Expo aims to get business hopping

Lolita Harper

COSTA MESA -- Triangle Square will host an expo today that is designed

to promote local business and its own struggling center.

More than 20 businesses will be on hand, either promoting their

products or seeking to hire new employees, said Peggy Parsons, the

event’s coordinator. She said it will provide the community an

opportunity to explore career options while attracting people to downtown

Costa Mesa.

Sponsor Connell Chevrolet will display a new Avalanche, Suburban and

possibly a Corvette, spokesman Brad Clancy said. Clancy added that he is

aware of the trouble the center has had attracting business. He

attributed the lack of foot traffic at Triangle Square to the center’s

parking situation.

“People are lazy. They don’t want to park and walk to a store,” he

said.

Although the center has a fair amount of empty retail space, it is

still a great location to promote business, Clancy said. Everything is

about exposure, he said, and there are a lot of young people at the

shopping center.

Planning Commissioner Bill Perkins, who has taken a special interest

in making over Triangle Square, will also attend the event. He expects to

see plenty of people taking advantage of the various business displays

and hopes those same people will remember Triangle Square as a shopping

destination.

“Triangle Square is in definite need of revamping, and this is a good

time and good event to do it with,” Perkins said.

Ed Fawcett, president of the Costa Mesa Chamber of Commerce, agreed

the event is a positive boost for both the center and nearby businesses.

Although the chamber is not involved in the expo, Fawcett said any

promotion for local business is welcomed.

FYI

* WHAT: Triangle Square Business Expo and Career Fair

* WHEN: Noon to 7 p.m. Friday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Saturday

* WHERE: Food court at Triangle Square, 1870 Harbor Blvd., Costa Mesa

* INFORMATION: (949) 650-3333