Mayor Bob Margett, in a speech to the Chamber of Commerce, suggested that the city start checking up on businesses operating out of homes within the city.
At the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce's annual Power Planning Conference on January 24, City of Arcadia's City Manager, Dominic Lazzaretto, provided optimism to the local business community during this time of economic uncertainties. He said 25% of Arcadia's $48 million in annual revenue comes from local businesses--with nearly $10 million from sales taxes and another $2 million-plus from licenses and permits. The City has proposed a new business assistance program ombudsman to help entrepreneurs with the start-up process, is working with Chamber of Commerce to create a more interactive one-stop business checklist, and has not increased the cost of a business permit.
The Board of Directors of the Arcadia Chamber of Commerce voted unanimously to support a retail use for the property being considered for a Target Department Store. The committee did not specifically say that Target would be the preferred use.
The Arcadia Chamber of Commerce, welcomed a new business into the city. Monite's Antiques and Objects of Art, which has been open since April, features antiques and collectibles, paintings, French imports and furniture.
The developers of a proposed $9.8 million inline skating facility have abandoned plans for building in downtown Arcadia, saying they would rather take their project to Monrovia.
A draft ordinance has been submitted to the City Council that would allow Arcadia residents to conduct businesses out of their homes if certain criteria are met and a permit is approved. According to current law, such businesses are illegal.
Local business Vintage Treasures and Antiques Arcadia, owned by mother and daughter team Jeanette C. Beraha and Raquel McLaughlin, celebrates its first anniversary with a New Business award from Arcadia Chamber of Commerce. It is located at 340 East Foothill Blvd., Arcadia.
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.
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.
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.
Upland-based Lewis Homes is in escrow to buy the old Foulger Ford site on Huntington Drive. Preliminary plans include a supermarket and two smaller retail spaces.
A convenience shopping center has been approved by the Arcadia Redevelopment Agency for the southeast corner of Huntington Drive and Santa Anita Avenue. The businesses now occupying the land (a Texaco station, Burrito Flats restaurant, Miller's Carpet Care and Drive-Through Liquor) will have to be removed.