By Jeff Hall
As you might or might not be aware, a new shopping area called “Palisades Village” just opened up in the Palisades, where Mort’s Deli and lots of little shops used to be – on Swarthmore, just north of Sunset.
Brentwood resident Rick Caruso is the developer, and he’s been given big kudos by members of the Pacific Palisades community for listening to the locals when it came to planning out what kinds of stores and services to include in Palisades Village.
I zipped on over the other day, on a Sunday, the second day Palisades Village was open.
I have always thought Rick Caruso might be the “white knight” who will eventually figure out what to do with the Charlie Munger property, so I wanted to see what the new place looked like.
My first impressions were very favorable.
Brentwood resident Rick Caruso and his dog made the rounds, greeting visitors.
I really liked how clean and well-organized everything seemed. There were people in orange vests guiding traffic and it was really easy to get in (and later out of) the big underground parking garage.
Once we got up to ground level, it was especially fun and inviting to see how many people were just strolling around, checking things out – and actually talking to one another. There was a nice mix of old and young, dogs, baby carriages, teenagers and various ethnicities.
People were standing in line for donuts, ice cream cones and candy. Musicians were playing before an audience sitting down on blankets in a grassy area. The place was really humming; people seemed happy and friendly.
We don’t have such a place in Brentwood. Where, in Brentwood, can one simply go and hang out?
Within moments of my arrival, I found myself face to face with the man himself – Rick Caruso. He was meeting and greeting the new patrons.
I told him many in Brentwood wanted him to take over the Charlie Munger property and do something with it.
“I’d like to” was his immediate response.
I still like the idea of a retirement village at the Munger property, but just about anything would be better than what we have now – a boarded up building and a big empty lot with no real future in sight.
Rick Caruso was busy shaking hands, so there was no time to chat, really. Maybe for our next issue.
There is a cute little movie theater there, not yet open. One lady I talked to, from the Palisades, said how much she was looking forward to having a movie theater within walking distance.
She explained that it’s not easy to get from the Palisades to Santa Monica or West LA just to see a movie. I feel the same way about Brentwood. Wouldn’t it be nice to have a small theater in the neighborhood?
As my wife and I continued our walk, it began to feel to us like much of Palisades Village was rather upscale. I saw a dress I thought would look nice on my wife and urged her to check it out. She said there was no way she could afford the dress and didn’t want to go in.
I pushed her a bit. She asked me how much I thought the dress cost. I guessed $200 and then we went inside. It was close to $800.
“See?” said my wife.
Many of the stores looked quite fancy. I personally think our society has maxed out on luxury goods, but maybe that’s what it takes for a place like Palisades Village to work.
We did find a great burger-and-beer place, Hanks, that seemed very homey. We could use one of those in Brentwood, too.
The overall vibe was fun. There was a flower stand built around an old VW van with a surfboard popping out of the sunroof. Nearby was a popsicle truck.
Then we found the bookstore – oh yes, a bookstore. It’s a new Amazon Books physical store, with books and plenty of gadgets. Again, pretty fancy – but it’s a bookstore, nonetheless. Nice.
Inside Amazon Books, my wife and I bumped into our dentists, Brentwood residents Maryam Hadian and Pouria Sadri and their two young daughters, who go to Kenter Canyon Elementary.
“We need a place like this in Brentwood,” said Maryam.
When I think of what we need in Brentwood – and I’m only one voice here – I think a small movie theater, a bookstore and a few casual restaurants (with bars) would be great.
I think a nice Mexican restaurant would be a big hit – and a very casual coffee shop to replace Early World.
What makes Palisades Village work is all the walking around. You feel like you’re on an exploration, and everywhere you go, you bump into new people, new things to see.
Brentwood already has plenty of upscale stores – and now the Palisades does as well. I think what’s missing in Brentwood is a gathering place.
If Caruso could build something on the Munger property that’s casual and homey – within a complex that included a retirement/assisted living facility – that would be ideal.
We need such a place in Brentwood and the fear of traffic impacts would go way down.
I gave Rick Caruso my card. Maybe soon the Brentwood News will have the opportunity to interview him. Of course, this isn’t just up to Rick Caruso. For Caruso to acquire the property, Charlie Munger must be willing to sell at a reasonable price.
Some speculate he’ll not do this in his lifetime, he’s that mad at Brentwood for how some treated him when he was trying to get Green Hollow Square approved.
I like Charlie and indeed think he was treated rudely. I hope we can do it differently next time – and soon. It’s time to move on and I hope Charlie can find forgiveness in his heart.
