Renick Cadillac Motorsports may have gotten its money’s worth at the California International Auto Show held earlier this month at the Anaheim Convention Center.
Michael Jackson, manager of Fullerton-based Renick’s Dreamworks Automotive Styling Center, said he had calls awaiting him when he arrived back at work after the show.
One sale alone would make the cost of exhibiting at the show worth it, Jackson said.
Renick displayed its 50-inch wheels, sport wings,the fiberglass addition at the rear that makes the car look like it’s going fast,and chrome mesh grilles at the Auto Show Underground, an edgier show for customizers that was held under the main show floor.
Lights were blaring, DJs were spinning and tricked out cars from several of Southern California’s car clubs were on display at the Auto Show Underground.
Dreamworks decks out Escalades, CTS and other Cadillac models for Renick customers as well as other Cadillac dealers. It also has a “top shop,” which creates simulated convertible tops. They were popular in the late 1980s and early 1990s, Jackson said.
“There’s still a market for it,” he said. “It’s definitely just for looks.”
See page 10 for more on the auto show.
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Renick in Fullerton: showed customization products at show |
Boutique Headed to Spectrum
William and Hemmy Lee have nurtured Kaitlyn, their women’s boutique. Now they’re expanding to the Irvine Spectrum Center, across from Nordstrom, in November.
The couple opened the first Kaitlyn, named after the daughter they plan to have, in Brea in 2002.
At 2,000 square feet, the Irvine store is set to be nearly double the size of the first shop.
The Lees spent a while looking around for a second spot. They said they looked at The Block at Orange and concluded it wasn’t for them.
Some malls weren’t interested in a small boutique, they said. So the Lees decided to hold off for a while. Then a leasing agent from The Irvine Company came into the store.
“She liked the multibranding,” William Lee said of the agent.
Kaitlyn carries designer brands such as Frankie B. and Paper Denim. The boutique soon plans to sell shoes.
Hemmy Lee is the fashionista and handles the buying.
“She gets complimented left and right, whatever she’s wearing,” William Lee said.
Hemmy Lee began her career as an intern at Neiman Marcus at Fashion Island but quickly worked her way up to a manager. Neiman Marcus then offered her a buyer job but there was too much traveling involved.
She left Neiman Marcus and took a buying position at Silhouettes, a women’s clothing and accessories store. Hemmy Lee was the head buyer for about five years.
“She was making them a lot of money,” William Lee said.
The Lees thought they might want to venture out on their own. They opened their first store with their savings.
The store broke even the first year and was profitable by the second year, according to William Lee. The Lees plan to take the profits from their second store to open more, he said.
Store Credit
Mission Viejo-based Location Management Services has landed a contract to help Kohl’s Corp. figure out where to put some 40 new stores. Kohl’s is in the midst of opening 500 stores in the next five years.
Location Management is working with Kohl’s to figure out if any of the planned stores could get tax and other breaks by locating in zones designated for redevelopment.
“Before they make a decision we tell them how close they are to the zones or if they’re in the zones,” said James Renzas, president of Location Management.
Companies can get thousands of dollars for relocating in certain areas, Renzas said. Take Louisiana. Even before the hurricane, the state was a federal enterprise zone.
Once Kohl’s is seriously considering a location, Location Management helps it evaluate credits and incentives that might be available, Renzas said.
The company also works with retailers to manage credits.
Location Management takes a percent of what it collects on behalf of the company.
Most companies don’t have time or staff to do this, Renzas said.
“This is basically found money for them,” he said.
Location Management competes with accounting companies providing similar services to retailers.
The company is evaluating a location for an auto dealer, Renzas said.
Auto dealers can provide cities millions in yearly taxable sales.
“They’re very desirable tenants for most cities,” he said.
But there are some exceptions. In Texas, dealer taxes go only to the state so cities aren’t as interested in dealerships, he said.
