There’s a new color electronic sign for auto dealers on Beach Boulevard in Huntington Beach.
Next up: light pole banners that read “Shop, Play & Stay.”
The advertising is part of a collective effort by Surf City auto dealers,the biggest source of sales tax for Huntington Beach.
The dealers raise money for advertising and other spending through a business improvement district. Such districts are common for auto dealers and other businesses across the county and elsewhere. Members pay regular dues, which are used to spruce up common areas or for marketing and other purposes.
Surf City dealers also are part of the Huntington Beach Auto Dealers Association, which advertises “the Beach Boulevard of Cars.”
Huntington Beach’s district was formed in 1991. The association came about in 1990.
In all, the 12 dealers have a yearly budget of about $500,000, which is used for the sign along the San Diego (I-405) Freeway, other marketing and charitable donations.
Early on, money was used to spruce up the median along Beach Boulevard.
The dealers recently converted their reader sign along the freeway to color. Maintenance alone costs about $2,000 to $3,000 a month, said Jim Upp, executive director of the association.
Upp also manages the district for the dealers.
The city acts as the middleman for the district, collecting money from members and supervising the operation.
Upp is semi-retired, having worked in auto sales for 32 years and managing the Costa Mesa-based Orange County Auto Dealers Association for a time.
The district plans to spend about $30,000 on banners for Beach Boulevard. Other businesses are set to kick in for them, too.
The Huntington Beach Chamber of Commerce is coordinating the banner effort, Upp said.
As for the association, each year members select new officers to run the group. Pat Finley, owner of Huntington Beach Nissan now is the president.
Rare Look at Wet Seal’s Gold
Officials at Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal Inc. have kept a low profile as they seek to turn around the store chain for girls and young women.
A recent article in Canada’s Globe and Mail sheds some light on consultant Michael Gold, the driving force behind Wet Seal’s comeback strategy.
Wet Seal hired Gold a while back to nurse the company back to health. This year alone, he will receive $11 million for his services.
Gold owns YM Inc. of Toronto, which includes about 500 teen retailers such as Bluenotes, Stitches and Suzy Shier.
He’s interested in expanding his chains to more than 100 stores to have more negotiating power with malls, according to the Globe and Mail.
Gold, who doesn’t talk to the media much, wasn’t interviewed for the story. Industry sources offered their observations.
“Mr. Gold is reaching a level of dominance in the clothing retailing industry that allows him to wield a big stick in just about every realm of his business,” the story said.
More stores also mean lowered costs from suppliers.
After closing stores, Wet Seal said it plans to open 20 to 25 stores this year and up the number of stores by 15% to 20% next year.
Gold, now just a consultant at Wet Seal, could seek to take over running the retailer, the story said.
His overall business strategy: “Quicker fashions at low prices for fickle, style-conscious shoppers.”
Gold does that by using large signs in stores and bringing in new fashions pronto.
Malone at South Coast
Jo Malone, a fragrance boutique within the cosmetics department of Saks Fifth Avenue, is set to open a store in the former Escada space at South Coast Plaza in the fall.
London-based Jo Malone Inc. uses unusual combinations of ingredients to make products such as nutmeg and ginger bath oil. Products are for men and women.
Along with Saks, Jo Malone also sells within the cosmetics section of Neiman Marcus. It also has a New York store and a boutique inside Wynn Las Vegas Resort.
Escada is moving into the former, and larger, Versace space. The Escada space will be divvied up into four spaces. South Coast Plaza will be doing more boutiquing,taking larger store vacancies and sectioning them into smaller shops. The shopping center expects to have 25 new stores this year.
Mrs. Marilyn Manson
Mrs. Marilyn Manson, Dita von Teese, will sign her new book “Burlesque and the Art of the Teese” at Book Soup in South Coast Plaza on Friday. Von Teese, whose real name is Heather Sweet, married rocker Manson last year.
Manson bought Von Teese’s wedding ring at William Harold Jewelers in Newport Beach (actually, the jeweler visited Manson’s home.)
Lola Rouge Family
Lola Rouge Kids, a designer fashion and accessories store for girls, opened recently at Fashion Island. Sandy Johnson and sister Debbie Askew own Lola Rouge Kids as well as the Lola Rouge on 17th Street in Costa Mesa and at Fashion Island. Mom, Martha Askew, owns The Bedroom next to Lola Rouge in Costa Mesa.
