The Retail Landscape Spring Outlook 2011

The good news for local merchants is that reports have the larger economy improving. Locally, the 330 looks like it will be open for travel by the 4th of July instead of late in the fall as scheduled. Merchants are still closing their stores for good at a rate that is, I'm sure, unprecedented.

I am actually looking for more retail closures in Big Bear Lake prior to the summer season which really doesn't start in earnest until the 4th of July.

Open for Business

Sugarpine Bake Shop is opening a second location in the Village on Village Dr. next to Shirt Shanty. It's the former Village Cookie Shop. Opening looks like maybe Memorial Day. Good luck guys!


Cowboy Fancy, the new venture by long time Village Business operator Paul Ortuno. Like the name says, western ware and his horsemanship training is on the menu. The new store is on Village Dr. next to Hunter Hall's. Opening is looking like early July. Best of luck to the Ortuno's!


Club Bombay has posted it's ABC notice in the window. Another bar in the Village between the Himalayan Restaurant and the new AV Nightclub. Can you say moratorium?


AV Nightclub opened on May 2, 2011 in the former Pub on Village Dr. It is blue inside.


Le Dolce Vita says they are opening soon. On Village Dr across from Stillwells/Northwoods Resort. Beer and Wine on sale at a public place.



Space Available


Starbucks Coffee is closing its Village Store on May 20, 2011. My source at Starbucks says it is due to general low store revenues. This same store survived the closing of 600 under performing stores in 2008. This was "my" Starbucks. Who knew three Starbucks in Big Bear would be too many?

Simply Irresistible on Village Dr has vacated and the space is for lease.


Children's Closet has vacated and the space on Village Dr. is for lease.


Village Theater South on Village Dr. is for sale (real estate only) approx 9000 sq ft. older building. The listing is asking under 1 million. Contact Tom Benson at Sothebys.


Several new 'cubes' will be available soon in the Christmas Mart on Pine Knot. Maybe 3 will have frontage on the courtyard. All spaces have lots of natural light and share new common restrooms. Stop by and take a look. Contact Monty at the Christmas Mart.

Another Village Shop Fades to Black

The Home Décor shop Simply Irresistible has shut down operations and vacated the space on Village Dr. in the Village. The owner had opened almost 2 years ago in the same space of the former Wildwood Gallery, a long time Village fine art and gift store.

Club Bombay to Open next to the Himalayan Restaurant in the Village

From the ABC website:

License Number: 510119
Primary Owner: CURTIS, ROBERT EDWARD
ABC Office of Application: 07 - RIVERSIDE
Business Name
Doing Business As: CLUB BOMBAY
Business Address
Address: 672 PINEKNOTT AVE STE 1 Census Tract: 0112.02
City: BIG BEAR LAKE County: SAN BERNARDINO
State: CA Zip Code: 92315
Licensee Information
Licensee: CURTIS, ROBERT EDWARD
License Types
1) License Type: 48 - ON-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC PREMISES
License Type Status: PEND
Status Date: 20-APR-2011 Term: 12 Month(s)
Original Issue Date: Expiration Date:
Master: Y Duplicate: 0 Fee Code: P0
License Type was Transferred On: FROM: 47-423591
Current Disciplinary Action
. . . No Active Disciplinary Action found . . .
Disciplinary History
. . . No Disciplinary History found . . .
Hold Information
Hold Date: 29-MAR-2011 Type: FRANCHISE TAX HOLD
Hold Date: 20-APR-2011 Type: FORM 220
Escrow
Escrow: BUSINESS TITLE ESCROW INC, 25152 SPRINGFIELD CT #285 VALENCIA,CALIFORNIA 91355

Children's Closet Closes Village Dr. Store

The latest casualty of the greater economic downturn or 2009-2011 is the Children's Closet. Long time Village Clothing and gift store on Village Dr., the business was listed for sale most of 2010 with no buyers coming forward. This will add to the commercial space available inventory in the Village putting even more downward pressure on rents.

Recently Village Dr. businesses have asked the Improvement Agency to please do something for West Village Dr. when considering improvements for the Village.

Le Dolce Vita to open on West Village Dr.

