From a new ice cream shop, fitness centers and restaurants to retail shops at the mall, business is booming in Mission Viejo.
The following represents just a sampling of business news in the community.
New businesses at Kaleidoscope
Swensen’s Grill and Ice Cream Parlor plans to open a store on the upper level of the Kaleidoscope entertainment center on Crown Valley Parkway, which will also welcome a new mega LA Fitness. The 2,400-square-foot Swensen’s will feature ice cream, soups, salads, sandwiches, burgers and chicken sandwiches. This will be Swensen’s 13th U.S. location. The company has nearly 300 in operation worldwide.
The center is also gearing up for the Halloween season with the opening of Halloween Bootique during the first week of September.
Speaking of LA Fitness …
LA Fitness in the recently renovated Alicia Towne Center near the freeway is expected to host its grand opening at 11 a.m. on Aug. 15. The retail center, which received an extensive facelift, is in discussions with a restaurant and other businesses to open in the near future.
New in The Shops at Mission Viejo
Forever 21 is expected to open at the Shops at Mission Viejo early September in the former Saks Fifth Avenue space. The existing, smaller Forever 21 space will be revamped into separate retail spaces, including one for London-based Lamb & Flag. Mission Viejo will be Lamb & Flag’s first retail venture in the United States.
In other mall news, the Lego store on the lower level is also expected to open this fall. Lids – the sport, fashion and collegiate hat shop – is now open, and Swatch will open in the coming months. The Shops at Mission Viejo recently welcomed a Chick Pita, Fossil and Francesca’s Collection. Construction on a new Ruby Thai eatery is scheduled to start next month.
New restaurants in north Mission Viejo
Two new restaurants will open in the Trabuco Hills Shopping Center on Santa Margarita Parkway. Construction is underway on the sixth Baja Fish Tacos in the eatery’s chain. The Grill Hut on Los Alisos will expand its Mission Viejo operations to include a second restaurant in the Trabuco Hills Shopping Center this fall. The menu features kabobs, rice, hummus, grilled vegetables and salad.
A Chinese eatery, China A Go-Go, is expected to open next to the California Teriyaki Grill in the Portola Plaza Shopping Center.
Neighborhood Pet Store near Pavilions
The Kahoots Pet Store is planning to open in a 5,000-square-foot space at the Mission Viejo Marketplace. This full-service animal and pet supply company, founded in 1987, has grown to 18 locations throughout Southern California. Aria, the existing business in this space, will move into the neighboring suite.
City hosts Small Business Workshops this month
Mission Viejo partners with the U.S. Small Business Administration, SCORE, the Employment Development Department (EDD), the Small Business Administration and the OC Small Business Development Center to host free and low-cost small business workshops at Mission Viejo City Hall, 200 Civic Center.
Registration is available for the free “Federal/State Basic Payroll Tax Seminar” from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Aug. 18 hosted by EDD and for SCORE’s “Developing a Winning Business Plan” workshop on Aug. 23. The SCORE workshop is from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. and costs $30 with online pre-registration at www.score114.org.
To register for the free payroll tax seminar, visit www.edd.ca.gov/taxsem.
When will the Kahoots Pet Store be opening?
Thanks.
More Businesses, especially restaurants, brings in more illegal aliens who destroy our communities. What is the city doing to make sure businesses employ only legal US residents?
So how many pet stores can survive in two square miles. Guess we’ll find out.
I miss the old M.V. Swensens Swiss Orange Chip ice cream – Hope they return with that too !!