At the November 7, 2022, Regular City Council meeting, Mayor Pro Tempore Sepi Shyne directed staff to return to the City Council with a report and list of new businesses that have opened in the City in the last two years. City staff produced a list of new businesses opened in 2021 and 2022, as well as businesses projected to open in the first half of 2023. In total, the list consists of over 100 businesses, including restaurants, retail businesses, fitness/gym uses, art galleries, hotels, and cannabis businesses, all of which are located in commercial districts.
According to the staff report, 22 businesses opened in 2021, 50 have opened so far in 2022, (the accurate number is 51 if you count Urbn Leaf, which had a grand opening last week) and another 12 are projected to open later this year. There are 17 businesses projected to open in the first half of 2023. Half of the new businesses are restaurants, bars, or coffee shops.
“Restaurants were one of the hardest hit sectors because of COVID-19 related restrictions
in 2020 and in the first half of 2021, so it is encouraging to see so many new restaurants
open over the last year and a half,” reads the Staff report. “The new restaurants have opened throughout the City, including within the West Hollywood Design District, which has typically been home to higher-end retail and showrooms. The addition of new restaurants in the Design District will further diversify this business district and will enhance its regional draw.
Economic and Business Development staff will continue to work to attract new businesses
to the city, while also working to retain existing businesses. This work will include a
comprehensive economic development study that staff will issue a Request for Proposals
for in December. This study will include an analysis of each of the City’s business
districts, including the current mix of businesses, gaps/demand not being met, and
strategies that City can utilize to retain and attract more businesses, including small
businesses and neighborhood serving businesses. At the same time as the economic
development study, staff will also be establishing a business roundtable to provide
feedback and information to staff.
The 51 businesses that have opened in 2022 so far, are as follows:
- Bravo Toast Restaurant January 2022 632 N Doheny Drive
- Marcell Von Berlin Coffee Lounge Restaurant/Coffee Shop January 2022 8619 Melrose
- Onizuka Restaurant (Japanese) January 2022 514 N La Cienega Ave
- OPVS Fitness (Annex Location) Fitness/Gym January 2022 8969 Santa Monica Blvd
- Untied LA Retail (Shoes) February 2022 645 N Robertson Blvd
- Miss Melbourne Coffee Coffee Shop February 2022 7326 Santa Monica Blvd
- Uncool Burger Restaurant February 2022 7881 Santa Monica Blvd
- Heart Weho Club/Bar February 2022 8911 Santa Monica Blvd
- YMLA Retail (Clothing) March 2022 8594 Santa Monica Blvd
- Lavo Restaurant March 2022 9201 Sunset Blvd
- DJ0 Threads Retail (Clothing) March 2022 8551 Melrose Ave
- Saatva Retail (Mattress) March 2022 8715 Melrose Ave
- Pisces Poke Restaurant March 2022 7100 Santa Monica Blvd
- RioZonas Acai Restaurant (Casual) March 2022 8603 Santa Monica Blvd
- Michael Cleary Retail/Showroom (Home Furnishings) April 2022 8731 Melrose Ave
- Junior Cookies Bakery (Cookies) April 2022 8703 Santa Monica Blvd
- OTD (On This Day) Retail (Clothing) April 2022 8580 Sunset Blvd
- State and Liberty Retail (Clothing) April 2022 8551 Melrose Ave
- The Artist Tree Lounge Cannabis Lounge April 2022 8625 Santa Monica Blvd
- The Woods, Dispensary Cannabis Dispensary May 2022 8271 Santa Monica Blvd
- The Faun’s Daughter Retail (Plants) June 2022 517 N La Cienega Blvd
- Soho House – Holloway House Hotel/Private Club June 2022 8465 Holloway Drive
- Cherry Retail (Clothing) June 2022 8475 Melrose Ave
- sapasi Retail (Clothing) July 2022 509 N Robertson Blvd
- Fulton’s Exhibit Art Gallery July 2022 8483 Melrose Ave
- Tail O’ the Pup Restaurant July 2022 8512 Santa Monica Blvd
- Irv’s Burgers Restaurant July 2022 7998 Santa Monica Blvd
- Madeo Restaurant July 2022 8490 Sunset Blvd
- Zarape’ Cocina And Cantina Restaurant July 2022 8351 Santa Monica Blvd
- Wolf and Badger Retail (Clothing) July 2022 8500 Melrose Ave
