearly two decades they've been in business, they've earned loyal group of longtime customers who've frequented their store for years. But now, suddenly, many of their patrons don't show up anymore. What's the cause?
"Well, it could be a coincidence," says Campbell with a hint of sarcasm in his voice, "but my business slowed down right when all of this downtown construction began."
As the wave of construction continues to hit the heart of downtown Sunnyvale, and the city blocks off streets and closes entire parking lots, many residents and businesses find much to complain about. Business owners like Campbell point to decreases in customers and purchases, and they blame the city. Their biggest complaint: lack of parking.
"There has been a lot of confusion about what's going on around here," says Campbell. "[The city has] tried to instigate things that on paper sound like a good idea. They offer valet parking. But in order to do that, they've eliminated what appears to be half of the spaces around."
According to city officials, the city reserves about 75 spaces for valet parking during peak times.
Campbell and other Town and Country business owners claim most of the spaces reserved for valet parking remain unused most of the time. They say that most of their customers don't want to use the valet despite the fact that the city offers the service for free.
One city valet worker who requested anonymity agrees.
"On Monday and Tuesday we probably park about 20 cars all day," he says. "Wednesday through Friday it's up to about 50 or 60."
"My customers tell me that they wouldn't trust anyone with their cars," Campbell maintains.
As a result of their lack of trust, Campbell's customers face a choice--park a few blocks away and walk that distance, which is easier said than done for his predominantly elderly customers, or don't come at all. According to Campbell many choose the latter.
"My real faithful regulars find a way to make it in," he says, "but the bottom line is that I've noticed a real decrease in casual customers."
Photograph by Jacqueline Ramseyer
The Quilted Heart, a crafts store in downtown Sunnyvale, has experienced serious difficulties in maintaining business since construction began. So much so that co-owner Carol Kennedy recently decided to close up shop.
Carol Kennedy, co-owner of The Quilted Heart, echoes Campbell's sentiments.
"Everyone is complaining," she says. "Business has been generally off a bit."
Kennedy says that many of her customers have received parking tickets while they shop at her store.
She says that because so many spaces are reserved for valet parking, people fill up the non-valet spaces very quickly. Soon after the business day begins, only the reserved valet spaces remain open. When more people drive downtown throughout the day to do their shopping, they park in those open valet spaces and are consequently ticketed.
Even with these problems, some store owners, such as Christine Kendall of Yum Yum Tree, keep a more positive outlook on their situation.
"It's hard for our customers to get to us," Kendall says. "They complain about the parking. But it's just a thing that we have to deal with. You just have to fight your way through. It's impossible not to be impacted, but we're looking forward to when [redevelopment] is done and the new customers it will bring in."
But Campbell argues, "People say that in three or four years business will be great, but what am I supposed to do until then?"
Karen Davis, Sunnyvale's Economic Development Manager, says the city is doing all it can.
"We want to assist the businesses during this process," she says. "We're constantly evaluating what's working and what's not. If something is not working, we want to fix it. If it is working, we want to make it better."
Davis says the city is planning a series of events in the near future in an attempt to draw people downtown.
"We're trying to cover all of the different bases," she says. "We're going to meet with representatives of the downtown businesses to see what else we can do."
But Davis can't do anything to help Kennedy and The Quilted Heart at this point.
"Anyone who can hold on [until the construction ends] will benefit," Kennedy admits. "We knew this [slowdown] would happen, but we thought we could hold on."
But as it turns out, Kennedy's hopes didn't come true. She recently made the heartbreaking decision that she will have to close her store. The Quilted Heart will be out of business as of the end of February.
"Did the [city] cause [us to close our store]?" she asks herself. "No. Did they add to it? Definitely."
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Sunnyvale, California Since 1994
