We recently received the February newsletter from the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce and found a piece written by Paul Little, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce, to be particularly timely and very pertinent to the businesses of Old Pasadena.  Paul Little is on the Planning Division Committee, so he is well informed as to the importance of this revision.  Old Pasadena Management District urges the business and property owners and management to participate in the revision process to ensure that your interests and concerns are represented and addressed in the updated General Plan.  Paul says it well… here is the complete article.

Pasadena General Plan Revision Requires Attention of Business Community

Pasadena is currently in the information gathering stage of a significant revision to the General Plan. What may seem mundane, can have lasting and real impacts on businesses, residents and visitors to Pasadena.

The General Plan governs how land will be used and how people will be able to access different parts of the city. The General Plan determines where commercial activity will take place, what type of businesses will be allowed and how concentrated enterprises can be. Beyond that, the General Plan lays out how people will move about the city, where they will be able to park their cars, and how many cars any given street can carry.

A successful General Plan will balance the interests of residents, who desire safe, comfortable neighborhoods, with economic activity that supports the operation of the city and the quality of life in Pasadena. For a well-crafted, thoughtful and appropriate plan to emerge, concerns and opinions of all stakeholders must be considered. That means our local business community must take the time to provide input and information so economic development and commercial interests can be taken into account as plans are formulated.

There continue to be opportunities to provide input. The City Council has appointed a General Plan Update Advisory Committee to oversee gathering information and prioritizing issues. While community meetings have been conducted, those have focused mostly on gaining input from residents. If Pasadena’s commercial and economic development concerns are to be heard and incorporated into the plan, we need significant input from Chamber members and others doing business in Pasadena. You can find information on the City of Pasadena website at www.cityofpasadena.net/generalplan. The page contains information, background material and opportunities to comment. It is up to you to make sure your voice is heard as Pasadena plans for the future.

by Tony Nino, Pasadena Advertising owner
Old Pasadena Management District - Chairman of the Board of Directors

Times are hard, and doing business anywhere is a challenge, but as far as Old Pasadena is concerned, the rumors of the economy getting better seem to be true.  Like anywhere else, to take full advantage of that, you not only have to work harder, you have to work smarter and in Old Pas, we also work together.  Cooperation is what gave Old Pasadena its start in the late ’80s, and it’s what is keeping us ahead of the curve today.

This was a very good holiday season for our 21-block district.  Even though we don’t have all the figures in from all the stores, we can see that our garages were consistently at full capacity, unique visitors to our web site nearly doubled from last year, and merchants have come to us with thanks and stories.

Lula Mae on Fair Oaks Avenue

Marci Christensen, proprietor of Lula Mae, an award-winning Old Pasadena gift boutique saw a dramatic increase in profits over last year.  She is not only a smart merchant but also an active marketer.  Since OPMD research had predicted that virtually all our customers would be spending less, she changed her product line to take full advantage the situation.  To attract more customers, she participated in all our holiday events beginning with the Halloween Trick-or-Treat weekend.  To maximize her visibility with limited ad funds, she developed a website and blog as fun and quirky as her store.  She linked it to the OPMD site, offered on-line coupons from both sites, then gave the coupon discount to all her customers, whether they knew about them or not.  “I see the look in their eyes when they get the added discount.  I know they’ll visit my site now, and they’ll come back to the store.”

Crowned Studio on Green Street

Andrea Auman, owner of the Crowned Studio Salon not only experienced a 35% increase in business, she did it overcoming an additional challenge.  In the middle of the worst recession in anyone’s memory, she decided to move and start up her business all over again.  “It was the best possible timing as far as I was concerned,” she remarks.  “I knew my best customers would follow me, and with Pasadena rents at an all time low, I knew I could find a great place in a great city.”  Andrea not only took full advantage of the OPMD web connections and events to bring in customers, she started up networking and cross-promotional events of her own.  To maximize her electronic presence Andrea links to her partners and fellow merchants from her home page and maintains Facebook and Twitter accounts and a blog.

As diverse, and sometimes eccentric, as the merchants of Old Pasadena are, all of our success stories share this aspect of working harder, working smarter and working together.  No magic potions (that we know of), no lucky Leprechauns, and no behind-the-scenes buyouts or bailouts have been employed to give us the upper hand.  Just good research, good marketing and good business.  The Old Pasadena Management District is proud to be the hub of this activity, and is working hard to keep giving our merchants and business owners ahead of the game.