- Guess Originals Retail (Clothing) August 2022 529 N La Cienega Blvd
- Brow Ink LA Beauty/Personal Care August 2022 8710 Sunset Blvd
- Alter Clubs Gym/Fitness August 2022 605C N West Knoll Drive
- The Fleur Room Bar/Club August 2022 9201 Sunset Blvd
- Studio CLMBR Gym/Fitness August 2022 8599 Santa Monica Blvd
- Soho Home Retail (Home Furnishings) August 2022 8540 Melrose Ave
- KARMA Gallery Art Gallery August 2022 7351 Santa Monica Blvd
- Wrensilva Retail (Record Consoles) September 2022 8625 Melrose Ave
- Nomad Gallery Art Gallery September 2022 8748 Holloway Drive
- The Extreme Collection Retail (Clothing) September 2022 8543 Melrose Ave
- Zinc Café and Market Restaurant September 2022 8607 Melrose Ave
- El Pollo Loco Restaurant September 2022 8601 Santa Monica Blvd
- Butcher’s Daughter Restaurant September 2022 8755 Melrose Ave
- The Woods, Lounge Cannabis Lounge October 2022 8271 Santa Monica Blvd
- Crustica Pizza Restaurant October 2022 9045 Santa Monica Blvd
- King and Queens Cantina Restaurant November 2022 616 Robertson Blvd
- Great White Restaurant November 2022 8917 Melrose Ave
- Doughbrik’s Pizza Restaurant November 2022 8363 Sunset Blvd
- Ggiata Delicatessen Deli November 2022 7998 Santa Monica Blvd
- Dolly Shine Bar November 2022 8737 Santa Monica Blvd
- Urbn Leaf Cannabis Dispensary Late 2022 8477 Sunset Blvd
New Businesses slated to open later this year and in the coming year include:
- The Outsider Boxing Club Fitness/Gym November 2022 9085 Santa Monica Blvd
- Stella Restaurant Late 2022 8899 Beverly Blvd
- 76 Jem’s by Monica Hair/Beauty Late 2022 807 N Palm Ave
- Casa Madera Restaurant Late 2022 8440 Sunset Blvd
- Hudson House Restaurant Late 2022 9255 Sunset Blvd
- Our Place Retail (Home Goods) Late 2022 8507 Melrose Ave
- High Times Café Cannabis Lounge/Restaurant Late 2022 1201 N La Brea Ave
- Phillips Auction House Auction Business Late 2022 9041 Nemo Street
- Saltie Girl Restaurant Late 2022 8615 Sunset Blvd
- The Bird Streets Club Private Club Late 2022 9145 Sunset Blvd
- Or Bar Bar Late 2022 8228 Santa Monica Blvd
- Aeon Botanika/Element 7 Cannabis Dispensary/Lounge 2023 8448 Santa Monica Blvd
- Supreme Retail (Clothing) Early 2023 8801 Sunset Blvd
- Hauser & Wirth Art Gallery Early 2023 8980 Santa Monica Blvd
- John Reed Fitness Gym/Fitness Early 2023 8612 Santa Monica Blvd
- Drake’s West Hollywood Restaurant Early 2023 8747 Melrose Ave
- PleasureMed Cannabis Dispensary & Lounge Early 2023 7715 Santa Monica Blvd
- The Fantom Flower Cannabis Lounge/Restaurant Early 2023 8811 Santa Monica Blvd
- The Melt Restaurant Early 2023 7111 Santa Monica Blvd
- Win Wings Restaurant Early 2023 7111 Santa Monica Blvd
- Vondom Retail (Home Furnishings) Early 2023 8611 Melrose Ave
- A Sunset Restaurant Early 2023 8768 Sunset Blvd
- Uchi Restaurant Early 2023 9001 Santa Monica Blvd
- Sushi Nakazawa Restaurant Early 2023 145 N Robertson Blvd
- Lualdi Retail/Showroom (Doors) Early 2023 8784 Beverly Blvd
- Cult Gaia Retail (Clothing/Accessories) Early 2023 8440 Melrose Ave
- Wrapstar Restaurant Early 2023 8593 Santa Monica Blvd
- Barry’s Bootcamp Gym/Fitness Early 2023 8383 Santa Monica Blvd
To view the full list which includes the new businesses that opened in 2021, click on the link below:
https://weho.granicus.com/MetaViewer.php?view_id=&event_id=1408&meta_id=243928
Staff’s report is a little misleading, but then again it’s because the question Shyne asked them to answer is a distraction from the reality of what council’s ill conceived & enacted policies over the past two years have done to local small businesses in West Hollywood. To understand the impact of those policies, we have to know when those new businesses signed leases for their storefronts, applied for business licenses, submitted building permit applications, etc. Because many that opened in the past two years began the process before council’s new hostile policies…just because they opened does not signify that those… Read more »
Thank you. You have more brains than our council..you should run.
But how many survive 1 year???
How many have closed over the last year?
That’s great news, but how many closed in the last two years? Is there net-net growth?