Shop Owners Expect More Business Activity
SAN MARCOS , Nestled between an 18-screen movie theater and more than a dozen restaurants, a series of small and often overlooked shop owners wait for construction to be completed.
Right now, the shopping complex of Old California Restaurant Row in San Marcos is undergoing an expansion that shop owners hope will bring more visibility and business.
Currently there is a coffee shop, a bakery and a few specialty shops. Once completed, the entire shopping area could hold up to 30 small shops and eateries.
Started about a year ago, the expansion has been gradual, according to Jim Eubank, owner and developer of Restaurant Row.
Scheduled for completion in 30 to 60 days, Eubank said that there have been some changes along the way.
At first the new shopping area, which is being built around a walkway that goes from the theater to the restaurants, was supposed to have a Western theme. Since then, it has been changed to a more Spanish look that will blend with the rest of the center, he said.
Currently 10-foot-by-12-foot stalls are being built; however, shop owners will be able to occupy two or three stalls if needed, he said.
– Paths To Connect
Stores To Neighbors
While the area will have an outside village atmosphere with a fountain and bell chimes, Eubank believes the success of the area lies in the fact the walkways will connect the theater to the restaurants.
People are expected to browse through the shops as they wait for a table or the start of a movie, he said.
The owners of Sparkle Plenty Fashions, a discount boutique for women, and Barefoot Trader, a bead shop, are waiting for the completion of the new area, which they will occupy.
Sparkle Plenty owner Robin Mitchell has moved quite a bit during the 25 years she has been in business. Originally opening in Newport Beach, Mitchell has moved so customers can find the shop, which offers discount resort wear.
Although she was the first shop on the Queen Mary in Long Beach and the first boutique at the Lawrence Welk Resort in Escondido, the former model and actress wants to stay in San Marcos.
Two years ago, Mitchell moved into Restaurant Row and then left to pursue an opportunity at a discount mall that closed after a year.
– Waiting To Move
To New Location
Moving back to Restaurant Row, Mitchell is now waiting for the expansion to finish so she can move into the new area, where she hopes business will pick up.
While most of her income currently comes from fashion shows she presents to various clubs and organizations, Mitchell said business has been steadily increasing each month.
While it hasn’t been easy, she is hanging in there with hopes that business will get better. She expects business will pick up by up to 50 percent once she moves into the new area.
“I’m hoping (the expansion) will let people become much more aware that small businesses are here,” she said, adding each shop will offer something unique.
With hopes of better things to come, a new Web site for Sparkle Plenty has been launched at (www.sparkleplenty-fashions.com) and Mitchell is exploring other opportunities. The site has proved to be exciting since people from all over the world have expressed interest in the boutique, she said.
Recently, Mitchell has explored the possibility of franchising into other communities. Already, some people in area malls and Denver have expressed interest in having a Sparkle Plenty boutique in their locations, she said.
– Joint Advertising
Effort A Possibility
No matter what the future holds, Mitchell hopes to be able to advertise locally. As more shops come into the area, a joint advertising effort might make it affordable for Restaurant Row shops to advertise, she said.
Les Andrade of the Barefoot Trader also hopes future shop owners will band together to promote the small shopping district.
In 1994, Andrade opened the shop, which offers beads, tools and classes that focus on techniques for making jewelry.
At the time, it was expected that a movie theater would open soon and that the adjacent Sears Service Center would be purchased, he said. The plans called for the shopping area to face both the theater and the restaurants.
While not everything has happened according to plan , the Edwards Cinemas opened in 1998 and the Sears appliance repair center is still there , Andrade stuck it out.
“Business was hard for the first couple of years,” he said.
– Shop Develops
Loyal Clientele
Over time, though, the Barefoot Trader developed a core of loyal clientele and business has improved, he said. The business will also be moving into the new area of the shopping complex.
Andrade loves the location of his shop, because he said the area is nice, safe and gets busy during the weekends.
While the Barefoot Trader has found success at Restaurant Row, Andrade said that a part of it can be attributed to him.
Most people shop for price and selection, he said, adding that he offers both. Recalling how service used to be one of the most important aspects of business, Andrade said he is amazed at some of the bad service he has received.
Service is just as important, he said. “Good service doesn’t cost me anything.”
As a businessman, Andrade hopes the expansion will bring other changes than just more business.
– Owner Hopes For
Synchronized Hours
First of all, he would like to see set hours instituted for the shopping district. Since shoppers are likely to browse and visit more than one shop, Andrade believes having some stores open and others closed could potentially hurt everyone’s business.
“It comes down to being here all the time. Nobody runs your business like you run your business,” he said.
While some days are busier than others, Andrade said he has no problem staying open late if the customers are there, he said.
About every 15 minutes, a new wave of potential customers from the theater walks through the area, he said.
“If all the shops are open, it will definitely help,” Andrade said.
Group advertising would also help business. In the future, he envisions ads that would include every shop and perhaps feature one each week on a rotating schedule.
This type of group advertising would also drive down the cost and make it more affordable for shop owners to fund a consistent ad campaign, he said.
Once the stalls are filled with a good mixture of stores, Andrade thinks business will be good.
For now, he is just planning the layout of his store for the move.
