When the pandemic restrictions started to subside, outdoor seating gained immense popularity. For many restaurants, expanding outdoor seating could increase customer capacity while still adhering to social distances guidelines. In the case of downtown Fullerton this led to the development of Walk on Wilshire, a section of Wilshire Avenue sectioned by blockades to allow foot traffic in the street.

Now, Fullerton City Council will decide whether or not Walk on Wilshire can stay.

In downtown Fullerton the Walk on Wilshire is located on Wilshire Avenue and Harbor Boulevard It’s a blocked off space for people to hang out in the road. Wilshire Avenue has been an accessible road for well over a hundred years allowing cars to pass by to Harbor Boulevard Right when Covid restrictions were allowing for outdoor seating the area was blocked off with a line of canopies of trees blocking off access of cars for the intermediate shops and restaurants, making it a quaint pedestrian and bike friendly area.

In more recent times, the public works department of Fullerton has enforced restrictions in the area with signs that read, “Do not enter,” and installing street bollards that block traffic from going through.

The local businesses in downtown Fullerton have mixed beliefs of whether to keep it or not.

Shannon LeClaire, a bartender at Mulberry Street Ristorante, loves the Walk on Wilshire. She says the restaurant is in the heart of the walk and the outdoor seating adds more customers. She would like the restaurant to build an outdoor balcony to make it permanent and add more trees.

Not all of the local businesses believe that we should keep it. Some businesses located just outside of the walk believe that it took away a lot of the parking. There used to be more parking available before the walk was made. And since the street is blocked off it is harder for people to access other shops with local employees claiming that they get frequent calls from customers who can’t find their store.

“I don’t understand the people that don’t like it or don’t want it,” said Diane Cox, the owner of Half Off Books on Wilshire Avenue “People can walk across and around the street and we don’t have to worry about traffic zooming by. It just makes things more relaxed.”

Fullerton City Council will vote on Oct. 15, 2024 during the council meeting at 5:30 p.m on whether or not Walk on Wilshire will stay in place.