From the ABC Website:


License Number: 508549
Primary Owner: LE DOLCE VITA LLC
ABC Office of Application: 07 - RIVERSIDE
Business Name
Doing Business As: LE DOLCE VITA
Business Address
Address: 40645 VILLAGE DR Census Tract:
City: BIG BEAR LAKE County: SAN BERNARDINO
State: CA Zip Code: 92315
Licensee Information
Licensee: LE DOLCE VITA LLC
Company Officer Information
Officer: BIANCHI, BRYAN (MEMBER)
Officer: LEON, CAROL LINDA (MEMBER)
Officer: LEON, JAY HOWARD (MEMBER)
Officer: WHYTEBIANCHI, VALERIE ANN (MEMBER)
Officer: LEON, JAY HOWARD (PRESIDENT)
Officer: WHYTEBIANCHI, VALERIE ANN (SECRETARY/ASST SEC)
Officer: BIANCHI, BRYAN (VICE PRESIDENT)

Former Pub on Pine Knot sees Activity

From the Grizzly:

NOTICE OFAPPLICATION TO SELL ALCOHOLICBEVERAGESABC-207D (9/00)Date of Filing Application:FEBRUARY 3, 2011To Whom It May Concern:The Name(s) of the Applicant(s) is/are:WRIGHTWOOD INN INCThe applicants listed above are applying to the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control to sell alcoholic beverages at: 664 PINE KNOT AVEBIG BEAR LAKECA 92315Type of license(s) applied for:48 - ON-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC PREMISESDepartment Of AlcoholicBeverage ControlRiverside District Office3737 MAIN ST., STE. 900RIVERSIDE, CA 92501(909) 782-4400Newspaper: Big Bear Life and The Grizzly, 42007 Fox Farm Rd., Suite 3B, Big Bear Lake, CA 866-3456.Pub.: 02/16, 2/23, 3/2/2010

From the ABC Website:


License Number: 507926
Primary Owner: WRIGHTWOOD INN INC
ABC Office of Application: 07 - RIVERSIDE
Business Name
Doing Business As: AV
Business Address
Address: 664 PINE KNOT AVE Census Tract: 0112.02
City: BIG BEAR LAKE County: SAN BERNARDINO
State: CA Zip Code: 92315
Licensee Information
Licensee: WRIGHTWOOD INN INC
Company Officer Information
Officer: VANKAMPEN, LEO J (CHIEF FINANCIAL OFFICER)
Officer: VANKAMPEN, LEO J (PRESIDENT)
Officer: VANKAMPEN, PATRICIA (SECRETARY/ASST SEC)
License Types
1) License Type: 48 - ON-SALE GENERAL PUBLIC PREMISES
License Type Status: PEND
Status Date: 03-FEB-2011 Term: 12 Month(s)
Original Issue Date: Expiration Date:
Master: Y Duplicate: 0 Fee Code: P0
License Type was Transferred On: FROM: 48-339251
Current Disciplinary Action
. . . No Active Disciplinary Action found . . .
Disciplinary History
. . . No Disciplinary History found . . .
Hold Information
Hold Date: 03-FEB-2011 Type: FORM 220

Northwoods Resort Sold Again

From the Grizzly:

