In Whittier, Retailers Come and Go, But Sometimes, Retail Spaces Just Go. Which Space Will Go Next?
- Chris La Farge
- Nov 20, 2018
- 6 min read
Updated: Dec 5, 2018
With the arrival of the Christmas and Holiday Shopping Season, the media pays close attention to the retail industry. In this fourth installment of my series taking a critical view of the Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan, I turn to local retail news. In recent months, new shops have opened. At the same time, a spate of retailers have shut down or are faltering. With the Specific Plan, we have permanently lost three retail spaces and only time will tell whether or not we lose a fourth one forever.
Retailers Come
On Saturday October 20th, Arnie's Dollar+ celebrated its Grand Opening. This was a fun event with a DJ, classic cars, food, raffles, and prizes. Arnie (the owner) posted about it on his Facebook page. In fact, one raffle player won a new 50" HD TV. Located on the west end of the City of Whittier at 10530 Whittier Boulevard, 90606, it replaced part of the Bedroom Outlet Kids 2 furniture store which closed earlier this year.
As you probably suspected, Arnie's is a dollar store carrying a variety of goods. His stands out from the rest because he advertises in a fun way, effectively using Facebook and other social media. He displays his energy, enthusiasm, and personality, stirring interest. Indeed, with mom-and-pop shops, the owners' personalities and customer service skills often work to draw customers in. Arnie's a young entrepreneur and looks about 23 years old. Let's wish him the best and encourage all Whittierites to shop at Arnie's Dollar+.
In about late September, a new Harbor Freight Tools store opened at 15214 Whittier Boulevard, 90603 in East Whittier. Harbor Freight is a national chain with over 900 stores. According to their website, they buy direct from tool manufacturers and pass the savings onto their customers. Next to the Goodwill Store, Harbor Freight also replaced a furniture shop which closed about two years ago.
Additionally, a new AutoZone Auto Parts opened at 14153 Whittier Boulevard near the Michigan Park neighborhood in Central Whittier. This area's in City Council District 4. As one store in a large chain of 6,000, it replaces our old Party City which closed about two or three years ago.
AutoZone opened at roughly the same time Herbie's Natural Foods closed down next door. The shopping center's owner might be frustrated over being unable to keep all units occupied at the same time, but this is the nature of the commercial real estate business. Planners, agents and all who work with this industry regularly see retailers and restaurants come and go in strip malls and shopping centers.
Retailers Go
On its Facebook page, Herbie's posted that it closed on October 6th. While Herbie's closure is a loss, the Bee Hive is a viable alternative for local customers. It actually replaced Herbie's at 13308 Whittier Boulevard, 90602, when Herbie's moved a few years ago. Similar to Herbie's, it carries a variety of vitamins, supplements, and homeopathics. Additionally, the Bee Hive has a deli and juice bar.
Also last month, our OSH store was shuttered after the entire chain announced its closing this past summer. Located at 15225 Whittier Boulevard, this closure leaves a void of 42,000 square feet (an acre is 43,560 SF) at the newly built Friendly Hills Marketplace.
Built in 2016, OSH was the anchor of this 90,000 SF center.[i] For the good of our community, let's hope this large space is filled in the not-so-distant future because local jobs and sales tax revenues are lost with each retail closure. I explained this in my previous post, Controversies and Consequences on Whittier Boulevard.
In a different blog post which was published in September, Dear Whittier: Even if We Use Our Retail Space, We May Still Lose It, I cited a study predicting the potential closing of the entire Sears chain within two years. The very next month, Sears announced its bankruptcy filing and closing of 140 stores. Fortunately, our local Sears was saved and remains open for business. For how much longer is anyone's guess. Sears has a chance of recovering, so let's do our part and shop and support our Whittier Sears.
Retail Spaces Lost Forever
Adopted in 2005, the Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan rezoned much of Whittier Boulevard for both commercial and residential development. This policy allows residential uses to easily replace commercial uses, even allowing dense apartments, condominiums, and town homes projects. This was a significant change because the Boulevard has traditionally been commercial, as the town's primary business strip. (Uptown Whittier has been around longer but most planners would describe it as a node.)
The first residential development to replace commercial was The Gables of Whittier. At 96 units on five acres, it averages 19 units per acre which is not super dense. On the other hand, it's dense compared to most of our low-density, single-family residential neighborhoods which tend to average no more than 8 units per acre (most R-1 lots are about 5,000 or 6,000 square feet). The Gables replaced two auto dealerships which had been closed for years. [ii]
Had new residential-only uses been excluded from the Plan, the Gables would not have gone up and this large parcel would've eventually been redeveloped into new shops, restaurants, offices, or other commercial uses. This has been the case for other properties, like the Friendly Hills Marketplace, Whittier Crossing, and LA Fitness. But it was not to be, because the City Council had other ideas in 2005.
The second retail use to be replaced by residential was the old Whittier Mitsubishi dealership, as I previously described in Controversies and Consequences on Whittier Boulevard. With the economic downturn of the Great Recession, the dealership's owner could no longer afford the Mitsubishi franchise fee. However, he wanted to reopen and sell used cars, but the Specific Plan doesn't permit used car dealerships. But dense apartments are fine. Hence, the dealership never re-opened.
It sat vacant for several years before the Council approved the new Catalina Apartments in 2014, over the protests of residents. With 76 units in three stories, its density is 40 units per acre. This massive project doesn't fit with the surrounding neighborhood. Also, many neighbors are concerned with the additional traffic, especially since it's across Catalina Avenue from East Whittier Middle School. Regardless of these protests and concerns, the Mayor appears out of touch by his 11/18/2018 Facebook post. If you look at the comments on this post, you will see most are negative on this project.
Again, if the Plan had excluded residential-only developments, the Catalina Apartments wouldn't be under construction and the old dealership would have eventually been replaced with a new commercial or mixed-use project that neighbors like.
The same applies to the Park Place Apartments project of 50 units located at 14640 - 14660 Whittier Boulevard, which is adjacent to Anaconda Park. This was a former parking lot for one of our closed dealerships (there were several) and the third retail space (use) lost forever. With their loss, our City loses potential new shopping, services, and dining options. We also lose jobs and sales tax revenues, which the City desperately needs. While we lose, multifamily developers profit.
Will This Be the Next Retail Space to Disappear Forever?
Battels Hardware Store shut down in late September. In my Dear Whittier: post, I discussed why. The Specific Plan applies there as well, so it could also be redeveloped into a multifamily residential building. Currently, it's listed for sale for $2,000,000 by GM Properties. GM's listing notes (1) the property is in the Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan and (2) the lot size is approximately "27,480 square feet giving it great potential for a redevelopment. Separate residential parcel to the west can be included- please call for details."
On a positive note, GM Properties is a commercial real estate brokerage and management company. They're knowledgable of the Whittier Area and may succeed in finding a new commercial owner.
Nevertheless, with this listing, Whittier could be one step closer to losing another retail space forever. The Whittier Boulevard Specific Plan allows it, so it's out of our hands until the Plan is fixed. I bet many Whittierites hope it doesn't happen. And it may not. Perhaps another store will move in. We have to wait and see.
In the meantime, please support our local stores and Shop Whittier for your Black Friday, Christmas, and Holiday shopping as much as you possibly can.
I wish you and yours a very Happy Thanksgiving. Thank you for reading. Please leave your comments below.
Comments