Former Best Western Shores Up Seaside Appeal

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The Redondo Beach Hotel has reopened its doors after wrapping up a $13 million facelift.

Owner and operator Pacifica Hotels of Irvine last year closed the hotel, formerly named Best Western Sunrise Hotel, to renovate and rebrand it as an independent boutique property.

The renovation included the addition of balconies for ocean-facing guest rooms, a second-level outdoor lounge, a remodeled lobby and a large portico outside the hotel’s main entrance. Two meeting spaces, totaling 4,633 square feet, were also added to the property.

All of the hotel’s 112 guest rooms were remodeled and feature new wood furniture, luxury amenities, robes and mini-refrigerators. The contemporary décor is a stark contrast to the outdated design of the former Sunrise Hotel, which had rooms featuring a floral print accent.

Matt Marquis, president of Pacifica, said the remodel has helped take the property to a new level for its guests.

“The updated hotel complements the beautiful location and comes at a time when the community itself is undergoing significant improvements,” he said in a statement.

The city recently broke ground on the new $4.6 million Harbor-Herondo Gateway Improvement project, which will include a reconstruction of the city’s parking lot at Herondo Street and Harbor Drive as well as public art, landscaping and lighting. The hotel is on Harbor, just down the street from that project.

Fresh Location

Fresh, a Boston brand of natural skin care and beauty products, has had boutiques in Santa Monica and at the Fairfax District’s Grove shopping center for years, but now it’s expanding eastward.

The company last month opened its third location in Los Angeles: a boutique in Old Pasadena. It’s Fresh’s first domestic store to open in almost five years – the last was in Manhattan in 2010.

Alina Roytberg, co-founder of Fresh, said the new outpost will help the company expands its Southern California presence and reach a different demographic.

“This new store helps us reach another lively, diverse community north of Hollywood that has a different vibe from the rest of our L.A. locations,” Roytberg said.

The 550-square-foot boutique was designed to match Fresh’s Union Square flagship store in New York, a corner boutique with a white exterior.

With the approval of the Pasadena landmark committee, the company was able to paint the entire building housing its Pasadena location white, including the store façade, to replicate the New York shop.

And like its New York boutique, shoppers will be able to experience five different “destinations” inside the store – Kitchen Table, Sensorial Bar, Lip Bar, Gift Bar and Love Bar. The Kitchen Table is where guests can sample and learn about new products; the Sensorial Bar is for sampling new and discontinued fragrances that will be available on tap; and a Gift Bar will be aimed at shoppers interested in creating gift sets and having purchases wrapped.

Roytberg co-founded the company with Lev Glazman in 1991. Fresh has 11 retail locations, including Pasadena, and is carried at retailers such as Sephora, Nordstrom and Neiman Marcus.

Revolving Doors

New Jersey fitness chain Retro Fitness opened its first Southern California location last week in Pomona. … Paris-based fashion brand A.P.C. will be opening a store in downtown Los Angeles in the spring and a Silver Lake location by early summer. … Lingerie retailer Frederick’s of Hollywood will be closing its flagship store on Hollywood Boulevard. The company moved to the space in 2005 but has lost its lease and must vacate by April 27. … Shaved-ice eatery Blockheads Shavery in West Los Angeles has opened a location in Old Pasadena, its third. … Fast-food chain Yoshinoya in Torrance opened a flagship restaurant near the Los Angeles International Airport last month. The Yoshinoya Japanese Kitchen features an updated menu, including items such as chicken tenders, and a new modern interior. … Luxury children’s clothing retailer Posh Kids opened its first boutique last month in West Hollywood. … Footwear store O’ My Sole in Los Angeles opened a Beverly Hills location last month, its sixth. … Spaghettini in Seal Beach opened a restaurant last month in Beverly Hills with saxophonist and co-owner Dave Koz. It’s called Spaghettini & the Dave Koz Lounge.

At Your Service

Protein bar company ThinkThin in Los Angeles has promoted Michele Kessler to chief executive, effective this week. Kessler previously served as president. … Luxury footwear brand Buscemi appointed Mike Amiri as head designer of ready-to-wear and accessories last month. Amiri’s debut collection will be the spring 2015 accessories category, available at luxury retailers such as Barneys New York, Maxfield and Neiman Marcus. Amiri will remain as creative director of his namesake label.

Staff reporter Subrina Hudson can be reached at [email protected] or (323) 549-5225, ext. 251.

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