A Look Back

Jerry Person

I am amazed at the building going on at the old Sea Cliff project

at Main Street and Yorktown Avenue.It seems as if the new village gets

larger and larger each time I pass it.This week we will be looking at the

original Sea Cliff Village with its nature murals and the people who had

their hopes and dreams in its businesses.

In 1976 the Huntington Beach Company was looking forward to the grand

opening of its newest venture -- an educational attraction for student

field trips and a village-themed shopping center.

This village, built on oil land, comprised 131,500 square feet of

space and cost the developer a cool $6 million.

The hope was to have 62 businesses in and around the center by opening

day.

It was to be a place where a resident would find everything they

needed from having their hair styled, to picking up a flower centerpiece

for the table, to planing their next vacation in France or just picking

up a gift at one of the boutiques.

Sea Cliff Village was built around a bird theme that was developed by

Edward Carson Bell of Torrance, Donald Shipley, a former mayor and noted

ornithologist, and Margaret Carlberg of the National Audubon Society.

The firm of C.H. Leavell of Newport Beach served as general contractor

and Pacific Plan of California was its management company.

The village was built using redwood, cedar tile and natural stone.

There would be 15 tiled murals and 40 bird displays around the

village. These would come to wind up on the walls of our civic center

years later.

The new merchants held a pre-grand opening “Fun Day” on Aug. 28, 1976

in which Barnaby the Clown performed magic tricks for the kids.

The international award winning choral group, the Harborlites sang in

an open air concert.

Also appearing on that day were bluegrass entertainers Pickens & Reid

-- the boys with the noise.

There were hair and nail demonstrations, a flower arranging demo and a

fashion show by West End.

On Saturday, Oct. 16 and Sunday, Oct. 17, 1976, the village went all

out to celebrate its grand opening, beginning with a traveling bird show

from Busch Gardens and continuing with magic by Barnaby the clown.

On hand to greet his listeners was KABC Radio talk show host Bill

Ballance.

The Stumbleweed Band provided music for dancing in the mall.

Our fire department and paramedic squad gave demonstrations and the

U.S. Coast Guard gave a water safety demonstration.

The Donut Stoppe showed the public how doughnuts are made and the As

You Like It store presented a demonstration on refinishing antique

furniture.

The Bird’s Nest showed people how to make quilts, and a wine and

cheese tasting was conducted by Sea Cliff Pharmacy.

A photography workshop was given by Jonathan’s Studio and was a hit

with the public.

If you wanted to know how to pack your clothes properly for traveling,

then the demonstration given by Seacliff Travel was your cup of tea.

How many of you remember the some of the original businesses that were

there -- like the Boys Market, Y’Lings House of Precious Stones, Home

Federal Savings, Seacliff Cleaners and the Woodrose Gallery that featured

works by Grant Woods and Native American crafts.

In the service lines were Shoe Villa, a dentist named Dale Brandon, an

optometrist named Stanley Doi, the Magic Razor and the Head Liberation

hair stylists and Winter Beauty Supply.

Other interesting businesses included the Coral Reef Tropical Fish and

Birds store, the Sand Dipper Ice Cream shop, Bob Lyman’s Men’s Shop, the

Collage, Cal Furman Real Estate, Simons for soup and sandwiches and the

Sea Bird Restaurant.

I hope some of these businesses invoke a bit of nostalgia and although

many of these businesses lasted only a short time there, they are part of

the magic that is Sea Cliff Village of yesterday.

* JERRY PERSON is a local historian and longtime Huntington Beach

resident. If you have ideas for future columns, write him at P.O. Box

7182, Huntington Beach, CA 92615.