In the wake of the destruction of the Ralphs store in Pacific Palisades during the ongoing area fires, the grocery chain has dropped its lawsuit that sought a preliminary injunction against multiple food truck operators the company maintained had created a nuisance with congestion, trash generation and rudeness by their customers to Ralphs employees.
Ralphs’ had filed the lawsuit Dec. 11 in Los Angeles Superior Court against Gracias Senor Los Angeles, Glenda’s Catering, Rocky’s Tacos and other vendors. On Friday, Ralph’s attorneys filed court papers with Judge Richard L. Fruin stating that the store “has been completely destroyed as the result of the still-burning Pacific Palisades fire.”
Although Ralphs is withdrawing its complaint, it is doing so in a way that preserves the court’s and parties’ resources and Ralphs will refile the action if the vendors move to other Ralphs stores, according to the grocers’ attorneys’ court papers.
In the suit, Ralphs attorneys maintained the vendors had turned the Pacific Palisades store “into a food bedlam” and that the food trucks had been “siphoning business and creating disruptive and dangerous situations.”
The grocery store wanted the judge to prevent the food trucks from entering the premises owned, operated or controlled by Ralphs located at 15120 Sunset Blvd., including sidewalks and parking areas, and from coming within 200 feet of the location to conduct business.
In a sworn declaration, Karlyn Takahara, manager of the Ralph’s store, said she had seen many disputes between customers of the vendors, including construction workers who drive large vehicles to the location to buy food from the trucks. In one case, one construction driver attacked another with a lead pipe, but the vendors did nothing and the police did not respond until about 90 minute later, according to Takahara, who further said other vendor customers diffused the situation.
Takahara further said she has gotten no cooperation from the city and that the LAPD told her they would not respond because the City Council supports small businesses, “especially those run by immigrants.”
“I believe the refusal of the police to remove illegal food vendors emboldens them,” Takahara said. “Illegal food vendors and their customers have become increasingly hostile to my employees and believe the refusal of the police to remove illegal food vendors emboldens them.”