(Not) business as usual
Thank you, Signal Tribune, for the nice coverage of our State of the District event [“Facing the changes: The State of the District updates residents about incoming businesses and improvements,” Feb. 26, 2016]. It takes us a great deal of time to put together all the news of the year to share with our membership and the community, so we appreciate your help with that.
A huge thank-you goes to the BKBIA staff: Cait Yoshioka, project manager; Tokotah Ashcraft, First Fridays coordinator; and Andrew Schenker, Clean Team member— all of whom contribute to the daily improvement and momentum of the business district.
This year we titled the annual meeting “Turn and Face the Strange, Ch-Ch-Changes,” as an homage to David Bowie, who greatly inspires us (we are still mourning his loss) and for all of the new things coming into the area. We discussed all the moving parts in Bixby Knolls happening right now and in the near future— new businesses coming across the spectrum from retail to professional services.
This is the greatest moment in time for business development that the district has ever seen. Lola’s Mexican Cuisine will soon open its doors in the former Le Yen site. The Pan Restaurant will open in late March and add Bixby Knolls as its third location (other two are in Gardena). Aldi Market will open in the former post office space. The post office will open next to Marshalls at the end of spring. Trader Joe’s will move to its new location on Long Beach Boulevard in April and be joined by Crunch Fitness, Pet Food Express, Chipotle, Jersey Mike’s and two other tenants waiting for the ink to dry on the leases. And office spaces are being filled at 3703 and 3711 Long Beach Blvd. and in the Bixby Business Center at San Antonio and Atlantic.
Steelcraft will be a game changer for the district and especially Long Beach Boulevard. The shipping-container park with seven tenants will be a new community gathering spot while offering a great food and drink experience within walking and biking distance for other businesses and residents.
I must thank 7th District Councilmember Roberto Uranga and 8th District Councilmember Al Austin for their continued support of the work we do. I am looking forward to these continued partnerships as we keep pushing to make this the best business district (and neighborhoods) in the city.
Blair Cohn
Executive Director
Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association
Fun-raiser
It was fun, food and games at the Signal Hill Historical Society’s annual Casino Night on the Hill and Taste of Signal Hill event last Friday at the community center. More than 130 people enjoyed a feast of fabulous food from our local restaurants.
We would like to thank our Gold sponsors— the Signal Tribune, Fantasy Castle, Wells Fargo, Signal Hill Petroleum and Aleshire Wynder— who made this event possible. Other sponsors include: Baker Precision Bearing, Orozco’s Auto Repair, Kluger Architects, PRC Restoration and Construction, EDCO, Associa Community Management, Long Beach Petroleum Club, Terry Rogers/Coldwell Banker, ICSVW and Boulevard Buick GMC Cadillac.
Also a big thanks to Sylvia Hopper, Judy Mechling, Mary Justus, Terry Rogers, Pat Crosby, Bonnie Virga and all the volunteers who spent so much time and worked so very hard to make Casino Night on the Hill such a fantastic evening.
The food was incredible and plentiful. We would like to thank all these great restaurants for their donations: Applebee’s, Black Bear Diner, Delius, Fish-O-Licious, Golden Eagle, Big E Pizza, Curley’s, Hokkaido Seafood Buffet, Thai Gourmet, Kashiwa, Patricia’s Restaurant, Baja Sonora and Rossmoor Pastries. We cannot forget the awesome South Bay Casino Rentals, who supplied all the games and the friendliest casino dealers in town.
Thanks to everybody who came out to have a good time and support the Signal Hill Historical Society. We hope to see you again next year at this fabulous event.
Larry Blunden
President
Signal Hill Historical Society
