Spectrum Athletic Club Acquired by The Bay Club Earlier This Year

This past April, The Bay Club Company, a California-based active lifestyle corporation,  announced the acquisition of Spectrum Athletic Clubs, including the local Conejo Valley based Spectrum in Thousand Oaks.

According to its press release, The Bay Club Company will add over 33,000 members with the addition of the new campus sites in Santa Barbara, Thousand Oaks/West Hills, plus two campus sites within Silicon Beach (covering Pacific Palisades, Santa Monica, Marina Del Rey, Playa Vista, El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hermosa Beach, Redondo Beach and the Palos Verdes Peninsula). The Bay Club Company's campus concept consists of a variety of locations within a sub-geographical area that include fitness centers, athletic clubs, swim and tennis complexes and country clubs.

With the acquisition of Spectrum, The Bay Club Company now operates 23 locations across 10 California campuses—five in Northern California (Marin, San Francisco, Redwood Shores, Silicon Valley and Los Gatos) and five in Southern California (Santa Barbara, San Diego and three in Los Angeles). The Bay Club Company has additional plans to expand, both within its core California markets as well as attractive markets outside of California over the next 12 months.

Bay Club Thousand Oaks and nearby Bay Club Canoga Park offer group classes, family activities, Olympic-sized indoor pool, full-service cafe, spa services, childcare and indoor basketball, as well as a dedicated yoga studio and court sports. www.bayclubs.com

Bulldog Auction House and Retail Location in Camarillo

Recently I happened upon the Bulldog Auction House, located at 3233 Mission Oaks Blvd, Unit A in Camarillo (near the Technicolor facility).

Bulldog is on online auction house with locations in Canoga Park and Camarillo locally, offering a variety of items for auction, including home goods, toys, appliances, furniture, auto supplies, cleaning supplies, baby supplies and a wide range of other items. Timing of the auctions vary.

But the Camarillo Bulldog Liquidators location also has a retail store with an interesting array of items for sale. Coffee, office supplies, chairs, furniture, tools, toys, games, household cleaning, food items (lots of coffee), and much more.  We're talking kind of a Big Lots in a warehouse with an eclectic assortment of items at discount items.

 Bulldog has been here for a number of months. Since it is co-located in corporate/industrial space, there is zero visibility from the main street, but it is just off the 101, west of Flynn Road.

I asked where the items came from and was told mostly overstock items. There did appear to be some used, perhaps returned items. Like a Trivial Pursuit game in an opened package that truly looked unused. There was quite an interesting assortment of items on hand for bargain hunters out there. There were also a lot of diapers, child seats and other items.

You can also check out items in the online auction. We're talking a massive assortment of kitchen electronics and other household/personal items like diapers, detergent and so much more.  The current auction has 800 items for sale. If you are the high bidder, you pay a 12% premium (be sure to take that into account in your bidding) and sales taxes.

Current retail store hours are Mon-Wed 8 am to 4 pm and Thurs-Sat 8 am to 5 pm. Learn more at www.bulldogauctionhouse.com or call 805.312.0327.

An interesting array of items at the Bulldog Liquidators warehouse in Camarillo

Painting with a Twist Opening Soon in Old Town Camarillo

Update 10/10/15: Painting with a Twist grand opening set for Thursday, October 15th.

Posted 7/28/15: Painting with a Twist looks to be opening soon at 2298 E. Ventura Boulevard in Old Town Camarillo (at the intersection of Arneill), next to the El Rey Cantina.

Painting with a Twist provides customers with paint, a canvas and brushes that lead to a fun evening with friends and a finished piece of art.  And yes, you receive professional instruction to create your work of art as well as access to wine.

For updates, visit paintingwithatwist.com/camarillo.

Ventura County Star Parent Company to Be Acquired by USA Today Parent Company Gannett

Today, the Ventura County Star, its parent company Journal Media Group and Gannett Co. announced that Gannett is acquiring Journal Media Group (JMG) for $280 million.

JMG is a publicly traded company formed early this year by combining the newspaper operations of The E.W. Scripps Company and Journal Communications, Inc., serving print and digital media in 14 U.S. markets in nine states, including our local Ventura County Star. JMG stock jumped 44% today as a result, to just under $12 per share...about the same price the stock opened at in March 2015.

If the acquisition receives regulatory approvals, VC Star employees will working for the same parent company as USA Today employees in the first quarter of 2016.

Gannett has a current market valuation of about $1.8 billion, just slightly higher than former VC Star owner E.W. Scripps at about $1.7 billion.

Explorers' Emporium in Simi Valley May Be the Most Unique Store in Ventura County

Update 11/3/17: Owners announced via Facebook that they will be moving out of state 1/1/18 but that their online store will remain open.

Explorers' Emporium may well be the most unique store in Ventura County. 

A friend from Simi Valley has a son who has an interest in fossils. He received a good deal of help on his project at the store and told me I had to check it out.

I stopped by and it took me awhile to take it all in. Explorers' Emporium is a small store yet carries a jaw-dropping, eclectic assortment of items geared towards creative types.

An entire section of the store contains replicas of dinosaur teeth and other items like shark teeth. There is a huge assortment of archery supplies, Dungeons & Dragons gaming, crafts, steampunk, Renaissance Faire costumes, science projects, board games and much more.

There's an entire display of dinosaur replica items, like teeth and claws available for purchase for both educational and hobby/collecting use. I on the other hand couldn't help but purchase these Tyrannosaurus rex teeth for a few hard to shop for friends.

