Highland Park, California, has always been a town of contrasts.
In recent years, journalists from publications such as The New York Times and London's Financial News have visited the area, and published articles praising Highland Park's "cool restaurants and boutiques that draw young trendsetters in skinny jeans, flannel shirts and Converse high tops", or admiring Highland Park's "walkable streets and its glut of handsome old homes".
And all of that is true. And, yes, of course, as a local real estate broker, I enjoy reading it. But wait, there is another dimension to the community of Highland Park.
Highland Park is a community of immigrants from all corners of the world, aging hippies, and working class folk most of whom will never buy a $15.00 burger at a "gastropub" and prefer shopping at a "thrift store" to shopping at a "vintage boutique". These are the same local residents who find it more convenient to walk to the local 99-Cent store than to make a gasoline-burning trip across down to a "big box" store. Even if NYT calls the 99-Cent store "garish".
These locals provide the foundation and backbone of the community. And as a testament to Highland Park's spirit of individualism, creativity, and pride, they cheerfully coexist with the colorful, young trendsetters.
Highland Park is truly one of the most diverse and cross-cultural communities in Los Angeles. And its strength grows as each diverse group learns to respect and honor other groups within the community.
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