Village Pizzeria Owner Takes on LADWP and Wins!

Sometimes,  it seems small business owners just can’t catch a break. Steve Cohen, owner of Larchmont’s beloved Village Pizzeria, has been struggling to keep his doors open during the pandemic, as have all of the small businesses on our street. For Cohen, maybe the only bright spot was that his electric bill would be lower since the restaurant was closed for a month and is now open with reduced hours. But there was no reduction in his LADWP bills. After many calls and the help of KNBC Channel 4 Investigative Reporter Joel Grover, Cohen learned that instead of reading the meter, LADWP was estimating Cohen’s usage.

Cohen told the Buzz he mentioned his high electric bill to Grover, a Village Pizzeria customer, who said he’d heard similar complaints and decided to look into the matter. As a result, LADWP agreed to credit Cohen for the two months he was overcharged. Here’s the story that aired Tuesday, September 1, 2020 on the 11 p.m. news.