In the next four months, two of Laguna Beach's treasured businesses will shut their doors, leaving the city's green thumbs without a nursery.
Several reasons contributed to their demise: the drought, changing consumer tastes, the toughening economics for independent nurseries and, of course, rising property costs.
Ruben Flores, owner of Laguna Nursery on South Coast Highway and a member of the city's View Restoration Committee, said he will not renew a lease that expires at month's end, and Kevin and Jocelyne Naughton, owners of Laguna Gardens Nursery on Raquel Road south of the city's dog park, will close their business Dec.