Photo: ABC 7 Eyewitness News (outer image)/ KTLA (inner image)
The average Southern California intersection on any given rush hour is a nightmare within itself. With traffic jams and hideous accidents just another part of life for locals of the Los Angeles suburb of Long Beach, it takes something truly extraordinary for residents to stir up a fuss about their local road conditions. But for one cute little antique shop in town, their neighborhood intersection is more in line with a shooting gallery than a major thorofare. After multiple drivers plowed through its front entrance in rapid succession, employees at the Magnolia and Willow antique shop have had just about enough.
The store's name is a not-so-subtle nod to the chaotic and often confusing four-way intersection on which the property sits. Even before its reputation as an accident magnet, this intersection was notorious in the area for its unforgiving SoCal traffic patterns. But it was only on the fourth of July 2023 that proceedings crossed the proverbial line in a way store employees simply couldn't stomach. On this day, a motorist transiting across this uber-busy intersection committed what can only be described as a nearly comical error in which the car wound up slamming headlights-first into the front entrance of this quaint little shop with under a dozen employees.
Indeed, the only reason such an incident could be described as even remotely humorous is because no injuries were sustained by anyone involved, including the driver. Alright then, one wayward automobile through the front entrance of a local business can, at least in good confidence, be pinned down to a slim-to-none-chance freak accident. It's one that happens far more often than you'd expect in North America. But two back-to-back crashes in rapid succession, one month after the other? Now, that's a sign that something is seriously awry with this unassuming Long Beach intersection.
But because the universe is often cruel and unapologetic, this exact scenario unfolded on Saturday, August 2nd. As per the first report done by ABC 7 Eyewitness News, another vehicle plowed head-on into the front doors of the establishment. Its front number plate is still embedded inside one of the shop's inner walls at the time of this broadcast. In truth, Magnolia and Willow's co-owner, Emily Yep, has been begging and pleading with Long Beach city officials for years now over the treacherous intersection that's costing the business thousands of dollars in repairs. Sadly, these pleas appear to fall on deaf ears.
That was until the owner of a company called 1-800-Bollards, which supplies security bollards to high-risk businesses, reached out to Magnolia and Willow, offering to install a set of protection bollards in front of the store. Of course, this is all pending approval from the City of Long Beach legislature, the same group that largely ignored the problem until it was too late in the first place. For now, a large piece of plywood covers up the scars of what's taken place over the last few months. Squiggled across its front for all to see is a friendly reminder "We don't offer a drive-thru shopping experience." Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is comedy in motion.
In an official press statement on the matter, the Long Beach Public Works Department had this to say. "The City of Long Beach has been made aware of the traffic and safety concerns at the intersection of Willow Street and Magnolia Ave. The City is designing traffic improvements in the area and is currently working on temporary safety measures." Safe to say, actions will need to speak much louder than words.
Indeed, the only reason such an incident could be described as even remotely humorous is because no injuries were sustained by anyone involved, including the driver. Alright then, one wayward automobile through the front entrance of a local business can, at least in good confidence, be pinned down to a slim-to-none-chance freak accident. It's one that happens far more often than you'd expect in North America. But two back-to-back crashes in rapid succession, one month after the other? Now, that's a sign that something is seriously awry with this unassuming Long Beach intersection.
But because the universe is often cruel and unapologetic, this exact scenario unfolded on Saturday, August 2nd. As per the first report done by ABC 7 Eyewitness News, another vehicle plowed head-on into the front doors of the establishment. Its front number plate is still embedded inside one of the shop's inner walls at the time of this broadcast. In truth, Magnolia and Willow's co-owner, Emily Yep, has been begging and pleading with Long Beach city officials for years now over the treacherous intersection that's costing the business thousands of dollars in repairs. Sadly, these pleas appear to fall on deaf ears.
That was until the owner of a company called 1-800-Bollards, which supplies security bollards to high-risk businesses, reached out to Magnolia and Willow, offering to install a set of protection bollards in front of the store. Of course, this is all pending approval from the City of Long Beach legislature, the same group that largely ignored the problem until it was too late in the first place. For now, a large piece of plywood covers up the scars of what's taken place over the last few months. Squiggled across its front for all to see is a friendly reminder "We don't offer a drive-thru shopping experience." Now that, ladies and gentlemen, is comedy in motion.
In an official press statement on the matter, the Long Beach Public Works Department had this to say. "The City of Long Beach has been made aware of the traffic and safety concerns at the intersection of Willow Street and Magnolia Ave. The City is designing traffic improvements in the area and is currently working on temporary safety measures." Safe to say, actions will need to speak much louder than words.
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