Burgers & Blockbusters

The other day, I was passing by a local burger restaurant which I never go to, when I saw a familiar face. It was my old friend Sonia, former owner of Irv's Burgers, a longtime favorite West Hollywood eatery which sadly closed its doors last year -- forced out of business by rising rents, taxes and insurance. Sonia now works directly across the street from the original Irv's location, where she'd thrived for over fifteen years before relocating up the street and then, ultimately shutting down for good.

The restaurant where Sonia now works is part of a chain that features overpriced megaburgers and overly-amplified live entertainment in the form of bingo, trivia, karaoke, etc. It's fairly popular, especially on the weekends, but it's far from the kind of place where you might stop in for a simple quiet meal and maybe a chat with one of your neighbors. It's more like a tourist trap.
Irv's is just one of several local restaurants that have fallen victim to the mindset that seems intent on destroying anything that makes West Hollywood feel like a community and transform it into an upscale clip joint. Decades-old, family run businesses keep getting squeezed out, only to be replaced by shiny but soulless franchises -- most of which are gone within a few years and replaced by even shinier franchises with even less soul.
I guess that's just the way of the world: things that feel familiar and comfortable and personal give way to those that are loud, bright and cheesy. Progress almost always turns out to be a ripoff. Everybody's trying to jump on the big new trend and make the fast bucks -- except most of them end up failing because trends subside and high prices and gimmicks don't build customer loyalty.
In Hollywood the latest big trend seems to be superhero movies. They're fairly popular, especially on weekends -- but to me they kind of feel like tourist traps. Or, as Martin Scorsese recently suggested, theme parks. Don't get me wrong, I love me a good theme park, it's just not the place I go to make a real connection to the human condition or experience masterful storytelling. Not that there's anything wrong with pure escapism, but it can only get you so far.
I used to frequent a restaurant in Burbank that sold the best breakfast burritos in town. That's what everybody said anyway. I went there for the turkey burgers. The place has been around for two generations and remains as popular as ever. Once I was talking with the owner about his competition, and he said his father always told him that competition doesn't matter. "They do what they do and we do what we do, and it's okay for all of us to share the same street."
Trends come and go. There's plenty of room on the street for big, escapist blockbusters and little, handmade indie flicks. Or there should be anyway. Just like there should be room for a cozy, family-run cafe just down the block from the flashy new flavor-of-the-month bistro.
Anyway, I am glad that Sonia's back in the neighborhood. But I sure do miss Irv's.