EL CAJON, Calif. (KGTV) — El Cajon residents will gather at the Ronald Reagan Community Center for the State of the City Address scheduled to begin at 6 p.m. Tuesday. The event is open to the public, offering local citizens a chance to hear directly from city officials.
Earlier Tuesday, Main Street business owners shared their experiences with ABC 10News and discussed what they would like to see in the community over the next year.
One business owner emphasized the positive impact of local events, such as car shows and seasonal celebrations like Halloween and Christmas, in fostering a sense of community among businesses.
“I feel this is a good spot in a good neighborhood,” RJ Blends, the manager of the Faded Barbershop, said. “It's probably just bringing people here. The car show and the little events that they have on the street bring all the businesses together. I feel like probably just more of that, keeping the car show around and keeping the events around."
Another business owner praised the city’s support for local commerce, highlighting the role of Mayor Bell Wells.
“I feel like El Cajon’s really been treating business owners really well. I've really looked at Mayor Wells as a proponent for business for sure. He’s pretty much pushed for businesses as he knows that it’s kind of the backbone of El Cajon," said Rob Chapman of Rob's Brewpoint.
He also mentioned the ongoing challenge of homelessness and its impact on businesses.
“We have a homeless situation going on. In terms of how the situation itself is being dealt with, I know that they’re doing some pretty forward movements on trying to help people," Chapman said. It’s definitely better than it was when we first moved in," they said.
Both owners expressed a desire for continued attention and support from the city to help Main Street thrive.
“We would just love to see as much attention downtown as we possibly could from the city standpoint as well,” Chapman said. "We can build all the housing we want, but if they won’t come hang out down here, it doesn’t do us any good.”
