For Alhambra Restaurant Owner, Street Improvements Bring Unexpected Strain

COMMUNITY CORNER

Karina Gomez in front of her restaurant (Photo – Melissa Michelson)

Karina Gomez has worked in the food-service industry since she was 16. Now, at 43, the single mother is a first-time business owner in Alhambra after purchasing Genovese’s, a longtime Main Street restaurant where she spent 15 years as a lead server and manager.

But she had expected more support from the City of Alhambra as street improvements divert traffic and customers away from the business.

By Melissa Michelson

Located at 2900 W. Main Street, a few blocks west of Fremont Avenue, Genovese’s has served Italian-American favorites since 1980.

“I want to keep the legacy of Genovese’s as a mom-and-pop restaurant,” Gomez said.

As the restaurant’s fourth owner, Gomez has kept the menu largely unchanged. It features pizzas, salads, hot and cold sandwiches, a spaghetti-and-pizza menu for children, weekday lunch specials, and a $50 dinner-for-two special that includes a one-topping pizza, salad, garlic bread, spaghetti and meatballs, and a beverage of choice, including wine or beer.

Maintaining a Legacy Through Difficult Times

Gomez has preserved not only the menu but also the restaurant’s look and feel. Genovese’s began 46 years ago with a kitchen and a single dining room serving eight tables. During the COVID-19 pandemic, the previous owner added a covered patio with seating for 40 more customers.

Gomez says her first year has been challenging. She has worked to assure customers that Genovese’s remains open. There was a significant decline in business during and after the pandemic. Now a city construction project across the street is creating an additional obstacle to retaining customers.

“Not Enough Support From the City”

In April, Gomez received a letter from the City of Alhambra notifying her of an upcoming project to capture rainwater in the center median across the street from her restaurant. While she understands the purpose of the work and supports the City’s sustainability goals, she says the City did not offer assistance to affected small businesses.

“Maybe the city could have provided resources for extra signage or a grant to help offset costs, like keeping the lights on,” she said.

“I can show you my receipts and how my business has suffered since they started construction. It’s an inconvenience not just for my little business, but for everyone.”

According to Gomez, drivers now have a more difficult time reaching the restaurant. Before construction began, westbound motorists on Main Street could turn left onto Palatine Drive, cross through the median, and easily access Genovese’s. Now, drivers must continue farther down the road and make a U-turn while navigating detour signs, large dirt piles, and an open trench.

While Gomez worries that many drivers may avoid the area altogether, she acknowledges the City’s sustainability efforts and hopes the mature trees will not be harmed or removed in the process.

The broad median along Main Street once carried Pacific Electric Red Cars, which transported passengers throughout the San Gabriel Valley and between Alhambra and Los Angeles before the rail system was phased out in the late 1940s.

Construction is expected to be completed by September, according to the City’s project notification letter.

“I’m just hoping customers know we’re still here,” Gomez said.

Street construction in front of Genovese’s Restaurant (Photo – Melissa Michelson)