"As a kid, the neighborhood corner store was more than just a place to spend money on candy and soda; it was a gathering place, and a beacon for all who lived on our block. We took ownership in it, defending it from kids who rode in on bikes from several blocks west of us. The proprietor always watched out for us, and occasionally hooked us up with little freebies for scraped knees or good grades. When it burned down in the L.A. uprising of 1992, we not only lost a reliable source of treats and light groceries; we lost a piece of our childhood. It was rebuilt under new ownership, and was never the same. So many of these stores are long gone... which is why finding a cute little spot like Pacific hit me so close to the heart. Nestled in a busy neighborhood of condos and apartments, Pacific is clean, quaint, and quality all rolled into one. I recently stopped in here on my travels through the city, and finding myself with a little bit of lunch hunger, decided to order up a sandwich. Nothing wrong with the roast beef and Swiss, even in general terms, and the Pacific version was superior even to my expectations. Cold crispy lettuce, fresh vegetables, and just the right amount of condiments to complement a generous amount of meat and cheese... All piled high atop bread with that perfect combination of crispy on the outside, and chewy on the inside. I grabbed a cold drink out of the case, a bag of chips off the shelf, and for the briefest of moments, I was seven years old again, half thinking about if I had enough money to buy a snickers, and half wondering if my bike was still there, left laying on its side on the sidewalk in front of the store. Those days are long gone, but I 'm glad to share there are still a few places that perfectly combine nostalgia with personal service in the present. This little store on the corner as one of them. Hope I 'm back in this neighborhood soon enough to visit them again."
