The so-called "outrage" was from three or four local liquor businesses (and friends of the families: e.g. Hogan).

The argument is not chain vs independent. Santa Cruz is littered with chains: banks, ice cream stores, sandwich shops, a major drug store, etc...

Chains and independent businesses alike should be encouraged to open in Menlo Park without the threats.

I am waiting for a 'concerned parent' to raise the spectre that this new store will sell drugs to our children........

I am surprised their are no picket signs in front of the building.

Give it time for the pickets to form & walk ! It will be interesting
to see who else complains and for lack of what reason.

Competition is good.
In the good old days before Walgreens there were two major independent drug stores Preuss and ??? on Santa Cruz and a third McQuarries on the Alameda.
There was also Alec's Pharmacy on El Camino where the Safeway now stands with its pharmacy. And of course Payless was there for a while.
Don't forget we have Menlo Park Pharmacy across from Menlo School, Baneth's on Willow at 101, and CVS(Long's) in Sharon Hts.
Wow, these drug stores are like weeds - they're everywhere. Speaking of weed the Menlo Park's must well known drug store was at VA Hospital in 1959 when the CIA-financed study named Project MKULTRA studied the effects of psychoactive drugs, particularly LSD, psilocybin, mescaline, cocaine, AMT, and DMT on people.

I am anxious to hear the roar of the crowd when MARIJUANA finally gets legalized next year.
Not a smoker, but will welcome the drop in crime and taxation money which will make us be able to make some repairs to some of our very old gas lines.
Also, anxious to hear about how smokers of pot will have to obey the same laws as cigarette smokers.
TAKE THE TAX MONEY.

That's the hilarious part about the (ongoing) BevMo histrionics- it only had to go before the Planning Commission because it is alcohol-only. A retail pharmacy is fine on Santa Cruz or El Camino, even if it's a chain. For that matter, Pottery Barn could move in and put the fussy, overpriced Flegel's out of business. Thank goodness we have Trader Joe's and Safeway keeping Draeger's semi-honest.

To compare Pottery Barn to Flegels is like comparing 2 Buck Chuck to Petrus or a comparing a Seiko watch to a Patek Phillipe Repeater. Flegels has the very best furniture. Yes it costs a lot; but the best does not come cheap. Pottery Barn could be built next door to Flegels and Flegels would never be in danger of being put out of business. Both stores address two entirely different market segments.

In the case of Pharmaca, I believe it is important to note that (a) the community is not saturated with pharmacy and sundry businesses, and (b) that a Use Permit was not required for this type of business and the use of the premises. Nor, since the closing of Preuss Pharmacy, which I miss, do we have a significant number of local independently-owned businesses that are affected.

To Hank Lawrence,
You make a few good points. BeMo is not like Beltramo's, but we have room in Menlo for both because they serve different types of customers. Pharmaca is not like Walgreen's, but we have room for both. Pharmaca's windows have to be less junky! And, Flegel's is not like Pottery Barn, but having PB come to Menlo would be welcomed, too, for those customers who want less expensive yet stylish furniture. Pottery Barn give Burlingame a great deal of tax money and we certainly could use that! Do I hear Mr. Flegel composing anonymous postcards to send to the electorate????

Hey Perspective--Your statement "Thank goodness we have Trader Joe's and Safeway keeping Draeger's semi-honest." You're calling Draeger's dishonest? What a stupid remark! Have they stolen something from you? Misrepresented anything? Committed fraud? Reneged on any promises they made to local interests, which they have generously supported? Let's hear about all of the self-righteous improvements you have made to the community. If there is something you don't like about them, then don't shop there. But to imply in a public forum that they are dishonest is way out of line!

Dear "Dose of Reality",

You seem to love overpriced groceries, and you take yourself *way* too seriously. Have you considered joining the Downtown Alliance and Chuck Bernstein's sad council campaign?

Sincerely,
Perspective 2