Spotlight on Downtown Arcadia business Vendome Wine & Spirits, a bar, coffee, and bottle shop owned by Jeff Musial. It is across from Arcadia Metro Gold Line Station. His business partner is Charles Tran.
Spotlight on local business, a hair salon called 1st Ave Salon, located at 10 N. First Avenue, Arcadia, CA. Owner is Veka Estrada, a Temple City resident.
New development and businesses in Downtown Arcadia. The Metro Gold Line train has brought renewed success and energy to Downtown Arcadia. A mixed-use project near the Gold Line's Arcadia station will include over 16,000 square feet of commercial space, 38 residential units, and 110 new parking spaces are under construction, as is a 4,000 square foot Art Deco style office building at 130 S. First Avenue. Last year, Mr. Lowe Brewing Co. opened Arcadia's first microbrewery and in July, Vendome Wine & Spirits opened at 103 E. Santa Clara St. Article by Mayor Peter Amundson.
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.
Arcadia City Council approves $70,000 to help the Downtown Business Association set up a business-improvement district. The district would tax commercial property owners to revitalize the area.
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.
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 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.
Business profile of Move It Aerobics Studio, an exercise facility that offers fitness classes for overweight students. Michele Silence is the owner. Her business is located at 40 E. Live Oak Avenue.
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.
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.
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.
New indoor playground, a business called Precious Ones, in Arcadia, raises safety concerns for children, in opinion of Planning Commission Board member Kenneth Chan. Despite concerns, the Board was satisfied with owner Sandy Joo's responses and approved her business for operation given she meets all the conditions laid out, which include background checks, CPR training for staff, among others.
Highlighting Downtown Arcadia: Arcadia Blues Club: one of the city's best kept secrets, located at 16 E. Huntington Drive since 2005. The small business is operated by a husband and wife team with a passion for blues music.
Spotlight on Arcadia local Dave Berkus, a renowned capitalist and self-made man. He is the founder and president of Berkus Technology Ventures. He started out as the owner of his own record company, then wrote software, and is now a venture capitalist. Photo.
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.