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.
Looking toward east side of Baldwin in first block south of Duarte Road. Newsom's Bootery was at 1206 S. Baldwin. Cars parked parallel to the curb in front of the shops.
Arcadia launches the new Arcadia Downtown Business Association, with plans to revitalize the downtown district. Matt McSweeney is the association's chairperson and owner of Matt Denny's Ale House Restaurant on East Huntington Drive. City officials will spend about $90,000 on a parking study and about $18,000 in redevelopment funds to get Arcadia Downtown Business Association off the ground. The revitalization plans should work nicely with the slated opening of the Gold Line station at the northwest corner of North First Avenue and East Santa Clara Street by 2014.
Family owned and operated since 1977, owners Bob and Nora Barsuk have opened a third location for Arcadia Cleaners. It is the oldest family-owned dry cleaners in Arcadia.
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.
H&M, the Swedish chain store, had its grand opening in Old Pasadena. Later in November, a 17,000 square foot H&M will open in Arcadia's Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita.
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.