EDITORIAL

Are these more nails in the coffin or wake-up calls? That question

must be answered at Triangle Square as both Whole Foods Market and Johnny

Rockets restaurant announced their departures this month.

Johnny Rockets has already closed shop, while Whole Foods will head

out in April. Officials at Johnny Rockets said their restaurant could no

longer thrive at the center because it’s not busy enough. The necessary

foot traffic simply doesn’t exist as it would somewhere like South Coast

Plaza.

Officials at Whole Foods echoed such sentiments and further said the

market’s underground location proved inconvenient for customers.

Previously, Ralphs had filled the 4,200-square-foot store, but Whole

Foods took over after acquiring that particular Ralphs. It’s important to

note, however, that Whole Foods has never had to close a store before.

While these recent closings at Triangle Square are obviously something

to fret about, they aren’t the only ones. Previously, restaurants such as

Sfuzzi and What’s Cooking bid adieu. Virgin Megastore, once two levels,

lopped one off and is now one story.

Who’s next? Powerhouses still left are Virgin, Niketown and Barnes &

Noble.

Many residents in Costa Mesa and on the City Council want to see

improvements made to the city’s Westside. While we couldn’t agree more

that they’re needed, we must also push for changes to ensure Triangle

Square’s vital signs improve.

Triangle Square’s management officials said in October that the

192,000-square-foot center is in the planning stages of a major overhaul.

As of then, there were five vacancies at the center. The overhaul appears

to be a great step in the right direction, but it appears it’s needed

sooner than later in today’s suffering economy.

Some of the center’s problems are accessibility. It’s in the center of

Harbor and Newport boulevards and 19th Street. Newport is especially busy

there, and drivers often try to avoid the area. Parking garages also

deter would-be shoppers.

But what it all comes down to are obvious warning signs of a shopping

center in need. It needs a shot in the arm and only creative thinking can

provide it. We’re glad to hear officials at Triangle Square have plans in

the works, and we can only urge them to put a rush-order on it.

We’d hate to lose a wonderful thing.