California's minimum wage increase is going to force some restaurants to hike food prices, cut back on employee hours and reduce advertising. McGrath's Fish House in Arcadia may be forced to reduce employee hours. The minimum wage is now $7.50 per hour. Another 50 cent increase goes into effect January 1, 2008.
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.
British food giant Tesco is going to open Fresh and Easy Neighborhood Markets in West Covina and Arcadia on November 8, 2007. Fresh and Easy stores are relatively small and lean heavily on fresh food offerings, including prepared meals and sushi.
A new Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market has opened in Arcadia. It is owned by Tesco, a British food giant. Tesco's labor practices have come under fire for relying on part-time workers, which may limit the ability of workers to earn a living wage.
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 Massage Therapist Regulations ordinance, approved November 5 by City Council, places regulations on the licensing of massage therapists and the activities of businesses offering massage services. It regulates business hours, uniforms, customers' bodily coverings and suggestive ads.
Op-ed on the South Arcadia redevelopment and why the County should not be challenging the city's request for the area to be changed to a redevelopment zone in order to qualify for county funds.
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.
The changing face of Arcadia--commercial brokerage firm NAI submits proposal for downtown districts. The City of Arcadia hired NAI to assess the city's five business districts and make recommendations to improve them and bring in appropriate, compatible businesses. See hard copy in VF Business and Industry.
Arcadia Downtown Street Market now on Saturdays, 5-9 PM. It is run by Green Leaf Events on First Avenue between Santa Clara Street and Huntington Drive.
Safeway Inc., parent company of Arcadia-based Vons/Pavilions, is changing operations to comply with a new law that calls for a 25 percent reduction in California's carbon emissions by the year 2020.
Sporting goods retailer REI has completed a solar retrofit of its Arcadia store. The roof of the store is covered with photovoltaic solar panels, which will self-generate nearly 112,000 kilowatt hours of electricity and up to 30% of the store's annual energy needs.
Downtown Arcadia in 2019. Large mixed-use project (38 apartments, 16000 s.f. retail, office, restaurants) at First Avenue and Wheeler Street will finish and open later this year. New restaurant "Trendy Thai 2 Go" opened at 18 North First Avenue (formerly Stacked Sandwich) and Shabu Lin is about to open at 101 South First Avenue (formerly Zapata Vive). Downtown AIA will be implementing several new streetscape beautification projects this year, planning has started on year-round decorative tree lighting on First Avenue.
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.
Santa Anita Gardens Catering Services threw an extravagant showcase event to celebrate and promote one of their two hosting venues, Arcadia's historic Prince Erik Hall, located at 2607 South Santa Anita Avenue, behind Arcadia Congregational Church.
Upcoming 24 hour gym in Arcadia, Anytime Fitness, plans to solve residential lighting issue. Resident Virginia Dahl is concerned about her privacy as the gym's parking lot lights shine into her property.
A state law scheduled to take effect in September is expected to set standards in the massage industry. Arcadia City Manager Don Penman commented that the new law may not stop people who want to commit a crime and do illegal acts. In the last few months of 2008, Arcadia shut down seven massage busineses for illegal activities.
Honorees of Arcadia Chamber 2015 Business Awards include Patricia Colonello of Mountain Views News. Business Person of the Year went to Kin Hui of Arcadia, CEO of Singpoli Group. Business of the Year went to Sierra Auto Honda, a family owned business. Raquel McLaughlin and her mother were awarded New Business of the Year.
Hong Kong Supermarket, a New York-based company, will open a 25,000 square feet market at 935 W. Duarte Road, at the Mon-Arc Retail Shopping Center. It is the fifth Hong Kong Supermarket in the San Gabriel Valley, specializing in imported Asian groceries. It will serve customers from both Monrovia and Arcadia. Asians account for 10.9% of Monrovia's total population while Arcadia's Asian population is at 58.9%.