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Keeping jobs in Valley is 2010 goal
Economic development professionals are typically a pretty optimistic bunch.
But in the central San Joaquin Valley, the lingering effects of recession have sobered expectations for commercial and industrial growth.
"As much as we've read about the economy starting to pick up, we haven't felt that here," said Steve Geil, president of the Fresno County Economic Development Corp. "We're sitting behind that curve."
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Business briefs: Oakhurst bank branch moves
* Central Valley Community Bank has moved its Oakhurst branch to a new location less than a mile from its old office. The new branch is at 40004 Highway 41, Suite 101. It replaces the former office on Junction Drive off from Highway 49.
* Panera Bread opened Monday in The Shops at River Park in a space behind Ann Taylor Loft, facing Blackstone Avenue. The fast-growing national chain sells fresh bread, breakfast sandwiches and pastries. It has a location in Sierra Vista Mall.
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During liquidation, 'It's not Gottschalks'
Naked mannequins huddle in one corner of the store, Christmas trees are for sale in another, and piles of Oriental rugs are 80% off.
This is not the Gottschalks long-time customers know. The going-out-of-business sale is in full swing, and a liquidator -- not the bankrupt 105-year-old retailer -- is running the show.
The stores aren't the messy madhouse of customers fighting for deep discounts that some might imagine. In fact, some shoppers might not notice much difference.
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This difficult decade changed the Valley — or did it?
The '00s (the "uh-ohs"?) began with champagne, fireworks and noisemakers to usher in a New Millennium -- but they're closing with a hangover.
Casualties of a burst bubble litter the Valley's economic landscape: layoffs, foreclosures, bankruptcies, quitting-business sales.
"My husband and I got married in 1998 and everything was looking good," said Patty VanderDussen of Fresno, who in 2000 was a consultant for doctors who evaluated workers compensation claims. "Money was great and my accountant was very happy. ... There's just no way we could ever have known what was coming."
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Word on the Street: Fresno firm rolls out Italian beer
Glen Margosian, asked by his wholesaler in 2005 to find an Italian beer to import to the United States, sent out e-mails of inquiry to 15 brewers in Italy.
His cyber version of cold calling worked. A company called Alina S.r.l responded -- and the result is a craft-brewed, upscale Italian specialty beer called Oro di Milano (gold of Milan) that Margosian's Bravo Beverage in Fresno is rolling out throughout California as exclusive importer. Eventually, it hopes to go national.
It took five years for Bravo Beverage to negotiate a deal with the Italian brewer, fine-tune Oro di Milano's three-beer lineup (lager, premium ale and brown amber ale), develop a distribution infrastructure and design attention-getting packaging.
Forever 21 will open in the former Gottschalks space in Hanford Mall this week.
The retailer, known for its trendy young women's clothing, plans to open Friday and hold a grand opening Saturday, according to Hanford Mall marketing manager Diana Silva.
It's one of two Forever 21 stores that will open in former Gottschalks spaces in the central San Joaquin Valley. A Forever 21 is scheduled to move from its current location in Fashion Fair mall in Fresno to the mall's 150,000-square-foot Gottschalks space. That move isn't expected to be done until next year.
This will be Hanford Mall's first Forever 21 store. The mall's 85,500-square-foot Gottschalks closed June 28. It did not need much work for Forever 21 to move in because Gottschalks had remodeled the space last year, Silva said.
The new Forever 21 will feature women's clothing, including plus sizes and work clothing, along with menswear.
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