Local activists and residents gathered Thursday to speak out about the city's decision to evict a popular family-owned restaurant and make way for a large-scale bar and restaurant in Venice.
Located at 425 Rose Ave., Mexican restaurant La Fiesta Brava is known by many as a fixture in Venice. The restaurant owners, the Camarena family, has been serving the community for more than 20 years.
But now, the city has agreed to shut down the establishment and grant the landlord permission to move in a higher-end restaurant and bar that can pay market rent.
La Fiesta Brava supporters say the decision is a trend that many residents have been protesting, where the growth of new housing and businesses caters to wealthier customers and changes the character of the community.
"We're just the little guy," said Jasmine Camarena, the La Fiesta Brava restaurant owner's daughter. "This restaurant has gotten us a home and put my siblings and I through school. We've had a comfortable living because of it. To think that we're having it taken away... it's heartbreaking."
Activists are planning to fight the approval of the new restaurant through the city council and the California Coastal Commission.
"The Venice I know doesn’t turn a blind eye to people and doesn’t build high fences to block people out," said Lydia Ponce, a community activist. "The venice I know has lower fences and reaches across the fence and says 'hey, neighbor, how ya doing?'"
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NBC4 reached out to the owners of the building, but had not yet received an a response Thursday night.
