It isn’t often that a landlord kicks out a well-performing store.
But Irvine-based sandal maker Sanuk’s store at Downtown Disney is on its way out, at least from its current location.
“The Disneyland store is doing scary (good) numbers,” said John Gothard, vice president of sales for Sanuk USA, which makes flip-flops and funky shoes.
Sanuk, which has been filling in at an empty storefront since the end of November, can’t stay because the space is already leased to Ridemakerz LLC.
Rancho Santa Margarita-based Ridemakerz LLC, a store where kids customize toy cars, is slated to close its existing Downtown Disney store in mid-March and expand into the Sanuk space.
Ridemakerz will re-open in June, according to the company.
As for Sanuk, it’s in discussions with Disneyland Resort to possibly open in another location at Downtown Disney, according to Gothard and Disney.
“They’ve definitely done very well,” said Betsy Sanchez, spokeswoman for Disneyland Resort.
Courtyard Courting
Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market Inc. is moving into the Costa Mesa Courtyards, according to tenants there.
Tenants, including a Crush Clothing boutique, will have to move around to accommodate the size of Fresh & Easy, which will take up a couple of spaces.
Phoenix-based Vestar Development Co., which manages the Courtyards, declined to confirm Fresh & Easy as a tenant.
Fresh & Easy would compete with Costa Mesa-based Mother’s Market & Kitchen, which is preparing to open a store in late spring across the street from the Courtyards in the former 25,000-square-foot Borders building.
Crush also is opening a smaller shoe store on 17th Street in Costa Mesa, where it used to have its main boutique before it moved to the Courtyards.
Cypress-based Vans Inc. recently opened a store at the 171,000-square-foot Courtyards, which has been undergoing a $1.6 million renovation.
True Foods
Scottsdale-based Fox Restaurant Concepts LLC is opening a True Food Kitchen in the former Blue Coral spot at Fashion Island this summer.
True Food Kitchen specializes in healthy food, often using organic and local produce, and it offers antibiotic-free meats, gluten-free menu items and other healthy choices.
The 9,500-square-foot restaurant was developed with the help of nutrition guru Andrew Weil, a doctor and author of several nutrition books.
Michael Stebner is the executive chef.
More Openings
Phoenix-based Sprouts Farmers Market LLC has opened a 23,000-square-foot store in Huntington Beach. Sprouts has five other locations in OC—in Irvine, Tustin, Orange, Seal Beach and Brea.
Valhalla Table is open at The Camp in Costa Mesa.
Sisters Liz and Ehrline Karnaga own the bratwurst and homemade sausage restaurant. The sisters also own Layer Cake Bakery in Irvine.
Shops for Sale
After defaulting on loan payments, The Shops at Anaheim GardenWalk is set to be auctioned March 9 by a unit of Citigroup Inc.
The mall, which struggled to bring in new tenants amid the economic downturn, failed to make payments on debt of more than $188 million in loans, which prompted the foreclosure.
The mall’s upscale CinemaFusion theater, which was in a rent dispute with the mall’s owner and developer, San Diego’s Excel Realty Holdings LLC, is hoping that it might be able to stay at the mall under new management.
The theater’s investment company, GardenWalk Cinemas LLC, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection.
“CinemaFusion is looking forward, very much, to working with the new owner and landlord at GardenWalk in the hope of amicably resolving this unfortunate situation to the mutual satisfaction and benefit of all the parties involved,” said Bruce Sanborn, the primary investor in the movie theater.
Family Classic Cars
Since selling his Honda, Toyota and other dealerships, Marc Spizzirri has ramped up his Family Classic Cars vintage auto sales business in San Juan Capistrano.
Spizzirri’s hired five staffers, for 20 altogether, and took over Larry Alderson’s job as manager.
Alderson signed on as a salesman at Costa Mesa-based Crevier Classic Cars, which also is beefing up sales.
Spizzirri’s business partner, John Cappelletti, once a professional football player, also works at the dealership.
Spizzirri and Cappelletti grew up together in Philadelphia.
“He’s a big-time car enthusiast,” Spizzirri said.
The 40,000-square-foot dealership has about 80 vintage, muscle, exotic and classic autos for sale.
“The classic car business is absolutely booming,” Spizzirri said.
It had a record month in January, selling 11 autos.
Family Classic Cars will open a restoration shop at the dealership this month.
Spizzirri says he doesn’t miss being a new-auto dealer. The high cost of doing business, including utilities and workers’ compensation insurance, makes it difficult to make a profit, he said.
CarMax Hiring
Richmond, Va.-based CarMax Inc. is hiring 600 workers to staff its used auto dealerships nationwide, including its Irvine dealership. CarMax is hiring mostly salespeople.
The company says it’s getting ready for the spring and summer auto buying season.
The company sells used autos on a “no haggle” basis in that the price marked is the sales price.
CarMax has 100 dealerships across the nation and 13,000 workers.
