Former employee Phyllis Bethel retired five years ago but came back to the shop recently to help Hensley.
Bethel said she, like many community members, wonders about the recent appearance of “going out of business” signs along the boulevard.
“A lot of us seem to be going out at about the same time and it’s kind of sad. Everyone thinks it’s got to be the economy, and I think it is, to a certain extent,” she said.
Although Hensley’s decision to close Bronson Health Products wasn’t financial, with time that could have become a problem, Bethel acknowledged.
“Our customer base has a lot of older people, and many have moved away with their children, gone into retirement homes or died,” she said, adding, “We really appreciate our customers patronage and loyalty through the years, and we’ll miss dealing with them, but though we’re sorry to go, it’s time.”
A lack of customers at Triangle, a Fashion Lounge, a high-end clothing store, also in the Plaza de La Cañada, is the primary reason storeowner Jody Hughes decided to close her business after only about 18 months of operation, according to store manager Madeleine Alcala.
Hughes, who lives in the Sylmar area, has a similar store that’s thriving in Lake Arrowhead. However, despite Hughes’ support of several community programs in La Cañada, she wasn’t able to establish a customer base in this city, Alcala said.
Hughes also was disenchanted with the location after being told she couldn’t add new awnings and make other improvements to her facility, since Von’s corporate office had planned to renovate the plaza. That renovation was put off, and recently Hughes was told the renovation was canceled, Alcala said.
“It’s sad, but it was very difficult for us here,” she added.
Up the boulevard, at The Pack Rat, a packing and shipping company that also opened in 1993, the economy played a part in helping Jack and Barbara Cochran decide it’s time to close up the shop and retire, the couple’s grandson, Dylan Cronin, 22, said.
Cronin grew up in the La Crescenta area and has fond memories of helping his grandparents out in their shop throughout his childhood.
“It’s sad, but the business has only been breaking even for the past five years, and this year my grandparents were flat out losing money, so that influenced their decision of when to retire,” he said.
When the Pack Rat closes its doors tomorrow (Friday) it will reopen for about a week to sell tables, boxes, and other office items, until everything is gone, Cronin said.
