Be Nice Have Fun says ‘bye for now’

Be Nice Have Fun closed its doorways on York Boulevard March 22. Shop proprietor Destine Escobedo mentioned though the store’s brick-and-mortar retailer is closed, the store stays open on-line. Be Nice Have Fun let the constructing homeowners know that they needed to resume their lease in December 2025, however have been by no means given the chance to take action, Escobedo mentioned.

“We received a notice from our owner that ownership was changing, and that they would not be renewing our lease,” Escobedo mentioned. “We never received a response until February […] They said they would not be renewing our lease at all and that we had to be out by the end of our lease, which is March 31.”

Escobedo mentioned she was by no means provided the choice to pay the next hire to remain within the store and that she was informed Be Nice Have Fun needed to vacate the shop by March 31.

“We want to make sure to stay within this community, which we value so much, so we do want to stay in the area,” Escobedo mentioned.

According to Escobedo, the store opened in 2019 at a special location on York Boulevard, with the mission to supply service and accessible workshops for the neighborhood.

“It has been such a challenge from the beginning, being an in-person shop owner, because it was right before the pandemic when we opened,” Escobedo mentioned.

The store is stuffed with small trinkets and has a desk within the center the place patrons can do hands-on crafts, which Escobedo mentioned consists of bringing half-finished works to finish in a special setting.

“We have hosted a slew of different workshops, everything from understanding finance to crafting,” Escobedo mentioned. “It really is just whatever the needs of our community are at the moment.”

According to Escobedo, customers at Be Nice Have Fun usually align with the political statements featured of their storefront, such because the “Know Your Rights” playing cards painted within the window.

“We believe that no one is illegal – especially on stolen land, everyone belongs,” Escobedo mentioned. “Everyone who comes into our shop has really understood where we stand from the get-go because all the different things that we do carry here feel influenced by our stance on things.”

Be Nice Have Fun hosted their ‘Goodbye for now’ party March 21, packing the store and road exterior with distributors, meals, espresso, a photobooth and a DJ. The line stretched down York Boulevard between Avenues 50-51, and tickets offered out on-line. According to returning customer Aro Zhou, the store options native artists and hosts neighborhood occasions Zhou has attended.

“I saw on their Instagram that they were getting evicted, which is really unfortunate, because as I understand, they [Be Nice Have Fun] are immigrant-owned and we live in crazy times,” Zhou mentioned. “It’s very unfortunate that we are losing another community space.”

According to occasion attendee Nicole Nidelian, Be Nice Have Fun and different locally-owned outlets on York Boulevard have created alternatives for various individuals within the Highland Park neighborhood to attach.

“This street as a whole is a really great space and it’s not something that is easily offered in many of the little suburbs within Los Angeles,” Nicole Nidelian mentioned.

According to Escobedo, the occasion served as a manner to assist the store transfer on and get nearer to their purpose of reopening a brick-and-mortar in Northeast LA (NELA).

“We really want to secure another space, so on our party day, we’re taking donations and really wanting to sell through the inventory that we have, just to be able to land on our feet in our next move,” Escobedo mentioned.

Nicole Nidelian mentioned listening to that one other neighborhood store is going through closure because of a landlord scenario is irritating, particularly on the subject of small companies that work to do public occasions for the neighborhood.

“This is actively negatively working against the community, and working against local businesses and people who have been here for a long time,” Nicole Nidelian mentioned. “Long term, you’re bringing in new businesses that are part of corporations or not locally run.”

According to Amanda Nidelian, an city planner and resident of LA, places equivalent to Be Nice Have Fun are third areas that function cornerstones of neighborhoods equivalent to Highland Park.

“This is a community location, this is somewhere that is a big facet for everybody here,” Amanda Nidelian mentioned. “So to take it away is taking part of Highland Park away.”

The March 21 occasion served as a solution to have a good time the shop, and promote out the objects Be Nice Have Fun nonetheless has in inventory, Escobedo mentioned.

“We opened our space with vendors and celebration, and we want to close our space in that way as well,” Escobedo mentioned. “We’re bringing other vendors and the community to the forefront and sharing a space with them.”

Contact Abigail Montopoli at montopoli@oxy.edu