Commuter culture blamed for business downturn in neighboring Bay Area town [Video]

Rising housing prices in the Bay Area are pushing residents to distant suburbs with longer commutes. However, those commutes are hurting businesses in communities that are seeing the most growth.

In San Juan Bautista, located in San Benito County, a local restaurant that has been open for 42 years was set to close at the end of this month. However, on Tuesday, the owner of Doña Esther’s on Franklin Street told KTVU that the restaurant would reopen in November with a limited menu.

San Juan Bautista is renowned for its mission, which was established in 1797 as the 15th mission in what is now California. Its quaint downtown has been a magnet for tourists and Bay Area residents looking for a quick getaway and a pleasant meal.

Kay Carlson, of Gilroy, frequently visited San Juan Bautista.

“It was just a lot of cute little shops, and in the whole town, everybody was friendly. It was nice to come and we all …