EDITORIAL:Be open to street closure

The debate over whether to transform downtown Main Street into a pedestrian mall must seem like watching an endless loop of the movie “Groundhog Day” for longtime residents.

Every time this topic is raised, it’s like watching Bill Murray knock over that alarm clock as it plays “I Got You Babe.” But in the movie, Murray’s character at some point at least tries to learn from his mistakes.

In the Main Street debate, we hear the same complaint from merchants: It’ll hurt business.

Residents, meanwhile, have historically clamored for it. And, like any customer, they’re voting with their feet now that the city has shut down the main thoroughfare on Tuesdays for Surf City Nights. By all accounts — even the merchants’ — it’s been a rousing success.

So does it follow that it’s time to go for a permanent closure? We’re not quite ready to say that just yet, but it’s looking a lot like this experiment is working. Let’s see if it keeps up the momentum a month from now.

If Surf City Nights continues to draw thousands on Tuesday nights, then it’s time to start seriously thinking of a pedestrian mall on Main Street like Santa Monica’s Third Street Promenade. Last year, city leaders met with Santa Monica officials to study how they got it right. Surely, they came back from that meeting understanding the need for free parking nearby and the importance of having draws like a farmers market.

Main Street has been the partying grounds for rowdies for too long, especially on weekend nights. We would like Main Street to become a destination for families. It’s looking like Surf City Nights offers a great model for that.

So don’t automatically dismiss the notion, merchants. Try to keep in mind that old saw: The customer is always right. And when your neighbors are also your customers, that goes double.