City Council approved closing First Avenue between Alta and California Streets from 6 AM to 1 PM on Saturdays from April 18 through Oct. 31. for a Farmer's Market.
The City Council voted unanimously to allow construction of a 50,000 sq. ft., 24 hour Albertson's market at Live Oak and Tyler Avenues. The complex, to be completed in January 1995, includes a 2800 sq. ft. restaurant and space for small shops.
Arcadia's Fresh and Easy (grocery store) market at 133 East Foothill Boulevard to shut down April 3. The chain is closing about 30 stores, including ones in Arcadia, Azusa, and Pasadena.
The Saturday Farmers Market will continue for at least another six months. Arcadia Business Association operates the event and estimate that 22,000 have visited the market in the last 8 months.
Major changes on tap for Arcadia in the new year. Delta Marriott Hotel slated for the old Santa Anita Inn; Arcadia's tallest building, currently housing Bank of America at 150 N. Santa Anita Avenue, has gone up for sale. The current Arcadia Self Storage at 35 W. Huntington Drive is proposed to become a modern food vendor location, reminiscent of the Grand Central Market in Downtown Los Angeles or the Anaheim Packing House.
Downtown Arcadia businesses create "Community Benefit District." Each business owner would pay extra in property taxes to go into a fund to better market the area to customers and visitors. With the Gold Line Station at North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street scheduled to open in 2015, efforts to help brand the area have been fast-tracked.
Albert Chu and Patricia Huang, the people behind 626 Night Market, now selling chef-made foodie boxes called ChefBox. It is a takeout establishment in South Pasadena that offers high quality meals that can be quickly heated up.
Bob and Renee Samich, owners of Newsom's Junior Bootery, are retiring after running the shoe store for 20 years. They are closing the store due to a combination of rising rent, a lack of walk-in traffic on Baldwin Avenue and a change in the children's shoe market. The store has been in operation for 53 years.
Downtown Arcadia business owners establish a Community Benefit District, mandating they each pay an annual assessment on their property taxes to fund marketing programs and activities in hopes of bringing more people to the area. It is called a Property-Based Business Improvement Model. It is a private-sector initiative that bills local businesses by the same criteria used in Old Pasadena--according to their frontage, lot size and scope of any buildings on a given property. 60% of downtown Arcadia owners chose the plan, the result of a three year effort.
For the second consecutive week, concerns about the image of Arcadia were expressed at council meetings. Residents are concerned about a new tattoo parlor and Gina's, a bar and grill located beneath Bowling Square.