Sales are up at Fletcher Jones Motorcars in Newport Beach.
Here’s the catch: The Mercedes dealer says part of the reason is the opening of Newport Lexus across the street.
The addition of another luxury dealer in the area has had a positive impact on sales, according to Garth Blumenthal, general manager for Fletcher Jones.
Since Newport Lexus opened earlier this year, Fletcher Jones has sold more cars each month than a year earlier. In July, Fletcher Jones sold 775 autos. In August, it sold 739. In September, 772.
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Fletcher Jones: selling his and hers Maybachs |
Auto sales generally spike this time of year as customers buy autos for loved ones as well as for themselves.
For the wealthy OCers who have it all,Fletcher Jones is offering his and hers Maybachs for $700,000 a pair. No fooling.
The package also includes a luxury getaway,a two-night stay at the 2,000-square-foot presidential suite at the Island Hotel Newport Beach, dinner for two and spa treatments.
Sauvignon Creme
Fashion Island’s Neiman Marcus has served as a testing ground for Parfums Christian Dior’s new anti-aging skin cream, according to Women’s Wear Daily. Dior is part of LVMH Mo & #235;t Hennessy Louis Vuitton SA.
LVMH has been shrinking the number of stores its products are sold in to be more exclusive and to appeal more to the luxury buyer. Dior’s new L’Or de Vie La 1.7-ounce cream sells for $320 and will be sold in Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus next month. The key ingredient: Sauvignon grape vine branches.
Neiman Marcus also is selling its stake in Kate Spade LLC, which has a store at Fashion Island. Neiman had owned a chunk of the handbag company and plans to sell as part of Liz Claiborne Inc.’s $124 million buy of Kate Spade.
Camp, Lab News
Joining the organic vibe at Costa Mesa’s The Camp is 118 Degrees, a raw food restaurant owned by Jenny Ross of Jenny’s Raw and Organics (formerly Naked Apples) in Laguna Beach. The name 118 degrees refers to the way raw food is prepared,no veggies are cooked above 118 degrees.
Ray White, cofounder of Native Foods at The Camp has opened another restaurant, the Veggie Grill on Campus Drive in Irvine, along with Kevin Boylan and T.K. Pillan.
The Camp and sister shopping center The Lab are hosting a “Made In OC” shopping event this weekend.
Parent Lab Holding Inc.’s working on a redevelopment project in San Clemente, where Laguna Hills-based DBN Development LLC has bought the historic casino building and plans to turn it into a center with stores and restaurants and homes on top. The project is designed to add to Lab Holdings’ nearby North Beach project on city-owned land. DBN plans to start building next year.
Spectrum Center News
Irvine Spectrum Center’s ice skating rink is back for the holidays. Recently opened stores at the mall include: The Levi Store, Bandolino shoes, Jeany jeans store, This Little Piggy Wears Cotton, Flip Flop Shops and Fuzziwig’s Candy Factory. Bellini, a children’s furniture and clothing store is set to open soon.
Spending Survey
Deloitte & Touche USA LLP’s Southern California holiday spending survey predicts an optimistic season. Online shopping continues to grow with two-thirds of shoppers buying online this year. Gift cards also will be popular this year. Shoppers plan to buy 4.6 cards each this year, as opposed to an average of 4.2 last year.
New Stores
Kirkland’s Home has opened its first Orange County store near Lowe’s at The Market Place in Irvine.
Paper Source opened at South Coast Plaza. The store sells stationery, photo albums, rubber stamps and other paper supplies. Carolina Araoz is the manager.
Cosmetics retailer Shu Uemera opened at South Coast Plaza, with a grand opening set for Thursday. The retailer is known for its eyelash curlers and mink eyelashes. Also opened at South Coast Plaza is Fresh, a cosmetics company founded by husband and wife Lev Glazman and Alina Roytberg. The store is an OC exclusive.
Over at MainPlace
Chico’s and Soma by Chico’s are opening at Westfield MainPlace this month and next. Soma is the lingerie arm of Chico’s. Openings in the first quarter: After Hours Formalwear, JC Penney and Aldo, a seller of shoes and accessories.
Sports Barber
Wellington Franchising Systems LLC, based in Orange, is planning 125 Sport Clips haircut stores for men and boys in OC. The stores will show sports in the waiting room and at the haircutting stations.
They’ll be decorated in sports jerseys, pennants and other memorabilia, which also are for sale. The first stores are scheduled to open in December in Huntington Beach at the Newland Center and at the Woodbury Commons in Irvine. The 1,000 to 1,500 square feet stores are planned for upscale spots.
Wellington is the area developer for the Sport Clips Inc. franchise, based in Georgetown, Texas. Gregory Fisher is a managing member of Wellington. Sport Clips has 360 stores in 32 states.
