Once a bustling stretch filled with unique shops and major retailers in the heart of Los Angeles, Fairfax Avenue’s well-known business corridor has significantly diminished in vibrancy.
Located near the Farmers Market and Rick Caruso’s popular tourist destination, The Grove, this area—home to iconic eateries like Canter’s Deli and Genghis Cohen—should ideally be flourishing. Instead, it faces a troubling vacancy rate of nearly 20%.
This harsh truth in 2026 is voiced by desperate business owners who are openly discussing the increasing number of vacant storefronts. Many leaseholders are being driven away by persistently high rents in one of the most expensive commercial rental markets in the nation.
“When I was younger, the property owners were local residents,” shared Nick Starr, the owner of Cofax Coffee who grew up in the neighborhood. “Now it’s their offspring or, even worse, grandchildren. They seem more focused on getting the highest rent rather than caring for the properties,” he remarked to the California Post.
Starr believes that landlords are setting their expectations far too high. “I know of at least two properties where the rents are being asked at rates you’d expect in Beverly Hills, but they’re in Mid-City. No wonder those places have been left empty for years,” he noted.
The arrival of streetwear brand Supreme to Fairfax in 2004 had revitalized the area, attracting a younger crowd. However, after 19 years, Supreme moved to Sunset Boulevard in 2023, and Starr feels the location still hasn’t rebounded from that change.
“The block has been struggling to find its identity ever since,” he said.
Simon B., who manages a sunglasses store called Hall of Frames, shared that many local businesses that thrived on the foot traffic created by Supreme have since vanished. He chose to keep his last name private. “People who return after a couple of years are often shocked by the number of closed shops. It seems that online shopping is taking its toll on foot traffic too,” he observed.
“The city really needs to step up. The place is filthy, the roads are in bad shape, and parking is a nightmare,” Simon added.
A 2025 report highlighted that the Fairfax District, generally defined as the blocks between Santa Monica Blvd. and Beverly Blvd., was grappling with a retail vacancy rate of 19.5%. This finding aligned with local business owners’ beliefs that the departure of both Supreme and another streetwear brand, The Hundreds, had severely impacted foot traffic.
The report also referenced the haunting effects of social unrest from the summer of 2020 during the Black Lives Matter protests as another factor in the area’s decline.
Across Los Angeles, the retail vacancy rate stood at 5.83% in the second quarter of 2026—marking the highest level in over a decade, as stated in another report by a commercial real estate company.
Nearby, a piece of LA nightlife history is on the brink of becoming another vacant property statistic. The Dime LA, established in 2003 by actor Andy Fiscella, is grasping at its Fairfax roots amid a drawn-out rent dispute with its landlord.
This Hollywood hotspot, once the site of a famous altercation between Lindsay Lohan and Jessica Simpson, is now searching for a new place after being informed of eviction.
“The past few years have been rough on business—a tough time for everyone,” said Fiscella, who co-owns the venue with Lucy Treadway. “Just look around; so many restaurants and bars are closing. We’re fortunate to have lasted this long.”
Having lost some of their clientele, The Dime struggled with timely rent payments, although they always managed to submit the fixed $600 late fee.
Just when things seemed bleak, they reached an agreement with their landlord to settle a $49,000 back rent balance by August 21. Fiscella mentioned they secured the funds just one business day after the deadline, but the landlord refused to accept payment.
“Their rent hasn’t increased, so I can’t help but wonder if another tenant offered a higher price,” Fiscella speculated. The partners envisioned revitalizing the block with improvements to their venue, but it may now be too late.
Treadway remarked, “It’s painfully quiet. This area has suffered for a long time.”
“We had a vision for outdoor dining—it would have been fantastic for the block and beneficial to [the landlord’s] other vacant properties,” she lamented. Attempts to speak with The Dime’s landlord were unsuccessful.
Leo Daube, a representative for LA Councilwoman Katy Yaroslavsky, acknowledged the dire need for repair on the street, attributing its decline post-pandemic to a long-standing lack of investment in infrastructure.
“The poor condition of the street affects how inviting it feels for people to visit,” Daube stated.
Yaroslavsky has ambitious plans for Fairfax, including recently securing $2 million in state funding to fully redo and beautify the area, pending Governor Newsom’s approval.
“It’s been a challenge to get funding for Fairfax due to its deteriorated state; it’s in dire need of reconstruction,” Daube added.
Plans are also underway to establish an official Business Improvement District, particularly hoping to include new landlords at Television City, which has added further strain to the area.
“We’re working hard to lay the foundation for a comeback in Fairfax,” Daube stated.
Community-led initiatives to revive the corridor have seen limited success thus far. The Mid City West Neighborhood Council, responsible for this troubled strip, has over 30 board members, but their economic development committee appears inactive, with only one meeting held in the past 14 months.
With The Dime’s future in jeopardy, few attractions remain in the area—except for Canter’s, the famous deli that has been part of the strip since 1953.
“My grandfather made a wise decision to buy the property when he did, and I’m doing my best to keep it going,” said Jacqueline Canter, who now oversees the establishment.
“I wish the rest of the landlords would lower their rents so we could achieve full occupancy along Fairfax,” she expressed to the California Post.
Canter, who often acts as a community leader on the block, runs the Fairfax Ave. Business Association and maintains relationships with other shop owners. While she feels the city responds to her concerns, particularly about graffiti, she also shares the frustration of watching the street decline.
“I’ve seen places vacant for up to 30 years. Honestly, it baffles me that anyone would keep a property empty for that long,” Canter reflected.
Yet, there are some promising signs. Genghis Cohen, an LA favorite known for its Chinese-American cuisine and lively decor, moved within the neighborhood in 2025 after 42 years at their previous location.
Other new establishments, like Trophie’s Burger Club and the Indian eatery Badmaash, have managed to endure in recent years.
But despite the nostalgic ambiance of her grandfather’s eatery, Canter believes the former glory of Fairfax is unlikely to return. “It’ll never be the same again,” she lamented.
“I think those days are just gone.”
