Article failed to mention Lee Road businesses that have opened

To the Editor:

I am perplexed by the article [in the October issue] which spelled out the businesses that have closed on Lee Road.

The article did not mention that new and interesting businesses have opened up.

• The sandwich shop Black Box Fix replaced Sweetie Fry.
• Momo's Kebab replaced Phiner Bistro.
• Joey’s Italian Bistro replaced Jimmy O’Neal’s Pub.
• In addition, the Buddhist Center is occupying a large space that has long been an eyesore since the pet store left.

I walked the street myself and indeed there are quite a few vacant storefronts and that is alerting.

Businesses have long opened and closed on Lee Road. And residents have long debated whether Lee Road is getting better or worse. Whichever way you see it, Lee Road has weathered these "downs" in the past and is fundamentally a strong hub that attracts enormous numbers of people. It has numerous excellent restaurants, coffee shops, a bakery, a chocolate shop, a large grocery store and a pharmacy. It has movie theaters, live theater and a lively center for the arts. It has a well-trod library, a yoga studio, hair salon, to name just some of the businesses. Many of these anchor the district.

Yes, work surely needs to be done to attract commerce to these vacant spaces. And, it seems, community organizations are taking up the task of attracting new businesses in the face of this spate of closings.

But I found this article unnecessarily bleak, not a reflection of the bustling Lee Road I visit regularly.