By Jason Sweeney

Gregg’s-Boucher’s Appliances on San Antonio Road is closing.

One more longtime business is closing in Los Altos, raising concern about the loss of retail in the downtown area.

Gregg’s-Boucher’s Appliances, on San Antonio Road, has been selling appliances in Los Altos for more than six decades, but the store’s doors will shut permanently April 30. The business will possibly move to another location. A First Republic Bank might replace Gregg’s, Los Altos Councilman Ron Packard said.

Packard, prompted by the closing of Gregg’s, called a special meeting of the city council April 11 to review downtown zoning and address whether it should be modified to keep retail stores from being replaced by nonretail businesses.

“I’m concerned about retail being converted to banking and offices in the downtown triangle,” Packard said. “I think that we need to augment, not decrease, the retail base of the downtown.”

Ted Garrett, executive director of the Los Altos Village Association, said he will present an initiative to keep retail or restaurants on the first floors of buildings between San Antonio Road and Main Street up to Foothill Expressway, and ease height restrictions allowing for condominiums and offices on second and third floors.

“We’re trying to stay in Los Altos,” said Lalla Stark, Gregg’s owner, who was born and raised in Los Altos, “but the rents have gotten ridiculous.”

Nicholas Gera bought the building that houses Gregg’s in early January. Two other businesses affected by the purchase, Original Pancake House and House Affairs, will remain open, said David Bider, a real estate agent representing Gera.

At this point, if a bank were to move into the property, it appears the council would not be able to stop it, Packard said.

He is concerned that Los Altos and Los Altos Hills residents will go elsewhere to shop for necessities and not frequent downtown stores if the retail base continues to diminish.

Bider said Stark is closing her business because she can’t afford the new rent.

Stark said she tried to negotiate a new rent, but the new owner never made an offer and sent an eviction notice Feb. 8, even though she has paid her rent on time for 46 years.

“It’s pretty sad,” Stark said. “This town needs retail in order to survive. The town needs the sales tax base. You can’t just be banks and offices.”