My View – October 2025
During the week of September 10, I received news that Lifeline Computer Solutions, the new owner of the building that’s housed Picos Worldwide on California Street for 21 years, notified the business to vacate the property by year end. The reason: Lifeline is moving its corporate offices into the building—legal under current zoning laws, but seriously detrimental to the economic health of downtown. After speaking with many business leaders, the following letter arrived via email—reflective of the sentiment of everyone I spoke with and in line with my thoughts on the matter. Our city must do better—this is not the first time a zoning “loophole” has enabled large-scale retail space to be converted into office space. I urge our city leaders to change the city code now and never allow this to happen again. Please save California Street for Our Small Town with Big Atmosphere.
~Whit Parker, Publisher
Dear City Leaders, Downtown is the heart of our town. For generations, it has been the place where residents gather, visitors explore, and businesses thrive. But in the last five years, we’ve seen too many of our beloved shops, restaurants, and inns close their doors. Now, instead of rebuilding a vibrant retail core, more and more storefronts are being converted into offices and business space. This shift is draining the life from downtown and threatening its future.
What happened this week with our beautiful friends at Pico’s Worldwide is devastating and will create lasting harm… and it could have been avoided. The issue is simple: retail, dining, and lodging bring people downtown. Offices do not. A shopper buys a gift, then stops for lunch. A visitor books an inn, then browses our stores. This constant activity fuels our economy, supports jobs, and generates Transient Lodging Tax revenue that benefits the entire city. Offices may have their place, but they do not create the energy, foot traffic, or sense of community that makes a downtown thrive. If this trend continues unchecked, we risk losing the very identity and economic engine of our historic town.
We are urging the city to act now and with speed. Safeguards must be put in place to protect downtown retail spaces and prioritize uses that build community and attract people. This could include zoning that reserves prime storefronts for retail and dining, incentives that help small businesses establish themselves here, and active support for marketing and events that bring visitors into town. Once retail spaces are lost to office conversions, they are almost never recovered. We cannot allow short-term changes to erase the long-term value of our downtown.
Merchants are ready to work with the city on solutions, but leadership must come first. Protecting retail space is not about nostalgia—it’s about economic health, tourism, and preserving the unique character that sets our town apart. Visitors don’t come here to tour office space; they come for the charm of our shops, the warmth of our restaurants, and the welcoming feel of a true community hub.
We are asking you to stand with us in safeguarding downtown’s future. With smart policies and a fresh perspective on how to properly market Jacksonville, we can ensure our downtown remains vibrant, welcoming, and prosperous for generations to come.
Concerned Downtown Merchants
Whitman Parker is Owner and Publisher of Jacksonville Review and Southern Oregon Wine Scene magazines.
Your words resonate so deeply and they are spot on. I hope you’re able to bring the changes necessary to not let this happen. The store is in California Street or iconic and I always allow time in my schedule to be able to go in and see each one when I am in town
I agree with him, and I rarely think that government should interfere with private property or business. Downtown Jacksonville is so unique and special – a place I always bring visitors to browse the shops and dine. That said, it made me look up the buyer – it appears they were already occupying a building on CA Street? Did Picos have an opportunity to buy their building? Can they find another location?
Dear Whitman,
I’ve chose to stay quiet during this unfortunate situation. Stay quiet when I found flyers distributed by Picos to businesses we support that included personal information that was untrue and harmful not only to their business, employees, and their families. I can no longer sit by and allow this slander to continue.
Reaffirm Commitment to Jacksonville Amidst Challenges
Jacksonville, OR— We came to Jacksonville with a dream: to build a life here, invest in the community, and one day own a business that would not only serve local residents but also attract visitors from across the region. Through years of hard work, saving, selling properties, and making sacrifices, we united in what we believed was the perfect place to live, work, and grow.
What many do not know is the vision we had for the additional property if they declined .
Our plans were ambitious and elevated — designed to create a destination business that would bring new energy, tourism, and economic growth to Jacksonville. It was a vision rooted in pride for this community and in gratitude for the opportunity to contribute.
Instead, recent events have left us questioning the heart of the town we love. Our lifeline employees and families who support Jacksonville daily by shopping locally, dining in restaurants, and sustaining businesses even during the slowest winter months — now feel uncomfortable walking through the very streets they help keep vibrant. The spread of misinformation and public shaming has created an atmosphere that feels less like a welcoming community and more like a modern-day witch trial.
We remain deeply committed to our original dream: to create something extraordinary here in Jacksonville. But we also call on the community to reflect on whether division and distrust are the values we want to project, or whether we can come together to support growth, opportunity, and shared pride in this beautiful town.
Our plans were never just about us. They were about Jacksonville’s future.