A campaign is in play to save Pepy’s Galley and Phil Yoakum’s Bowling Supply, two local small businesses that have been a part of the Mar Vista neighborhood of Los Angeles for the past 40 years. Councilman Mike Bonin, who represents Mar Vista at City Hall, is scheduled to speak at an afternoon rally on Sunday, May 25, in front of Pepy’s Galley.
Both businesses face eviction on June 30, 2014 by the newest property owner, Bowlmor AMF. Within 48 hours of learning about the eviction, a grassroots coalition of community members amassed nearly 5,000 Facebook followers and almost 2,000 petition signatures to save the beloved local businesses. The coalition continues to gather members and is set to rally in front of Pepy’s Galley on the corner of Venice and Grandview Boulevards on Sunday, May 25 from 12 Noon to 3 p.m.
The rally is planned, according to organizers, as a way to support and attempt to save Pepy’s Galley and Phil Yoakum’s Bowling Supply from eviction by Bowlmor AMF, which is “the largest operator of bowling centers in the world,” according to the company’s website.
“The reason so many people have gravitated toward Mar Vista and Venice in the past decade is because these are real neighborhoods with souls,” Mia Duncans, who was born and raised in Mar Vista and started the “Save Pepy’s Galley Rally and Phil’s Too” Facebook page, stated. “Every time these developers come in and force on us the same cookie cutter businesses they are building in other parts of the city and all around the country, not only do they show no regard for us as a community but even worse, they suck out the very uniqueness and character that makes these areas so appealing.”
The rally is primarily intended to show support for these two small businesses.
“Ideally we want Pepy and Phil to stay where they belong in our community, but if we can’t stop the evictions then we hope the rally will get the word out to as many people as possible and hopefully new locations can be found for the businesses and/or new jobs for the employees,” Duncans added. “Most of these employees have been working there almost as long as the business owners. They are like family to so many customers. It is such a shame to see people’s lives destroyed along with our community’s history.”
