Longtime businesses in neighborhoods across Los Angeles County add to our rich history and culture. They are long-standing neighborhood anchors where people connect, make memories, and nourish our sense of community.

Legacy businesses are also a major source of employment and an essential neighborhood amenity in some areas. We define a “legacy business” as a community-serving, locally-owned business that has been in operation for at least 20 years.

The Conservancy launched the Legacy Business Initiative in November 2019 to raise awareness of the importance of legacy businesses throughout Los Angeles County. We aim to broaden awareness of these places and share more about the County’s history by highlighting the unique places and stories associated with longtime commercial establishments. We will also identify some pressures of running a longtime business and highlight strategies communities have created to help.

We hope this microsite brings a greater understanding of legacy businesses’ vital role in our neighborhoods and their challenges.

On July 1, 2022, the Los Angeles City Council approved the creation of a Legacy Business Program. Los Angeles will now join other cities that have already created successful legacy business programs, including San Francisco and San Antonio, TX. We have strongly advocated in support of a citywide legacy business program that offers much-needed funding and technical assistance to longtime businesses. Five million has been allocated toward the implementation and operation of this new program.

Explore L.A.’s Legacy Businesses a map and listing that has a cross-section of community-serving, locally owned businesses operating for at least 20 years. This directory represents a sampling of legacy businesses in Los Angeles County.