By KATHERINE PETERSEN
Two unusual events this month that shocked residents in the neighborhood near Loehmann's Plaza at Hollenbeck and Homestead roads could have repercussions for shopping center's merchants.
Several stores lost business Jan. 11 when police closed the south end of the center's parking lot during the search for and arrest of a gunman who had fired at a Santa Clara County sheriff's deputy.
Four days later, four gunmen stole $5,000 from Safeway, a theft that ended in a high-speed chase to Shoreline Amphitheater in Mountain View, where a multi-agency police dragnet netted three of the four suspects. At press time, police were still investigating leads on the fourth suspect.
The grocery store closed for nine hours on Jan. 15, losing its regular weekday business. On Wednesday, a Safeway employee said business was back to normal.
Sharon Wilkie, store manager at House of Bagels, said her business had also returned to normal, after a 75 percent decrease on Jan. 11. The bagelry is located at the south end of the center, which served as a police command post during that Thursday's manhunt.
Yet the incident remains fresh in her customers' minds. "Everybody's talking about how dangerous it is around here now. They're sort of kidding. ... I don't think people are scared to come here," she said.
Other businesses, such Longs Drugs, report that business has dipped. Gary Schoenfeld, the store's assistant manager, he isn't sure whether this can be attributed to the armed incidents making people nervous about shopping at Loehmann's or the recent stormy weather or a little of each.
"The incidents are making people wonder about the neighborhood. It's definitely a topic of concern among customers. They're worried about the safety of the neighborhood," he said.
Schoenfeld, who has worked at Long's for two years, said he is unaware of any previous incidents involving gunmen or armed robbery in the neighborhood. "It's a very quiet safe area, at least to our knowledge," he said.
Thomas Hatfield, who lives in an apartment complex on Homestead Road, said the incidents raised his awareness that anything can happen anywhere.
"I'm not concerned that our area is any worse than it was before. I'm just more aware that thing happen; it's not all on TV," he said.
Fay Landau, spokeswoman for Loehmann's Plaza, said security at the center is stepped up during the holidays, but some incidents are beyond security's control.
"Management definitely cares about the customer, and that's their primary concern. Security people do patrol that center on a regular basis. People want to feel safe all the time not just when something bad happens," she said.
Landau added that this year's promotions will likely concentrate on customers' understanding the benefits and safety of Loehmann's Plaza.
This article appeared in the Sunnyvale Sun, January 24, 1996
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