Tommy Bahama’s newest location, set to open in Laguna Beach in November, is as much a store as a restaurant.
At the restored 1930s Heisler Building, customers will be able to eat a sandwich and have a drink at the bar, try on a bathing suit and then walk across the street to the beach.
Tommy Bahama at Laguna Beach will be split evenly—2,500 square feet for the restaurant and 2,500 square feet for the store.
But there won’t be a dividing wall.
“You’ll be able to see the store from the bar,” said Terry Pillow, chief executive for Seattle-based Tommy Bahama, a subsidiary of Atlanta’s Oxford Industries Inc.
Pillow declined to say how much the company is investing in the site.
It will be below Rock’n Fish, a 6,300-square-foot, Manhattan Beach-based seafood restaurant.
The Laguna Beach store is set to sell Tommy Bahama tropics-inspired clothes for men and women, accessories and beach bags, along with items being designed just for that location, including a folding beach chair.
This is the 13th combination store/restaurant for Tommy Bahama.
The restaurant/store, given its beach location, will be more casual than some of the company’s other restaurants.
Tommy Bahama opened its first store/restaurant in Naples, Fla., in 1995.
It has another store/restaurant, Tommy Bahama’s Island Grille, in Corona del Mar Plaza. The company also has stores at The Shops at Mission Viejo and the Irvine Spectrum Center.
Tommy Bahama has 85 stores altogether, including the restaurant/store combos.
Pillow said the company is scouting other coastal locations for its stores/restaurants.
Model Car Co.’s Moving
Ridemakerz LLC, which operates like Build-A-Bear but with model cars, recently opened at Downtown Disney. On hand at the opening was Huntington Beach-based hot rod designer Chip Foose, who designed some of the wheels for the radio-operated toy cars.
Ridemakerz, now based in Santa Rancho Margarita, is moving its headquarters to Irvine in July.
St. Louis, Mo.-based Build-A-Bear Workshop Inc. has a 25% stake in Ridemakerz, which is headed by Chief Executive Larry Adreini.
Store Openings
Apricot Lane, a “celebrity-inspired” boutique, and a Wet Seal store are opening at The Shops at Mission Viejo in the fall.
Apricot Lane’s 2,000-square-foot store will replace Gary’s Studio. Foothill Ranch-based Wet Seal Inc.’s 6,000-square-foot store will replace a Nike location.
Apricot Lane, part of Northern California’s Country Visions Inc., sells brands including 7 for All Mankind, Joe’s Jeans and Steve Madden shoes.
Gymboree Corp’s Crazy 8 children’s clothing store also recently opened at the mall.
Pandora Jewelry LLC, a Danish chain that sells charm bracelets, has opened a store at the Brea Mall.
Pandora’s jewelry sells in other stores around Orange County, including Ben Bridge at South Coast Plaza and Fresh Produce stores in Newport Beach and Laguna Beach.
After remodeling, Pink Laundry has reopened at the Newport Coast Shopping Center. The women’s boutique opened its Newport Beach store in 2008. Pink Laundry has one other store in Villa Park. That store opened in 2005.
Tesla’s Dealership
One month in and San Carlos-based Tesla Motors Inc. said it is pleased with its Newport Beach dealership.
“Things have been awesome,” said Jeremy Snyder, general manager of the southwestern region for Tesla Motors Inc.
Tesla doesn’t reveal sales for individual dealerships. Overall the company has sold 1,063 Tesla Roadsters through March 31, according to its recently filed initial public offering.
Tesla, founded in 2003, started selling cars in 2008.
The all-electric luxury sportscar maker opened its first OC dealership last month.
“It’s definitely been confirmed that it’s the right market for us,” Snyder said.
Most of the dealership’s customers have come from the immediate area, according to Snyder.
Tesla also plans to start renovating the interior of the building this month. The dealership will look similar to the Los Angeles location.