Located in the Stone Gate Shopping Center at 5766 E. Los Angeles Avenue (at Yosemite) in the east end of Simi Valley. Explorers' Emporium opened this past summer but its owners have been providing creative, science and learning programs to the local community for over 25 years.

Emplorers' Emporium offers a variety of programs, both on-site and at local schools and organizations, including fossil/dinosaur programs, archaic man programs, Dungeon and Dragons encounters, science/nature workshops, Magic: the Gathering sessions, Tandy leather classes, miniature/figurine painting, music, gaming and more. Visit www.explorersemporium.com/programs.php for details.

Learn more at explorersemporium.com or call 805.791.3002.

Renaissance Fair and Steampunk garb available for purchase at Explorers' Emporium

Haggen Files Motions to Sell 8 Stores to Gelson's and 28 Stores to Smart & Final

Today the T.O. Acorn broke the news that Gelson's and Smart & Final are looking at buying vacated Haggen grocery stores in the Conejo Valley.

In a press release today from Haggen, they announced that motions have been filed with bankruptcy court to present bidding procedures for stores that are closing and to receive approval for two "stalking horse" asset purchase agreements. 

The Gelson's Markets asset purchase agreement is for 8 stores, including Thousand Oaks (Avenida De Los Arboles) locally as well as Carlsbad, Del Mar, Ladera Ranch, Laguna Beach, La Jolla, Rancho Mirage and Santa Monica.

The Smart & Final LLC asset purchase agreement is for 28 stores, including Newbury Park, Simi Valley (Los Angeles Avenue), Ventura (Telegraph Road) and Westlake Village (Lindero Canyon Rd) as well as stores in Atascadero, Carlsbad, Carpinteria, Chino Hills, Chula Vista, Corona Del Mar, Coronado, El Cajon (2), La Mesa, Palmdale, Paso Robles, Redondo Beach, San Diego (2), San Luis Obispo, San Pedro, San Ysidro, Santa Barbara, Santee, Torrance, Trabuco Canyon, Yorba Linda and Las Vegas.

These agreements are subject to bankruptcy court approval. 

Also, according to a Gelson's press release today, "The bid is subject to higher and better offers at an auction currently scheduled for the beginning of November. Should our bid prove successful, it will be a benefit for thousands of shoppers who value quality products and exceptional service. Furthermore, we would welcome the opportunity to have Haggen store employees join the Gelson’s family, and foresee growth opportunities for our associates.”

The Smart & Final press release issued today gives more detailed information, perhaps because it is a publicly traded company (Stock Symbol: SFS). They indicate the agreement to acquire 28 store leases and related assets is for a cash price of $56 million, subject to certain adjustments.  As a "Stalking Horse Bidder" in advance of a proposed auction next month, it is possible that higher bids be made and approved by other bidders.

Smart & Final indicates if the deal does close, the conversion process will start this fiscal quarter and will be completed by the end of of June 2016. The stores will be converted to its Smart & Final Extra! store format. Smart & Final currently operates 270 grocery and foodservice stores in California, Oregon, Washington, Arizona, Nevada and Idaho, as well as 16 stores in northern Mexico through a joint venture.

Ragsdale Kitchen & Bar to Open This Spring in Downtown Ventura

Update 10/3/15: Well, the Spring opening didn't happen, nor did summer, but apparently they are on the cusp of opening any day now...ok it appears they opened in November! www.facebook.com/RagdaleVentura

Posted 4/10/15: Ragsdale Kitchen & Bar will be opening this Spring at 692 E. Main St., Ventura (formerly Chicago's Ribs, which closed last year). According to its Facebook page, Ragsdale will serve food with American/Fusion influences for lunch and dinner. www.ragsdalekitchenandbar.com

According to a Craiglist employment ad, Ragsdale's "sister restaurant" is the Midtown Cafe www.midtowncafeventura.com.

History Repeats Itself as Nordstrom Rack Premieres Today at Janss Marketplace

I didn't do a count, but there were easily hundreds and hundreds of folks on hand today for the grand opening of the new Nordstrom Rack at Janss Marketplace, in a space on Hillcrest Drive previously occupied by Sears (which now occupies less space). It was pretty crazy, yet casual, as locals enjoyed special treats, music, raffle and a first look at this new store, barely a half mile walk from the Nordstrom store at The Oaks mall across the street.

Funny how history repeats itself. Fifty five (yes 55) years ago, the headline of a Thousand Oaks Journal news story on Wednesday, November 16, 1960 was "THRIFTY DRUG OPENS NEW 1000 OAKS STORE THURSDAY" and further noted "Giant Throng Expected at Ventura Blvd & Moorpark Rd For Thurs. Grand Opening."  Ventura Blvd is now Thousand Oaks Blvd, the Conejo Village Shopping Center is now Janss Marketplace, and Thrifty Drug Store became Rite Aid many years ago, but that store is still there!

Image courtesy of Thousand Oaks Library Special Collections

Lots of excitement about that new Thrifty store apparently because they awarded Blue Chip Stamps on over 20,000 items!! I'm dating myself by remembering Blue Chip Stamps, a customer loyalty program that went by the wayside in the 1980s. Warren Buffett's company, Berkshire Hathaway, acquired Blue Chip Stamps as a company in the 1970s. Sales were $126 million in 1970 but dropped to pretty much nothing by the 1990s.