What Would You Like to See in Glendora’s Downtown?

Gloria February 8, 2012 at 03:55 pm

Turn the clock back 50 yrs. Bring back stores like Bock's (toy and variety), Finkbiner's, Dobrin's (clothing), Turner's (ice cream & sandwiches), Maxson's (appliances), a bowling alley, a theater, a nibble, study and read bookstore, etc. Update w/ a Mimi's, Rainforest, Dave and Buster's or Big Yellow House-type (former mortuary on 66?). Less nail, real estate, red curbs and 99 cent places!
Think outside the box. Also check other quaint cities (i.e. LaVerne, Montrose) and see what works for them. Perception: Stop the BID. It is counter productive. The Chamber is not pro-active.

Melissa Anderson Norton February 8, 2012 at 03:58 pm

Glendora is a great place to live - but the worst place to shop and dine!
It's ridiculous how many real estate offices and hair salons have been allowed into limited retail space. We need GOOD restaurants in Glendora. Chili's Restaurant does NOT meet that standard. The Village is an excellent area to put great dining and nightlife We need MORE retail shops (for those of us under 50). Hip retail stores for our young adults A Yogurtland (or similar) - - who wants to hang out in a grocery store parking lot (Blizz)?!! The stores in Glendora need to be open on Sundays!

Angel Martinez February 8, 2012 at 04:01 pm

"I" would like to see an affordable gym. Something that provides group workouts and availability 24-7-365, except for Christmas, Easter, and Sunday's. Since bally's left and 24-hour is out of range both distance for me and cost, I would like to workout closer to where I live and affordably.

Terry February 8, 2012 at 04:07 pm

Old Town Pasadena was a complete mess before the big chain stores went in. Pasadena is a different beast anyway because it's a much more populated and urban city than Glendora.
Glendora Village should aim for the same success as Old Town Monrovia's. Right now, Old Town Monrovia is perfectly set up with its combination of young, old, and independent. It even has a weekly street fair. Of course, there's no guarantee it will stay that way forever. The point is that Glendora VIllage will probably not survive if some kind of major change does not happen. The Gold Line Station is a good start, and I would rather see new, younger shops (even chain stores) than boarded-up store fronts.

Kristin Jared February 8, 2012 at 04:58 pm

I agree with Terry and Gloria. Monrovia is a great example. Later hours for working people and families in evenings. Mimi's or similar restaurants as an anchor or 2 are a great idea, Yogurtland or yes, a place where younger people could safely be together in the evenings. Classic Coffee is a good draw. I would LOVE to shop more Downtown, but yes, too many of the same type of shop is not a draw for people to spend time and money there. Lunch after church is about what my family does right now.

Ian February 8, 2012 at 05:36 pm

...don't forget a tattoo parlor as well.

Ian February 8, 2012 at 05:53 pm

When I was visiting the inlaws in northeastern South Dakota, there was a gym in town that was open 24/7/365. It was only staffed with one person, M-F from 9a-5p, and he was there mostly to handle anyone who was a walk-in and wanted a tour and sign up for membership. Nice equipment, but no pool, no showers, no steam, no sauna, and only two bathrooms. There were cubbys, but no lockers. $240 a year paid up front. Security cameras were everywhere inside (since there is no staff there except M-F during the day). Members were given card readers to get in, and your membership would be revoked (without any reimbursment) if you were caught letting people in. Not too sure if that would work out here, though.

Julie Cook February 8, 2012 at 07:08 pm

Need a place where young people (20's-30's) can hang out and socialize. That would be a nice pub or restaurants. Monrovia is a good example, a place where all ages want to go! I agree we don't need more salons.

Judy Kearns February 8, 2012 at 08:26 pm

The Village needs some upscale and decent restaurants. But to accommodate them, we need more parking, not sure how that would happen.

