Reaping what we Sow?

Many towns are concerned that their towns will turn into "zombie high streets" but don't think we are even closely there there yet. SHOP BURLINGAME! An example of national crisis (letter in the Daily Journal)

Editor, The Burlingame City Council had a meeting this week and Mayor Ann Keigrhan discussed how so many stores have closed in the downtown area. She told the public that she wants to have a meeting to talk about why this is happening. With all due respect to Ms. Keighrhan, it is obvious that Burlingame businesses are a reflection of what is going on in the U.S. economy and more importantly the fact that landlords in the downtown area began to raise their rental prices astronomically in the last decade that forced many mom and pop stores out of business. These landlords rushed to embrace the notion that their new tenants were chain stores they would be a steady source of income for many years. As we see now, chains are not immune to the economy. Bebe, Ann Taylor and Talbots are just a few of the chains we have lost this year. Landlords are now reaping what they sow. Michelle Ryan, Burlingame

- Written by Fiona