Two years ago, longtime friends Maritza Galvez and Joseph Fleming bonded over music and coffee, leading them to open Asteroid Vinyl Cafe in Inglewood.
Galvez said the vinyl record store and coffee shop was initially the only Latino-owned specialty coffee shop in Inglewood, and that the coffee helped create a space that connected them to the community.
Asteroid Vinyl is now on the brink of closing after the LA County Department of Public Health notified them in July that the mobile cart they used to sell coffee is not permissible, according to health department documents reviewed by The LA Local.
“Coffee was our main revenue and now we’re struggling to pay rent,” Fleming said. “The records just don’t make enough money and we were banking on the coffee.”
Galvez and Fleming said they’ll need $40,000 to make improvements that include plumbing, a mop sink and other fixtures to meet the county’s standards. They’ve set up a GoFundMe account to raise the money to pay for the improvements.
Even if they raise the money to make the improvements, Fleming said, Inglewood’s permit process may cause them to close their doors anyway.
“Inglewood is requiring architectural plans, unlike any other nearby city,” Fleming said, adding that the process is not conducive to small businesses. He said they have heard from other business owners who spent years navigating permits or ran out of money before completing the process.
When Gio’s Cafe opened on Century Boulevard last month, co-owner Zoyla Pinacho told The LA Local it took two and a half years to complete Inglewood’s permit process.
The LA Local contacted Bernard McCrumby, Inglewood’s city planner, about its permit process and the time it takes to complete it. McCrumby referred questions to the city manager, Louis Atwell, who did not immediately respond to request for comment.
The threat of Asteroid Vinyl closing comes as some small businesses struggle to stay open in Inglewood, even in the midst of hosting international events like the World Cup at SoFi Stadium. Market Street in downtown Inglewood has been hit the hardest. At least two brick-and-mortars — Sip and Sonder coffee shop and Stuff I Eat vegan restaurant — have permanently closed within the last year.
Galvez and Fleming said they already knew their shop needed upgrades and spent the past year looking for a more turnkey location, but say rents and leasing requirements have made moving difficult.
Fleming said some Inglewood landlords have sought $10,000 to $12,000 a month for spaces, including the former Sip and Sonder location. They found more affordable spaces in Redondo Beach and Santa Monica, he said.
If they cannot raise enough money, Fleming said they will have to decide in about 90 days whether they can afford to remain open while navigating Inglewood’s permitting process.
“We understand compliance,” Galvez said. “We’re hoping to correct what they want us to correct and get back to coffee so we can stay around for a long time.”
