New World Newsstand location opens in Laguna Beach
The coronavirus pandemic brought hardship on much of the local economy.
To lend a helping hand to the restaurant industry in town, Laguna Beach had parklets built to provide opportunities for outdoor dining.
Heidi Miller, the owner of the World Newsstand, said she never opposed the parklets, but she had even appeared before the City Council to express her belief that too many of them at the south end of Ocean Avenue were detrimental to her business.
The impact of lost parking spots was significant for adjacent retail businesses, Miller explained, especially if some of the parklets were not being used on a regular basis.
“I’m not against the parklets,” Miller said. “I never have been, but when you put three of them in a row directly in front of somebody’s business and you block them in, to me, that wasn’t right.
“If they put one in front of my newsstand, that’s fine. I didn’t have a problem with that at all, but to have three, I just thought that was a little bit of overkill and kind of not fair.”
In June, she made the decision to close the World Newsstand in the downtown area, but she was immediately on the hunt for a new location.
Miller held the grand opening for the new and improved, indoor World Newsstand on Saturday.
The shop will carry newspapers, magazines and the work of various local authors, as well as a handful of puzzle books such as Sudoku and word searches. Miller added the World Newsstand will be open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily.
Still within walking distance of the beach, Miller believes the new World Newsstand, at 687 S. Coast Highway, will be a success with its proximity to neighborhoods and hotels such as the Pacific Edge Hotel.
“These people are staying at hotels, or they live here,” Miller said. “So they’ll come, and I think they’re going to be my regular customers. People already today, they said, ‘Where are your newspapers?’
“I said, ‘They haven’t started delivery yet, but I will have them tomorrow.’”
Miller, who also has a clothing store in town called Tight Assets, also had some sundresses on display in the new store.
A local resident who stopped by the shop on Saturday morning was excited to see the World Newsstand open its doors, commenting that she had watched Miller build up the store over the past two months.
In a world that is increasingly leaning on digital technology, Miller maintains that there is charm in the printed word, and it is a tradition that she does not plan on letting die out any time soon.
The storefront includes a tribute to print products in the form of a newspaper wall entitled “Laguna Beach News” with a list included of many of the popular spots to visit in town.
“I love having the newsstand because we’re keeping print alive in a digital age, and to me, as long as I break even, I’m happy,” Miller said. “… I love keeping something alive and not letting it become a dinosaur.”
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