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# Q-Line asks whether Santa Monica is losing its soul as old businesses close
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/073102-story/
- Published: 2002-07-31T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T00:34:42.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Opinion, Montana, #archive-import

It seems that one by one, Santa Monica’s old-school institutions are leaving town. Places like Midnight Special Bookstore on the Promenade, the Aero Theater on Montana Avenue, the Santa Monica Playhouse on Fourth Street and the Boathouse restaurant on the pier, have either closed up, are closing up or may close up.

Many people cherish these places not just because of what they provided, but because they collectively make Santa Monica what it is — a funky, cool beach town.

But as these long-time businesses continue to disappear, many people wonder what Santa Monica is becoming.

So this week Q-Line wants to know: “Is Santa Monica losing its soul? Why or why not?”

Call (310) 285-8106 with your response before Thursday at 5 p.m. We’ll print them in Friday’s paper. Please limit your comments to a minute or less; it might help to think first about the wording of your response.

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on July 31, 2002.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/073102.pdf?ref=smdp.com)