Sol Food Makes a Move

Sol Food Natural & Organic Products recently relocated its health food and organic grocery store to 41564 Big Bear Boulevard in the Alpine Center. The move – though not convenient – was motivated by a couple of factors including owner Susie Lerma’s unsuccessful attempts to renegotiate her lease with her landlord. Lerma had leased the property at the height of the market and wanted to settle on a lease option that was more equitable for both parties. Unwilling to budge, Lerma looked elsewhere.

Sol Food’s new location has turned out to be a better place for Lerma. “We are open 2 hours less per day and I am still seeing the same numbers,” she says. “I suspect not everyone knows we’re here yet and I expect to a gain in sales.” The location will likely generate interest from visitors to the Valley given its position in a center part of the Big Bear Lake retail corridor.

Sol Food sells health foods and organic groceries and offers a weekly produce co-operative. Membership in the Co-op is open to anyone and requires a monthly fee, and in return, members can purchase fresh, local and seasonally grown food and organic produce at wholesale pricing. Through the Co-op, customers are able to eat healthy and support the sustainability of local farmers in the Inland Empire – allowing small farms to continue operating.

Change is hard in the beginning and benefits aren’t always obvious. In our current economic environment, it takes guts to make a radical move and get creative.

City's Traffic Consultant to meet with Village Business Owners

On December 5, 2008 the City's newly hired Traffic Consultant will begin workshop meetings with Village Business Owners to try and pin down shortcomings in traffic circulation and parking in order to come up with a plan to accommodate the huge crowds on peak season weekends and Holidays.

Sticking points have always been the lack of a proper venue and adequate parking for entertainment and the disruption of retail commerce during special events that close Village streets and/or impact available parking to where locals and second homeowners don't even try to go into the Village.

Traffic currently comes to a standstill (during busy weekends) with each horse-drawn novelty ride and now we have added bicycle cabs to the mix. The goal is to provide a quality experience for all visitors to the Village, every day of the year.


Joe Nelson on Village Traffic Study


timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com

Big Bear Lake Headed for the 21st Century

I certainly applaud action like this. It gives me hope that our community leaders are finally listening and will support efforts that enable us to become more competitive in the regional marketplace.

Joe Nelson on Big Bear B&B's


timbreung@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com

Affordable Housing Threatens Village Vision

At least two development companies are currently proposing affordable housing projects on the perimeter of the Village Retail Shopping district in the City of Big Bear Lake. One 32 unit two story complex on upper Pine Knot (city council meeting 9/08/08) and a 72 unit affordable rental complex on Knickerbocker (city council meeting 6/23/08).

The concerns are many. As property and business owners, our concern should be the further dilution of the retail marketplace with developments, while meeting affordable housing needs and Redevelopment timelines, that could be located in better suited residential neighborhoods. The long time practice of intermixing this type of use in commercial/retail areas is not new for the city. Just take a drive up the Moodridge corridor.

It will be my advise for retail and housing concerns to be opposed to these, or any other projects like these, for the Village without the emphasis put on commercial/retail and housing in moderation, as mixed use and subordinate to commercial use.

timbreunig@unitedwoodcraftsmen.com