[dropcap size=big]R[/dropcap]uben Flores’s antique typewriter repair shop has been a fixture of the urban landscape in Highland Park for decades. So he naturally felt like he was going into shock when he was confronted with the prospect of losing his place of business.
His landlord came into Flores's shop one early morning in March to report that he will raise his rent by more than 250 percent.
Precipitous jumps in rent are nothing new to long-time shopkeepers in Highland Park. They’ve been feeling the pinch for years, as landlords decide to raise rents to current market value in one of the “hottest” neighborhoods in L.A.
The decision by landlord Michael Saghi came out of the blue, according to Flores. He walked into his small shop packed to the rafters with antique typewriters in varied states of neglect to deliver the news that rent goes up to about $5,300 from its current $1,600 — an increase of $3,700 all at once.
For Flores, who has been doing business at 5722 North Figueroa Street since 1983, that rent increase might mean an end to nearly four decades of business. The 55-year old says he'd be forced to leave his 1,200 square-foot retail space.