On Friday, January 1, 2010 at 8:00am, millions of spectators around the world celebrated the New Year with the 121st Rose Parade, themed 2010: A Cut above the Rest. With nearly a half mile of the 5.5-mile parade route and the greatest concentration of spectators along the route running through the heart of Old Pasadena, the volume of trash left behind is enormous. Yet before noon on New Year’s Day, less than two hours after the last float passed through Old Pasadena, the District was completely clean. With a team of less than 20 people, Anna Addis, VP of Operations for Old Pasadena Management District (OPMD) had the streets and sidewalks spic and span. By noon, merchants were able to open for business without their patrons having to step over trash and debris.

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As part of our Holiday Celebration which kicked off the holiday shopping season on Friday, November 27, we initiated our $1,000 Shopping Spree Sweepstakes for shoppers spending $50 or more in Old Pasadena. We received hundreds of entrees from local and visiting shoppers. An entry was awarded to every $50 spent over that weekend; so many people had several opportunities to win.

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Interesting Headline

From the Pasadena Star-News: Jennifer Jones Simon, Academy Award-winning actress who transformed the Norton Simon Museum, dies.

Until my boss Steve Mulheim pointed this out, I was unaware (as some of you may be) that Jennifer Jones was married to Norton Simon.  She is credited with bringing Frank Gehry on for the completion of the $3 million renovation of the Norton Simon Museum and with instituting a lending program to local arts institutions, including the Armory Center.  You can read her entire obituary here.

The Shops on Holly

Old Pasadena’s Holly Street, known for its unique independent boutiques and restaurants has been officially donned “The Shops on Holly.”  Signage has been installed on the brick building above where the delightful Lula Mae store is located.  I am told by property owner Jim Plotkin that soon to follow is a retro-styled clock installed at the corner of Holly Street and Fair Oaks Avenue.  We will follow up with a picture and more details when it is installed sometime within the next few weeks. To quote Pasadena Now: The street is perfect for shoppers seeking something different, a great foil to the chain stores on Colorado Blvd.

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Our wonderful Old Pasadena Holiday Celebration kicks off this Friday, November 27 with Santa’s Arrival and Tree Lighting in One Colorado Courtyard.  Saturday and Sunday, more than 50 merchants and restaurants are participating in our Holiday Open House by offering special in-store promotions, treats and events. Every $50 you spend in Old Pasadena on Saturday and Sunday qualifies you to enter our drawing for a $1,000 Old Pasadena shopping spree.  More details here.

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Jim Plotkin - Old Pasadena stakeholder

Jim Plotkin has made a significant investment in Old Pasadena and is as committed as anyone to keeping the District vital and competitive, particularly in this tough economy.  Jim started out in retail in 1964 as the owner of the Pasadena Vacuum and Sewing Company located in the Stanton Building at 80 East Colorado Blvd.  He purchased the building and then refurbished the property in 1972.  The Stanton Building is now the home of the Sprint store.

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One Colorado

The award-winning One Colorado project is comprised of an entire city block in the heart of Old Pasadena.  Located on Colorado Blvd. between Fair Oaks and De Lacey Avenues, it was the first project to spark the redevelopment of Old Pasadena. The property’s historic architecture, alley, and brick courtyard are filled with dynamic shops, restaurants and public art pieces.  One Colorado also plays host to an innovative series of special events, such as outdoor film festivals with films beamed onto one wall of the courtyard, live concerts, as well as various art shows for thousands to enjoy.

Patagonia's pre-1900 building

The One Colorado Management team led by General Manager Sally Lunetta and Operations Manager Tony Lucero have completed a number of improvements to the buildings and courtyard over the last year in order to preserve and enhance the character and charm of this urban oasis.  In April 2008, they power washed, repaired and re-sealed the courtyard brick plaza improving the overall look.

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Starbucks Old Pasadena

We are pleased to make note of several remodels and improvements, both interior and exterior, taking place on Old Pasadena businesses and properties.  In an effort to promote these enhancements and this type of pro-activity, we will be featuring many of the individual efforts here so check back every couple of days for each new installment.

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Indiana Colony 1874 - Stereoscopic picture

1.     Present day Pasadena was settled by a group of Indianans seeking fairer weather following the exceptionally cold winter of 1872-73. The Indiana Colony was incorporated on January 31, 1874, and was later renamed Pasadena because the name “Indiana Colony” was rejected by the Postmaster General.

2.     The official paint color for all street furniture in Old Pasadena is “Tavern Square Green“, as stipulated in the Streetscapes and Alley Walkways Plan.

Original Schoolhouse

3.     The Schoolhouse parking garage is named for the Fair Oaks schoolhouse, which was relocated shortly after the turn of the century when it became exposed to the bustling activity of the developing center of town and potential danger to the children.

4.     The Old Pasadena Property-based Business Improvement District (PBID) was renewed by petition vote in 2005 for another five year term, by an overwhelming 94% approval by the property owners.  The Continuation Campaign is getting underway for the 2010 renewal.

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