Here’s some advice to current and upcoming business owners: Learn about the neighborhood in which you plan to establish your store before your grand opening. Opening your doors to the public before considering your surroundings may demonstrate the vast divide between your values and those of the community your business sits in. Considering the rapid changes in low-income neighborhoods — like the gentrification that has hit Echo Park rapidly — residents are being left with no choice but to accommodate a business that does not reflect the diverse culture of the community. 

This summer, Echo Park could not catch a break, with businesses leaving and new ones remodeling in the same space. Señor Fish, Buy and Save, Ms. Donuts and Echo Park Fashion vanished in the span of just three months — all businesses that were owned and represented by the diverse population of the neighborhood. New, expensive businesses — like The Hunt Vintage and The Stronghold Climbing Gym — have begun remodeling in vacancies that used to be Buy and Save as well as La Guadalupana Market. Both previously provided affordability to the community, unlike these two incoming businesses. 

The Hunt Vintage was initially operating in downtown Los Angeles. It is wonderful to have a new home store, as Echo Park has yet to see one since the departure of the Casablanca Furniture store — if only their furniture were not equivalent to the average rent in Echo Park. This neighborhood sees an average rent of $1,824 per month, and The Hunt Vintage currently sells furniture ranging from $550 to $2,600 per piece.

The Stronghold Climbing Gym currently sells its monthly memberships at $95 per adult — it is not a surprise that high-cost gyms have moved to Echo Park, as one had already previously had been placed and factored into the overall gentrification of the area. The neighboring Pharos Athletic Club sells its yearly membership at $335; over and over, high-end businesses have opened their doors in Echo Park but only accommodate the wealthy residents moving in. cantiqLA, The Hunt Vintage, Pharos Athletic Gym, Lassens and countless coffee shops have yet to cater to the area’s low-income residents based on their pricing.

My question remains: Why move your business to a low-income neighborhood? Businesses must learn about the community as they search for locations to place their storefronts. Understandably, the search for a location can be challenging, but business owners must be mindful of their real estate decisions. Otherwise, they will face problems of not representing and alienating longtime residents — further contributing to gentrification. 

When an owner opens up their business, their prices often neglect to consider the community’s needs and budget. Therefore, businesses must be mindful and avoid pricing out their neighbors. This lack of consideration has been seen throughout Echo Park, as $335-per-month gym memberships put off residents and drive in wealthy individuals who need to be more conscious of the neighborhoods they enter as well. Through these changes, it is essential to be mindful of the residents’ reactions, feelings and thoughts. 

When a business does not represent the community and only carries high-end services, the community will feel as if there is no trust, as displacement will occur and residents won’t feel represented. In response to these changes, businesses have seen tagging on their gates, comments on their posts and anger from community members. However, it is not just because the community is “mad”; it is due to their disappointment that a business does not cater to them, despite deciding to sit in their neighborhood. As these reactions arise, businesses must understand their anger and learn to accommodate the community instead of raising their prices.

Gentrification kills culture — and businesses must learn about the community before signing their leases. Murals in Echo Park have been painted over as a result of cantiqLA and Jersey Mike’s arrival and remodeling. Spray-painted fences with explicit language and graffiti were written in their place, but what can you expect if you are driving out a whole community? 

At this point, Echo Park can not take another high-end coffee shop, bar or fashion store, the prices of which limit residents to window shopping instead of actually purchasing the item. Residents must feel welcomed in the community they migrated to, reside in and spend generations living in. The history of L.A. has no meaning when gentrification washes away the culture and displaces them to nearby counties instead of protecting them. Businesses must do a better job to be a resource to the community — or not bother coming to low-income neighborhoods at all. 

When supporting a small business, consider whether it supports the community around them — most of the time, their prices tell the answer. As for businesses that aim to bring themselves to Echo Park, we have had enough. Do your research; if not, do not be surprised by the community’s response.