Biz News: Saint Laurent expands at South Coast Plaza
The Saint Laurent boutique at South Coast Plaza has relocated and doubled its space, according to the Los Angeles Times.
The new store, which opened June 2, is about 5,500 square feet and is on the second floor, between the Costa Mesa shopping center’s Jewel and Carousel courts.
“A modernist take on Art Deco, most of the floors and walls are covered in slabs of gray-streaked white marble and sleek fixtures — including shelves that run the entire length of the wall and freestanding vitrines — are rendered in nickel-plated brass, glass and mirrors,” The Times reported.
Vin Goat in CdM is closing up shop
Vin Goat, a wine and cheese shop in Corona del Mar that opened in May 2011, is closing.
The store at 3326 E. Coast Hwy. will be shuttered in coming days, said co-owner Erich Vogel.
Vogel, who owns the shop with John Bennett, said in an interview that, while the business’s catering side is “exploding” in popularity, the retail end has been enduring the opposite.
In an email to supporters June 10, the Vin Goat team said “the past five years have been incredible, as we brought a new food concept and business to the area. The best part of all has been the fantastic people we’ve met and served, the wonderful friendships we have developed and the opportunity you have provided us to share our passion for food and wine. We sincerely thank you for the great support.”
Arc, Restaurant Marin stop no-tipping policy
Arc restaurant in Costa Mesa is abandoning its European-style no-tipping policy.
The program, launched about three months ago, was dubbed a hospitality charge to reward service. It ends Friday.
In effect, it increased prices at the South Coast Collection restaurant by about 20%. It also sought to put servers and kitchen staff on the same wage level of about $15 an hour.
The change also affects Restaurant Marin, which opened in the spring with a no-tipping policy.
“We do not feel like we are wrong in our approach, but we are one restaurant in a sea of 6,000 dining outlets in the county, and to effectively instill change, it will take more than one restaurant to be at the forefront of the movement,” Marin Howarth von Blom and Noah von Blom, owners of Arc and Restaurant Marin, said in a statement. “People will say that our ‘experiment’ didn’t work, but we are happy that we were able to make people aware and get people talking about the future of the restaurant industry.
“With its slim margins, we do worry about the future of our beloved restaurant industry and culinary culture as we look at minimum-wage increases and labor shortages for non-tipped positions. We can’t afford to be ahead of the curve right now.”
Fresh Bros. donates to Newport schools
Fresh Bros. recently raised $3,750 in its “pay what you want fundraiser” at its restaurant on Irvine Avenue in Newport Beach.
The money will be donated to Mariners Elementary School and Newport Harbor High School, the company stated in a news release.
Newport firm invests in cannabis-focused media company
Kodiak Capital Group LLC, based in Newport Beach, announced its purchase of $2 million in stock from Burn Entertainment Corp.
New York-based Burn, which runs BurnTV, is a multimedia lifestyle and entertainment company “embracing the mainstreaming of the global cannabis movement,” according to a news release.
“This commitment from Kodiak would be our largest investment to date and our first with an institutional partner,” Burn Chief Executive Jason Santos said in a statement. “The funding will provide us necessary capital to rapidly scale content and distribution positioning BurnTV to become the media leader and lifestyle brand of the cannabis industry.”
Marketing company moves to Newport Beach
PX, a marketing company, has opened a new office in Newport Beach near Fashion Island.
The office is at 120 Newport Center Drive.
Atlantic Trust moves across Newport
Atlantic Trust, a private wealth management firm, has moved its Newport Beach office from MacArthur Court, near John Wayne Airport, to Newport Center.
The new office at 520 Newport Center Drive, Suite 700, near Fashion Island, “provides room for expansion as the firm looks to meet the growing demand for its services and deepen its capabilities in Orange County and surrounding areas,” according to a news release.