Review by Merrill Shindler - Asian market is authentic. 99 Ranch Market chain has hundreds of good things at its multiple San Gabriel locations, including one in Arcadia. Its mission is to offer authentic Chinese ingredients to underserved Chinese-American communities across America.
626 Night Market, an Asia-inspired market event returns for its ninth season at Santa Anita Park Friday through Sunday, with a phased reopening and reduced capacity. Admission is $5 plus fees.
Asian night markets share a common language: food. Evening events draw thousands to LA, Orange, and San Diego counties. In 2012, the first 626 Night Market took place at Old Town Pasadena. Then the event moved to Santa Anita Park in Arcadia and it has become a signature event, becoming kind of synonymous with Arcadia, says Jason Kruckeberg, assistant City Manager, and Development Services Director.
Businesses rejoice as Coronavirus restrictions are relaxed. On Friday, California met the vaccine equity goal that allowed public health jurisdictions in Los Angeles County, including Pasadena, to move into the less restrictive red tier of the state’s reopening roadmap on Monday. As Los Angeles County geared up for some semblance of familiarity after an extraordinary 12 months of lockdown, the defining red tier reached is a delineating moment for better days ahead. The staggering loss of life, political turmoil and concerns of becoming another statistic weigh heavily on the minds of Southern Californians as we enter into the next phase of reopening businesses which we used to take for granted. As of Monday, indoor dining, movie theatres and other businesses were allowed to reopen with limited capacity — restaurants at 25% for example.
Let's make a record. Onyx Record Press plant, has recently opened in Arcadia, to manufacture vinyl record albums. Founded by Gil Tamazyan, recording artists Moe Espinosa, Surachai and Cyrusrex, their advanced record pressing plant is in a 5200 s.f. building in Arcadia. Located at 11728 Goldring Road, Suite A, Arcadia, California, 91006, according to their website onyxrecordpress.com. See hard copy in VF.
LA County moves to yellow tier as rate of new COVID cases falls again. Los Angeles County has officially qualified for a move to the least-restrictive yellow tier of the state economic-reopening blueprint, meaning capacity limits will be increased at many businesses and bars will be permitted to reopen indoors.
Weekly statistics released by the state Tuesday showed the county's rate of daily new COVID-19 infections had fallen to 1.6 per 100,000 residents, down from 1.9 last week. Reaching the yellow tier of the state's Blueprint for a Safer Economy requires a county to have a new-case rate less than 2 per 100,000 residents, and maintain that level for two consecutive weeks.
Grocery Outlet Bargain Market opens new store at 104 East Live Oak Avenue in Arcadia. This location created 30 new jobs. Independent owner-operators are Chris Phillips and Amanda Sandoval.
The Book Rack, a bookstore that has served Arcadia for 40 years, is closing. The owner Karen is retiring. Doors close permanently on February 23, 2024. The store's address is 204 South First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006.
Fans commiserate in closing of their beloved bookstore. 78-year-old Karen Kropp, owner of The Book Rack, a bookstore in Arcadia, has closed the store on First Avenue, after taking over the reins 18 years ago. Declining sales worseneed by the pandemic, as well as her upcoming 80th birthday, precipitated the closure. The store's address was 204 South First Avenue, Arcadia, CA 91006.
Two weekends remain for 626 Night Market at Santa Anita Park. It wraps up its ninth season on September 3-5. The 626 Night Market is an evening festival of food and merchandise vendors, games and entertainment. Founded in Pasadena in 2012 by entrepreneur Jonny Hwang. After taking up residence at Santa Anita Park, it expanded to OC Fair in Costa Mesa and Alameda County Fairgrounds in Pleasanton. Festival did not take place in 2020 due to Coronavirus pandemic.
Monterey Park mass shooting one year later. City still lives in massacre's shadow. Permanent memorial to the 11 victims is still in planning stages. In Arcadia, doughnut business owners Francois Ung and his wife Shally Ung remember and honor their friend Andy Kao, a victim of the shooting at the Star Ballroom Dance Studio on January 21, 2023, with a pledge that they will send proceeds from sales at their Arcadia Donuts store on January 20 and 21 to the Monterey Park Hope and Resiliency Center and the Andy Kao Memorial Ballroom Dance Group to assist funding the nonprofit organizations. See also related article, "Who were the Monterey Park shooting victims? A year later, a reflection," Pasadena Star News, p. A13, January 21, 2024.
Hunt continues for gunman in Arcadia car-to-car shooting on the 210 Freeway near Baldwin Avenue which left a woman named Betty Hernandez, 36, of Monrovia, dead. This shut down the freeway for several hours on September 4. On September 5, two people were found dead, in the block of 600 West Huntington Drive, an apparent murder-suicide. Both victims were in their 50s.
Bookstore fights to survive in middle of global pandemic. Karen Kropp, owner of The Book Rack in Arcadia, says she'll weather the pandemic storm for the love of reading. Kropp took over the business 17 years ago from original owner Pat Carlson, who started the business 35 years ago.
Facing COVID-19 fines, some restaurants say the punishment does not fit the crime, as restaurant owners have found it hard to keep track of the county and state mandate changes. Closures, new protocols, and restrictions in the face of COVID-19 have caused the restaurant industry to suffer. The cities of Monrovia, Arcadia, Pasadena and Sierra Madre have stepped up to help the ailing restaurant businesses by either waiving fees or offering outdoor dining expansion opportunities, such as using parking lots as dining areas.
The Shops at Santa Anita (formerly Westfield Santa Anita mall, changed name in 2022) hosts a holiday winter wonderland with synthetic ice rink, hot cocoa, and face painting, 6-8 PM today. Event is on the Promenade area. Skating rink is free but donations accepted. Proceeds benefit the Arcadia High School Marching Band. The Shops at Santa Anita is at 400 S. Baldwin Avenue.
Presidential history in good hands with Arcadia car detailer Jerome Holland. Holland, owner of Car Bath Mobile Detailing in Arcadia, was one of 40 handpicked automotive detailers who spent 6 days restoring the first Air Force One jet at the Museum of Flight in Seattle.