NOTICE TO CREDITORS OF BULK SALE(UCC Sec. 6101 et seq and B & P 24074 et seq)Escrow No. 107-20330-DLHNOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN that a bulk sale is about to be made.The name(s), business address(s) of the Seller(s) are: BRISAM BIG BEAR LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, 40650 VILLAGE DR, BIG BEAR LAKE, CA 92315Doing Business as: NORTHWOODS RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTERAll other business name(s) and address(es) used by the Seller(s) within three years, as stated by the Seller(s), is/are: NONEThe location in California of the chief executive office of the seller is: SAME AS ABOVEThe name(s) and business address of the buyer(s) is/are: PACIFIC SNOW VALLEY RESORT LLC, A CALIFORNIA LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY, C/O JACK G. CAIRL, ESQUIRE, 10250 CONSTELLATION BLVD, STE 2900, LOS ANGELES, CA 90067The location and general description of the assets to be sold are: INVENTORY, FURNITURE, FIXTURES AND EQUIPMENT AND TRANSFER OF ON SALE GENERAL EATING PLACE #47-467887 of that certain business known as: NORTHWOODS RESORT AND CONFERENCE CENTER located at 40650 VILLAGE DR, BIG BEAR LAKE, CA 92315The Bulk Sale and transfer of the Alcoholic Beverage License is intended to be consummated at the office of: HERITAGE ESCROW COMPANY, 2550 FIFTH AVE, STE 136, SAN DIEGO, CA 92103, Escrow No. 107-20330-DLH, Escrow Officer: DEBBIE HOWE and the anticipated date of the sale/transfer is: ON OR ABOUT APRIL 1, 2011The bulk sale IS NOT subject to California Uniform Commercial Code Section 6106.2, but is subject to Section 24074 of the Business Profession Code.Claims will be accepted until Escrow Holder is notified by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control of the transfer of the permanent Alcoholic Beverage License to the Buyer.As required by Sec. 24073 of the Business Professions Code, it has been agreed between the Seller and Buyer that the consideration for the transfer of the business and license is to be paid only after the transfer has been approved by the Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control.PACIFIC SNOW VALLEY RESORT LLC, TransfereesPCTS LA 157793 THE GRIZZLY Publish: 2/23/11

2011 Business Outlook is Bleak for Local Retailers

My sense of what is happening in the local marketplace is no less than gut-wrenching. Even with all the "things are getting better" in the media, our reality is that local stores are closing.

Frustrated and a little bitter is the sense you get from statements made in the Grizzly article dated 2/23/11 ( Moonridge closing ), by Mike Gray, the owner of Wild Wings on Moonridge Rd.

Mike is not alone in his frustration. Neither is he alone in his sense of pending doom when looking at the horizon. It's a common theme when you talk to almost any small business owner these days. Yes, even those in the Village.

As for his complaint of a lack of identify or vision for the community, I disagree vigorously. That is an easy out and I hear it all the time and it's is just untrue. As far back as the 80's consultants and citizen groups have repeatedly come to the out-of-this-world conclusion that Big Bear Lake is a 4 season resort that serves visitors as it's primary (only) industry. Even in the 80's and as recently as last year, subsequent studies have come up with the same thing. All the reports have agreed that we under serve our customers when we are busy and struggle to survive when we are not busy. All the conclusions have been the same.. We need to make infrastructure improvements to provide a better customer experience when we are busy, and better develop our retail marketplace including restaurants, hotels and amenities to better compete with other destinations in the area.

For several years business owners have been urging the City Council to take action to support our local economy with new and fresh marketing, re-branding and easing of development code regulations that would allow the Big Bear Lake Marketplace to better compete with other destination marketplaces in Southern California. To spend improvement agency dollars for what they were intended for.. to make improvements and better the local economy.


Specific language has been used by me and others to focus on economic development. One clear need is to establish a fully authorized economic development commission to set goals for our survival and our future. To create a path to implement changes and guide the necessary spending to meet these goals. Other communities do this.


In March 2011 it will be two years since City Manager Jeff Matthieu responded to the Village Business Association and Charlie Brewster's plea for economic development and said.. "We’ll see what we can attack in a powerful way". I'm embarrassed to tell folks what we have attacked at all.


The comments by Mike Gray have nothing new to add to the perception by Big Bear Lake small business’s that the City has failed to take any meaningful action that would have any chance to improve the immediate reality that continues to decimate our local economy. To my knowledge, there is still no plan to even address economic development.


Here are some of the most visible business closings over the past year or so.


The Vintage Restaurant. Big Bear Lake Central
Papa Jack's BBQ. Big Bear Lake Central
Bear Mountain Trading. Moonridge
Lakeside Home Decor. (Downsized to the Village) Moonridge
Friends Salon. Moonridge
Tradewinds Shop. Village
Blondie's Bar and Grille. Village
Pages in Time. Village
Grizzly Mountain Gourmet. Village
Michelle's Deli. Village
Alexandria's Dress shop. Village
Beary Crafty. Village (formerly Anything but Ordinary). Village
Kenai's Korner. Village
Heart of the West. Village
Edelweiss Books. Village
The Pub. Village
Big Bear Souvenir. Village
Equada Outfitters. Village