Lamborghini Orange County held a party to mark the launch of a laptop computer from Italy’s Automobili Lamborghini Holding SPA.
The event at Lamborghini Orange County’s Santa Ana showroom included Hollywood stars, Lamborghini officials, business leaders and others. The dealership was tapped for the launch because it is tops in worldwide sales of Lamborghinis.
The laptops sell for about $3,200.
The event also doubled as a fundraiser for Santa Ana-based Mind Research Institute and the After School All-Stars of Los Angeles.
Sossi Keuylian, owner of the dealership with brother Vik Keuylian and sisters Astrid and Nora, greeted attendees at John Wayne Airport, where the Keuylians flew stars in by helicopter. Celebrities included Luke Perry (“Beverly Hills, 90210”) and Eric Roberts (of Batman movie “The Dark Knight” due out this summer).
Also lined up and awaiting the celebs: Lamborghinis. Each star got to drive a car to the dealership. Jamie Kennedy drove a gray Lamborghini. Perry drove a Gallardo Superleggera.
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Laptop launch party: Lamborghini USA’s Pietro Frigerio, Sossi Keuylian, Luke Perry |
The guests walked a yellow carpet into the event, where they got goodie bags that included a bottle of Stag’s Leap red wine engraved with the Lamborghini OC logo, a Lamborghini computer mouse and other swag.
The Keuylians also are preparing for the scheduled 2009 opening of a 20,000-square-foot, two-story dealership on Pacific Coast Highway in Newport Beach.
Rover Repair
Pendragon North America Motor Inc., based in Mission Viejo, has opened a 4-acre Land Rover service facility at Dove Street near John Wayne Airport in Newport Beach.
The facility serves the newly remodeled Land Rover, Jaguar and Aston Martin dealership on Jamboree Road in Newport Beach. Pendragon, part of England’s Pendragon PLC, added the Aston Martin and Jaguar franchises. Prior, it was just Land Rover.
Pendragon runs about 400 franchises in Britain, which accounts for the bulk of the company’s sales. Pendragon acquired the Newport Beach dealership in 2003. It also owns Bauer Jaguar in Santa Ana, among others.
Luxury Up in Spots
Some upscale retailers are doing fine in certain markets. Take New York-based Tiffany & Co. Its U.S. stores are down by about 4%, including in Florida and California.
But its sales were up in markets such as Las Vegas at Bellagio and at South Coast Plaza. The South Coast Plaza store has long been one of Tiffany’s top stores in terms of sales.
H & M;: Long Lines
Hennes & Mauritz AB, operator of H & M; stores, opened recently at Brea Mall to long lines of fans of cheap fashion or what retailers like to call “affordable luxury.” The lines are typical for the Swedish retailer, which now has four stores in OC, though less than the initial frenzy for H & M;’s OC debut. H & M;’s other stores are at the Irvine Spectrum Center and South Coast Plaza, where it has two stores.
New O
Foothill Ranch-based Oakley Inc., part of Italy’s Luxottica Group SPA, has remodeled its O Store at the Irvine Spectrum Center. The store sells high-end, high-tech sunglasses, clothing, shoes and other items.
The store added plasma screens and more displays that make it easier for customers to try on sunglasses.
New Furniture
Finders Keepers home furnishing store has moved into a new and larger space at The Market Place. The store, 20 years at the mall, needed the bigger space for its new lines, Stylus and Best Home Furnishings. It also expanded some of its existing lines, Pulaski and Universal. David Marks and Vicki Marks own the store on the Tustin side of the shopping center.
Boutique Opening
Sienna Brown, a women’s boutique, opened at Corona del Mar Plaza.
The store sells brands such as Bella Jones, Orla Kiely, Handwritten and Gas Bijoux, a jewelry line.
Newport Beach residents Debbie Davimes and Bryan Davimes, own the store. The store also sells the Davimes’ T-shirt line, Tee Party.
