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# What a beach: preserve Perry’s
- URL: https://www.smdp.com/what-a-beach-preserve-perrys/
- Published: 2005-09-17T15:00:00.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-23T07:47:57.000Z
- Author: Guest Author
- Tags: Business, Pier, #archive-import, Homeless

This past week, Q-line asked: “What businesses would you like to see in the space currently occupied by Perry’s stands? Should things stay as they are, or would you like to see a change?”

Here are your responses: ✆ “I just can’t figure out what is wrong with this City Council in Santa Monica. I’ve always said get rid of every one of them. They took away the Boathouse. Now they want to take away Perry’s, which is a very good eatery and put something in there, whatever it is, I don’t know. As far as I’m concerned, they shouldn’t put anything in there. I hear that McDonald’s may be coming in. Well, McDonald’s has been in there before, and they did a very poor job. And as far as the City Council, they are doing a very very poor job. I don’t think they should be taking away all these eateries from people and then give them nothing.” ✆ “I say leave things as they are in that area. Perry’s cafe, rentals, and concession stands have served us well these 25 years, and are a pleasant mix already for that area. Let City Hall leave their grubby, greedy hands off the area. As usual, they are plan-ning to fix what doesn’t need fixing, instead of looking to fix what is glaring at them all over this city of so many awful problems.” ✆ “Here we go again. More bureaucracy from City Hall. Now they are trying to oust another business that’s been around 25 years. What plans do they have for Perry’s? Are they going to open some Hometown Buffets so they go down there during council meetings and stuff themselves into oblivion? That’s all they ever do, and I think it’s about time that the citizens of Santa Monica ask for a recall. If we do get a recall, they should all be forced to go to Jenny Craig.” ✆“Perry’s beach-front cafe’s are blue-painted, poorly-constructed eyesores that sell poorly-prepared junk food, and lend nothing to the aesthetics of the beach-front area and should have been demolished years ago. If food and drink must be sold along the oceanfront then I suggest a supervised aesthetically well-built indoor vending machine outlet. Tables may be arranged out front of these locations for those who wish to sunbathe while eating.” ✆ “Things should definitely stay as they are. Twenty-five years of consistently good service by these businesses needs to be recognized and commended. What we need the city administration to do something about is all the low-life that congregates at the beach, the parks and all around the city.” ✆ “Well, I think Perry’s beach cafe is just fine. But I don’t want no McDonald’s going in there. But if there has to be a change, let it be (an establishment that serves) vegan and good food, natural whole foods. Something healthful.” ✆ “Santa Monica should take Perry’s off the beach since it is an individually-owned business and since Santa Monica only likes big chains. It’s better to get rid of the small businesses. Auction off the sites to big chains that will pay the most money. That way the city will have more money to waste on the (homeless).” ✆ “I would prefer seeing restaurants that are more high-end. Most of the eateries on the beach are very low-end, and kind of crummy. They are outdoors with no shading. It would be real nice if Santa Monica had a lot of high-end eateries that were nice, shaded, maybe two-three levels, with quality food and drinks, etc.” ✆ “The Boathouse, Macerich, the endless development going on all over the city. The gentrification of this city is in full-swing. Way to go Santa Monica City Council.” ✆ “Here is another example of City Hall speaking out of both sides of its mouth, or maybe another part of its anatomy. They want mom-and-pop businesses to succeed in this town, to give it a small-town flavor, which they have helped destroy. You only have to look at the pier where they got rid of the Boathouse for a chain to come in there. Now they want McDonald’s to take over Perry’s Beach Cafe. I happen to think they do a very good job with their food, their rentals, the bicycles, the skates. The only complaint I would have is that they play their music too loud. But here is another example of getting big business in here so that City Hall can gouge more tax dollars that they can squander on their stupid ideas and politically-correct agenda.” ✆ “Well, here we go again, pushing the mom-and-pop companies out of Santa Monica. When will it end? Well, it will probably end when they’re all gone, when we have all the major corporations in here. It’s not the good-old Santa Monica I’d love to see, the way it used to be. It is pretty sad.” ✆ “Let’s keep Perry’s where it stands. It’s been a good focal point for Santa Monica. I’ve been here for over 25 years and I have enjoyed seeing it, I’ve enjoyed eating there. It’s great fun, and if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. The city of Santa Monica is getting greedier and greedier. Leave it. It’s a good thing.” ✆ “ Number one: We want Perry’s to be renewed. He could spruce things up a bit, but we definitely want Perry’s. Number two: We want our City Council to set economic development policies directed toward maintaining the small, local, beach-town community that we all love. That is, we don’t want high-end, tourist-serving vendors at the beach, and that includes 415 PCH. As we understand it, the city wants to turn it into a high-end resort...” ✆ “I think Perry should remain Perry’s. We don’t need another McDonald’s. You know, let’s have some diversity in this city and not just go with the big corporations.”

*Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on September 17, 2005.* [Read the original PDF.](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/smdp%5Fbackissues/091705.pdf?ref=smdp.com)