Shaheen Sadeghi
Founder, President
LAB Holding LLC
Costa Mesa
Born in Tehran, Iran
Age: 65
Lives in Laguna Beach
WHY: Visionary real estate-developer of retail and event centers, such as Anaheim Packing House food hall, Center Street in Anaheim, Make Anaheim, LAB Anti-Mall, The Camp in Costa Mesa and Casino San Clemente.
HOW: Founded LAB Holding in 1991, opened indoor/outdoor retail concept LAB Anti-Mall in 1993. By 2002, opened eco-conscious retail space The Camp. Got start as couture designer for famed couturier Charles James in New York. Headed west to work as executive in design, merchandising, international manufacturing for Jantzen Inc., formerly of VF Corp. Took on executive vice president role at Gotcha Sportswear Inc., took president role at Quiksilver under co-founder Bob McKnight before launching real estate venture.
RECENT: Largest food hall on tap for Sadeghi in LAB’s hometown of Costa Mesa. A 60,000-square-foot “Market Hall” project envisioned for The Press, the 24-acre former L.A. Times printing facility off Sunflower Avenue, near Harbor Boulevard and the San Diego (405) Freeway. It will be part of that site’s creative office redevelopment. Envisioned to have more than 50 restaurants and retailers. New project recently closed in San Marcos, 11 acres called Area of the Arts.
FAST FACT: LAB is an acronym for Little American Business.
QUOTABLE: “Nobody is more creative than [Sadeghi], he has a 20-year history of figuring out what people want,” said SteelWave exec Seth Hiromura, whose company is heading the office portion of The Press.
PERSONAL: Studied fashion design, merchandising at Pratt Institute in Brooklyn, N.Y., where he met his wife, Linda, LAB Holding’s chief operating officer. Completed Executive Finance Program at Harvard Business School. Couple has three sons.
