Chevron Corp. is mixing up the food at its gas station convenience stores in Orange County and elsewhere with an eye toward Hispanics.
The San Ramon-based company, which has retail operations in Brea, has converted 410 stores, including several in OC, into ExtraMile convenience stores.
The stores have new food and displays. Some have signs in English and Spanish.
“In a very short period of time, Hispanics will become a majority in Southern California,” said Don Tovar, who heads up food service for Chevron’s U.S. retail stores.
Chevron has 46 stores in the county and 8,000 in all.
Among the new foods are a taquito and quesadilla from Orange-based Don Miguel Mexican Foods Inc.
Food and drinks bring the most profits for convenience stores, Tovar said. Coffee, water enhanced with vitamins and energy drinks are some of the biggest money makers.
Chevron stocks those kinds of drinks in a display called the HydraZone.
Through surveys and store tests, Chevron said it found food to be one of the best ways it could distinguish itself from its competitors.
It hopes to attract franchisees with the stores.
Fashion Island Openings
Women’s clothing store Michael Stars, known for its casual couture, recently opened at Fashion Island. The 1,900-square-foot store is the first Michael Stars in OC.
Custom home furnishings and accessory store Room Service also has opened at the Newport Beach mall. The store sells modern couches, chairs and other furnishings.
Store owners and OC residents John Bernard and wife Taryn Bernard design most of the store’s furniture.
The pair also owns a store in Los Angeles.
This spring, Los Angeles chef Celestino Drago plans to open a 3,700-square-foot Italian restaurant, Osteria Drago, at Fashion Island.
Jewelry Update
Erik Halfacre has been named president of Newport Beach’s Traditional Jewelers, which has a store at Fashion Island and another in Malibu. He continues the Halfacres’ reign at the jewelry seller. His mother, Lula Halfacre, is chief executive. Marion Halfacre, Erik’s father who started the business with Lula, died in 2007.
Seasonal Store
Costa Mesa-based Emmo Home LLC recently opened a seasonal store at South Coast Plaza. The store sells home products with a modern look, including coffee and tea makers, tableware such as salt and pepper shakers, lighting, sound systems and unique umbrellas. Emmo’s first store is in the nearby South Coast Home Furnishings Centre.
No Fees
In a bid to boost holiday gift card sales, Indianapolis-based Simon Property Group Inc. has dropped fees on its gift cards.
Simon’s OC malls include Brea Mall, The Shops at Mission Viejo and Laguna Hills Mall.
Gift cards sometimes come with a charge for activation, card replacement or monthly service. Simon’s provider American Express Co. has ended fees on cards, which are good throughout Simon malls.
Auto Show Recap
Missing from this year’s Orange County Auto Show at the Anaheim Convention Center was Mercedes-Benz, thanks to the economy.
The show, put on by local auto dealers, was much smaller than in years past, with relatively larger displays from auto companies that are faring better, such as Fountain Valley-based Hyundai Motor America.
(See page 15 for photos from the auto show.)
Hyundai showed its Nuvis hybrid concept at the show. The Nuvis is a smaller sport utility vehicle, or crossover.
Also missing at the show was Lamborghini. OC Lamborghini, which was based in Santa Ana and closed in 2008 after its owners got into financial and legal trouble. Automobili Lamborghini America LLC, based in Santa Monica, still is looking for a new OC dealer.
Ferrari of Newport Beach and Maserati of Newport Beach, next to each other on Pacific Coast Highway, had cars at the show.
Newport European Motorcars, which sells Rolls-Royce and Lotus autos, also displayed at the show.
Newport European, across from John Wayne Airport in Newport Beach, is one of the top three dealers in the U.S., said Kevin Smith, spokesman for Lotus Cars USA Inc., based in Georgia.
Lotus displayed an Evora, the first new Lotus in 15 years. It’s expected to hit showrooms in March.
The car is set to sell for about $75,000.
Lotus, part of Britain’s Group Lotus PLC, itself part of Malaysia’s Proton Holdings BHD, typically sells a couple hundred cars annually in the U.S.
Once the Evora is launched, Lotus expects to sell 2,000 cars altogether in the U.S., Smith said.
