The Laurel District

The Laurel is a real mixed bag. I recently moved to this area after having just been owner-​move-​in-​evicted from where I lived for the previous 8 years in Temescal. It wouldn’t surprise me if this is the next area to start seeing increased development and an influx of people seeking less expensive real estate.
The main commercial strip of the Laurel District is pretty seedy — a bunch of awful to mediocre restaurants, dive bars, more beauty salons & clothing boutiques than 2 – 3 blocks might seem to support. The brightest spots seem to be the hardware store, Anasa yoga studio and Peter’s Kettle Corn.
The Laurel has no farmer’s market. Available grocery stores (two) are a bit overpriced with produce that seems rarely cleaned over and often a bit swampy with a poor selection of organic. The Redwood Safeway is quite possibly the most awful Safeway I have ever visited — I first went there about 7 – 8 years ago and was absolutely appalled. Now I’m just annoyed if I have to go in there (like to get ice or something) — service is bad, produce is poor, and let’s face it – Safeway barely has anything that resembles «food» and nothing local. All of Lincoln Square is going to be undergoing renovation (a subject for another review).
The most highly rated coffee shop smells like cleaning products and going in is like going to a private club where you weren’t invited (after waiting for a bit — not looking at my cell phone — and being ignored as the people behind the counter carried on conversations with others, I left).
There are constant reports of people losing cash as they leave ATMs, stories of burglaries at vacant houses and door-​kick ins while people are home come up on the neighborhood lists every week.
The neighbors are VERY good about paying attention to stray dogs and cats — but even they are speeding and running red lights between their houses and the freeway. Watch where you walk in the Laurel and Allendale — no cars stop, even when 2 or more cars approach a 4 way stop (I’ve seen the drivers act as though it’s a de facto round-​about). You really do take your life in your hands if you walk anywhere in this neighborhood. Take extra care on 35^th Ave/​Redwood — the speed limit is 30 but people usually speed at 50+
Restaurants — I just can’t even get into this subject without sounding completely negative. Of course the Laurel District doesn’t have the same caliber of restaurants as Temescal/​Rockridge/​Piedmont — yet. What we have is very poor choices almost like being in a food desert: Americanized Chinese food, and a lot of standard American diet choices like greasy pizza, fried chicken, doughnuts and (ugh) hot dogs?
In the place of a discount packaged grocery store on MacArthur, a «Planet Fitness» is going in soon. It will be interesting to see if this helps bring up the quality of what is offered on the cluttered, redundant retail strip. Until then — I’ll spend most of my money elsewhere, especially when it comes to dining and groceries.

Laurel has the most fantastic neighbors, with the diversity that makes living in a large urban setting interesting and stimulating. Things are always changing in the neighborhood, and almost exclusively in a positive direction. Keep it up, Laurel! It’s the real deal here.

I enjoy being able to walk around the area for different businesses. Like old fashioned down towns used to be. Still lots of locally owned businesses which I like to patronize.

It is coming along. Great places are starting to pop up.
The Laurel is small but, it packs a punch!

Great place, really enjoyed both the great chef, and the good food. The portions were too big, basically double normal size, but then the chef, Terrell Santiago, was a big man. I am really sorry I didn’t get to say goodbye. A loss to the area, and to my family. steve mendelson
Good luck Terrell, hope our path’s cross again … I’ve got some great wine to share with you, I have been stocking up. Get in touch with me.

Amazing place to live and work. Great group of businesses and people dedicated to making our neighborhood a place for everyone. Fun events year-​round.