Over the past three years, Studio City a neighborhood in the San Fernando Valley, has had a proliferation of new restaurants pop up on Ventura Boulevard over the past three years, many of which were exclusive to the Westside of Los Angeles.
"Studio City has always been a vibrant, affluent city. The burgeoning of these new restaurants is largely due to the economy bouncing back from the recession," said Esther Walker, executive director of the Studio City's Chamber of Commerce. She added that when the recession first hit around 2008, a lot of small business had to close, which left space for new businesses to open.
"The 'Westside' has pushed a lot of people out due to high rent prices. Even though the valley is still pricey and affluent it is much more affordable than many cities on the other side of the hill," said Walker.
The Westside can have many different definitions, but generally it can include cities as far west as Santa Monica, as far south as Culver City, as far east as Beverly Hills and as far north as the Hollywood Hills.
Walker also said that the close proximity of television studios like CBS, Warner Bros. Studios, and NBCUniversal has contributed to the demand for higher-end restaurants in the neighborhood.
In a 2011 City-Data.com report, the most recent information available, research showed that the median annual household income for Studio City residents was $96,407. This figure is significantly higher than the 2012 median annual household income for Los Angeles at $46,803.
Lorena Parker, executive director of The Studio City Improvement Association, responsible for promoting the district, explained the general process involved in opening up a new restaurant.
"The economy has gotten much stronger. More and more businesses from the Westside have come to make Studio City their new home," said Parker.
Parker explained that a business must first look at their financials before deciding if opening a new location is plausible. Then other issues like researching demographics for a specific targeted audience or checking the availability of a desired space comes into play. She also made it a point to emphasize the need to a have a space fit the owner's vision aesthetically. "The best way to do this is to drive around the area and feel out the scene," she said.
"Straight up, it comes to feel. When it comes to you and your partners everyone has to say yes. Studio City was an ideal location because the studios are close and so are the Hollywood Hills. Plus the business before us was here for 30 years, which is good 'ju-ju'," said James Bobby co-owner and manager for Black Market Liquor Bar, describing his reasons for choosing Studio City.
"What we bring to Studio City not just being restaurateurs who contribute a unique food experience, we are also very much engrained in the community, helping in projects with Carpenter Community Charter School or the Raise A Child Foundation," said Bobby, describing the impact Black Market Liquor Bar has made on Studio City.
"We always set ourselves to a very high standard. This is even true in our others ventures such as Scopa Italian Roots in Venice," said Bobby, "Overall, we are just thankful to have a business that has been profitable enough to allow us to branch out and create other brands."
Since 2011 more than 10 restaurants have opened in Studio City on Ventura Boulevard.