Cox Communications Inc., better known as the cable provider for South County, has opened its first store at Quail Hill Village Center in Irvine.
The idea behind the store is to give customers a way to try out high definition TV service, said Ayn Craciun, spokeswoman for local operation of Atlanta-based Cox.
Some subscribers already have TV sets for viewing high definition but don’t have the cable company’s service, she said.
“Once they see what it looks like they’re like, ‘Oh, I’ve got to have it,” Craciun said.
Cox has 16 high-definition sets from Mitsubishi Digital Electronics America Inc. of Irvine in the store.
There also are displays for Cox’s digital phone service and high-speed Internet connections.
Customers can’t buy TVs at the store but they can order Cox products and services such as digital video recorders, modems and Internet service.
Cox doesn’t have plans for more stores, according to Craciun. Cox’s Orange County headquarters in Rancho Santa Margarita initiated the store idea, she said.
But if the store does well, Cox could take note, Craciun said.
Cox employs about 750 people in OC.
South Coast Update
Penhaligon’s London opened at South Coast Plaza in a 730-square-foot store in the Robinsons-May wing on the second level.
Penahaligon’s sells cologne and perfume, gifts and accessories. It is Penahaligon’s fourth standalone store in the U.S. New York-based Cradle Holdings Inc. owns Penahaligon’s.
Meanwhile, an interesting clash of cultures is going on at South Coast. Call it glitz meets grind.
“Beautiful Losers,” a display of the art and street culture of skateboarding, is on at South Coast inside the Orange Lounge in the Crate & Barrel wing next to the Paul Frank store.
The exhibition runs until May 15. The main exhibit is at the Orange County Museum of Art in Newport Beach.
The exhibit is based on the book “Beautiful Losers: Contemporary Art & Street Culture,” published in August.
Old Navy, With a Twist
This week, an 18,000-square-foot Old Navy is set to debut at the recently remodeled The Village at Orange. The store is one of a few to have a maternity and plus-size section. It is one of the few stores in OC that offer clothing in sizes up to 26. Old Navy Inc., part of Gap Inc., launched bigger sizes last year. Old Navy stores at Westminster Mall and the Shops at Mission Viejo also offer plus sizes.
Wilson in Time
David Wilson, president and owner of Toyota of Orange, is in a recent issue of Time magazine as one of 65 honorees for the 36th annual Time Magazine Quality Dealer Award.
Ralph Seekins, Alaska state senator and principal of Seekins Ford/Lincoln Mercury was the overall winner. All of the nominees were toasted at the National Association of Automobile Dealers’ recent annual convention.
The award is given out to dealers who show long-term commitment to community service.
Wilson’s dealership supports the Boy Scouts of America, Orangewood Children’s Foundation and Chapman University. Wilson spends time each week with the elderly as part of the Meals on Wheels program.
The California Motor Car Dealers Association nominated Wilson, who owns 12 dealerships. Wilson also plans to build a ritzy Lexus dealership in Newport Beach.
Wilson said his automotive career started off with a nasty oil change. He had forgotten to replace the oil plug in a van and the engine was destroyed. He had to pay for it and thought he could do better raising the money by selling cars and was transferred to sales. He bought Toyota of Orange in 1983.
Car Lot Shopping
Fred Armendariz is shopping for three dealerships in the OC area.
This summer, his investment company bought Tilo’s European Autohaus on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach. The dealership sells used luxury autos such as Porsche, Mercedes-Benz, Cadillac, Lexus and BMW. He said he’s signed three letters of intent for the new stores.
“If we end up with one I’ll be happy,” Armendariz said.
He said he stumbled across Tilo’s through a real estate deal and decided to give it a go.
“If you have the right management it works,” he said.
Armendariz started his investment company with the proceeds of the sale of his Irvine-based copy machine business, Advanced Business Machines Inc., which was bought by Tampa, Fla.-based Global Imaging Systems Inc. in 2000.
After selling his company, Armendariz parked the money and went to work on the first Bush-Cheney campaign. In 2001, the Small Business Administration administrator appointed him to the position of associate deputy administrator of the Small Business Administration. He held that post for about two years before his family was ready to move back to OC.
Having had some face time with President Bush, Armendariz said the president is better in person than on TV. Bush “loves to have a good time and can drill down on issues,” he said. The president is “deceivingly bright.”
Armendariz still is active in politics. He attended the presidential inauguration and is active in the conservative Republican group Lincoln Club of Orange County.
