The Arcadia City Council approved an ordinance amendment loosening store display restrictions and decided to maintain the first floor retail restrictions on buildings in the downtown business district.
Business spotlight on Hyper Coffee at 203 S. First Avenue in Arcadia, in a historic Art Deco building. It has been in business 17 years. By Helen Wang.
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.
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.
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.
Business profile on Fitness Factor in Arcadia. Maggie Riddle and Kevin Riddle are the co-owners. They do personal training and small group fitness at 24 N. 1st Avenue in Downtown Arcadia.
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.