Those who live in resort locales such as Malibu love the non-city ambiance, the natural beauty of the canyons and the spectacular seashore and are often envied for having chosen this unique place in which to live where all the Chamber of Commerce adjectives are actually true descriptions of everyday life.
Rarely does anyone notice or comment upon the negatives that living in a resort locale entails. For example: You cannot now find a store where Xerox services are available or a store where you can buy an ironing board cover in Malibu. You cannot even eat in a Chinese restaurant in Malibu, for crying out loud!
High rental prices have forced out the “Mom and Pop” stores only to be replaced by national and international boutiques. This is great for the hordes of visitors who visit each year, not so great for many of us who actually live here.
I have just broken a personal rule of never complaining without also presenting a possible solution to a perceived problem. I do not have an answer. My sincere hope is that the new City Council will investigate and solve or mitigate this uncomfortable, nagging irritant of a problem.
Ray Singer