Coming to Fashion Island: H & #228;stens, a store that sells handmade Swedish beds that go for $3,500 to $20,000.
The store is a venture of Los Angeles developer Wally Marks and furniture retailer Evan Cole. They’ve formed a company called WE Ventures Inc. to open H & #228;stens stores, including the one inside the Atrium Court at Fashion Island in Newport Beach next month.
H & #228;stens beds, imported from Sweden, are made from natural materials, including Argentine horse mane and tail, flax, wool and cotton.
What do you get for $20,000?
“You get heaven,” Marks said.
Marks is new to retailing but is getting in the salesman groove. He primarily is a landlord and developer. This is his only retail venture.
“I build buildings for a living,” he said.
Marks’ father helped develop Rodeo Drive in Beverly Hills.
Marks himself had his hands in redeveloping the retail element of the Helms Bakery complex in Culver City as well as the Third Street Promenade in Santa Monica.
WE Ventures holds the license to open H & #228;stens stores in Southern California. It plans to open eight to 10 more stores in the region during the next three years.
There’s a H & #228;stens in New York and one at the Helms Bakery complex.
Cole is the former owner of ABC Carpet & Home in New York. There, he sold H & #228;stens beds. He now owns H.D. Buttercup Furniture Mart in the Helms Bakery complex.
Marks said he prefers stores that are on a street. But that’s hard to find in Orange County, so Fashion Island it was.
“I understand we have to be in the mall,” he said.
Marks did look at other locations such as the Irvine Spectrum Center but said Fashion Island best fit its customer profile.
MOD Squad
Mod Jewelry Inc. in Newport Beach is set to make metal jewelry for Beverly Hills Choppers.
The Beverly Hills Choppers collection will be handmade in sterling silver with gold, diamond and leather. Mod also makes sterling silver jewelry for Harley-Davidson shops.
Mod has offices in Australia, Europe and Japan. Its factory is in Bali, Indonesia.
British Invasion
British cosmetic brand Rimmel London is bringing its double-decker bus to The Lab in Costa Mesa on Saturday. Rimmel, part of New York-based Coty Inc., is promoting its brand in the U.S. with free makeovers.
The Lab’s Crew Salon will provide the hairstyles.
Lit Up in Fullerton
Rockers Lit opened their restaurant in downtown Fullerton, the Slidebar Cafe.
Here’s a partial description from the band’s blog: “a 1980s arcade, a take-out express counter, indoor and outdoor seating, flat screen TVs everywhere … including the bathrooms, a killer sound system, a video jukebox, rock ‘n’ roll memorabilia from your favorite Orange County bands. (No Doubt’s drum set hangs from the ceiling!).”
Slidebar promises live entertainment from celebrities. On Sunday it’ll hold the “Sunday Funday” Bloody Mary Brunch.
Dennis Rodman already has stopped by to sign the wall and bartend. The band is boasting an impressive musical lineup (no word who) for its grand opening.
Lit, whose members live in Fullerton, is probably best known for the song “My Own Worst Enemy.”
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House of Imports: Buena Park dealership was No. 62 on list of top U.S. Internet auto sales |
Internet Auto Sales
Four OC dealers made Wards Auto’s top 100 list of Internet dealerships in the U.S. for 2005.
Fort Lauderdale, Fla.-based AutoNation Inc. owns the four local dealers on the list.
No. 12 Power Toyota Irvine sold 2,407 autos online last year, including 2,011 new and 396 used. Power slipped from its No. 8 ranking last year when it sold 2,301 new vehicles and 399 used ones.
Among dealer groups, AutoNation leads in Internet sales, according to Wards. AutoNation dealers generate Internet sales by being listed on sites such as Irvine-based Autobytel Inc. and Los Angeles-based CarsDirect.com. It also generates sales from its own Web sites.
No. 62 House of Imports in Buena Park sold 1,274 Mercedes-Benz via the Web, including 904 new and 370 used autos.
No. 68 Power Toyota Buena Park sold 1,224, including 1,015 new and 209 used. No 91 Power Honda Costa Mesa sold 1,063 autos, including 929 new and 134 used.
Nationally, Dave Smith Motors in Kellogg, Idaho, ranked No. 1 in online sales, moving 7,271 autos, including 6,096 new and 1,175 used. A year earlier it sold 6,733 autos over the Internet.
Dave Smith Motors does volume business and takes a one-price, “no haggling” approach to car sales, similar to Richmond, Va.-based CarMax Inc., which has OC locations in Irvine and Buena Park.
Dave Smith Motors is known as the Wal-Mart Inc. of auto dealers.
Correction
In my March 20 column, I wrote about Irvine-based Solana MedSpas, which is opening its spas in malls across the country.
Solana is teaming up with CalbaTech Inc., an Irvine-based technology company, to offer stem cell collection.
Solana and CalbaTech are partners but CalbaTech is not a part owner of the spa chain as I stated in the column.
