Macy's and Robinsons-May will merge in an $11 billion deal that will reshape the southland retail landscape. The Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita currently has both stores.
Macy's will relaunch at more than 800 sites nationwide, after parent company Federated Department Stores acquired May Department Stores in August 2005. The Robinsons-May in Arcadia became property of the Westfield Group and plans for the site have not been announced.
The Westfield Group will acquire 15 department stores which are owned by Federated Department Stores, Inc., including stores in Arcadia and West Covina. Robinsons-May in Arcadia and Macy's in West Covina will become property of Westfield and converted for other uses.
Kohl's has opened a new department store at Rosemead Boulevard and Huntington Drive, in unincorporated county area between Arcadia and San Marino. It will create 150-200 jobs for the area. Yvonne Barnes of Arcadia is pictured.
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.
Fast Cash, a payday loan company with offices in Arcadia and Eagle Rock, faces allegations of deceptive business practices and fraud in a complaint filed by the California Attorney General's office.
Arcadia-based J. Foley Enterprises, owner of Clearman's Village shopping center at Huntington Drive and Rosemead Boulevard, has proposed building a Kohl's Department Store and refurbishing the Galley Restaurant (The Boat). Residents have complained to the County Planning Commission about the potential blocked view of the San Gabriel Mountains and increased traffic.
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.
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.
Last winter's 4 1/2 month strike had a devastating impact on Safeway Inc., parent company of Vons/Pavilion headquartered in Arcadia. First quarter profits fell 73.5 % to $43.1 million from $162.6 million during the same quarter for the prior year.
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.
Shares of Safeway Inc. fell 4.5 percent after the Pleasanton-based parent company of Arcadia-based Vons/Pavilions said it expects second-quarter earnings will be below Wall Street estimates.
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.
H & M, a fashion retailer, will open a store at Westfield Shoppingtown Santa Anita on December 14, 2006. The store will have fashions for men, women, teens, and lingerie.
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.