Gary Boyer February 8, 2012 at 09:44 pm

The BID has gottena bad rap. If the BID was dissolved, there would be no events, The Holiday Stroll, the Halloween Walk, The Taste of the Village, The Wine Walk, etc would all go away. The reason the BID was created was because there was about 8-10 businesses who were paying thousands of dollars each to support all of the events in the Village. Those few businesses could no longer afford to support them. The BID speads that cost to all of the businesses who benefit for only a few dollars a month. Many events people loved have went away because there was no money to support them. I don't think anyone wants them all to go away.

Denise B. February 8, 2012 at 10:54 pm

After 31 Flavors was closed due to the accident, I thought to myself that it would help the downtown area if we could relocate them in the Village. I don't know how much of their business is generated from traffic on Rte 66 or if most comes from local residents ??? We have had yogurt shops in the past and obviously that did not work out. I think it is hard to encourage chain businesses because they like to be close to freeway access. The Donut Man would be a huge draw, but I can't imagine he would consider a move. It is really, really difficult because everyone gravitates to the freeway access. There are quite a few shops over by Marie Callendars that cater to the Azusa Pacific crowd. We could try luring some of them over and hopefully the students would come with them. A great model to emulate would be the Orange Circle in the City of Orange. They have a vibrant street life with unique stores even though it is a bit of drive in to get to from the freeway.

Terry February 8, 2012 at 11:06 pm

The Glendora Village is too far from APU and Citrus for that to work.
Those Azusa and Glendora stores at Barranca and R66 get their business from mostly the busy pedestrian traffic, not cars. No one is going to WALK 2 miles from APU to Glendora Village for a sandwich. Barranca and R66 has the most potential for successful retail and mixed-used development--too bad most of the land is taken up by used car dealerships. If APU or whoever owns those student apartments ever updates the complexes to something bigger and better... watch out.

Denise B. February 8, 2012 at 11:23 pm

I see many of the students at T.Phillips.... besides that I really don't know. I would like to see it be revitalized, but the right combination for doing so seems to elude me. I have made a point to frequent it as much as possible, but eating Baby T's and sweet potato fries, my drugs of choice over at T. Phillips, are not helping me in the weight reduction arena. With that I am off to the gym.... hey maybe we lure that Fitness 19 style gym on Grand in Covina over... then I can watch everyone working out while I eat Baby T's and sweet potato fries.

B.K. Holthaus February 9, 2012 at 02:21 pm

What I'd like to see in the Glendora Village is people! I'd like to see people walking, smiling, laughing, shopping and kids playing in the plaza. I'd like to see a vital hub of activity. Okay, City Council and the Powers that be...how can we make that happen? There are many good suggestions here.

Dawnette Thompson February 9, 2012 at 02:56 pm

So much of the San Gabriel Valley is a foodie wasteland! I would LOVE to see a healthy restaurant in our area, one that uses organic, local, seasonal food, or a healthy, whole-grain, organic bakery. Something like Dish BLD in La Canada would be awesome. A shop like the Thinnery Sugar-Free Bakery in Upland is another idea. A specialty shop like that would draw in folks from other communities because there isn't anything like it in our immediate area.

Lori February 9, 2012 at 04:18 pm

I believe a movie theater with an old fashioned neon marquee and 1st run movies that is affordable for families with children and seniors. Perhaps a retro soda fountain and an antique shop or two. A weekly street fair that offers crafts, food, fresh produce and music.

Ralph Long February 9, 2012 at 04:36 pm

"The Gap and Banana Republic and all the other chain stores that "younger people" tend to support and what ruined the experience of Colorado Blvd. in Pasadena."
Ruined the experience? I dont agree, and I believe there are thousands who would not agree either. I love going to old town Pasadena, including Colorado, go there every few weeks. There are always a lot of people on the streets. It seems to be a happening, popular place. I would love for Glendora to be a "mini Pasadena".

Ralph Long February 9, 2012 at 04:38 pm

I agree with Terry's comments, 100%. Well stated.

Justin February 9, 2012 at 04:49 pm

You should check out Kings Gym. Affordable, not over crowded and in Glendora.

Justin February 9, 2012 at 04:53 pm

More restaurants and stores that are actually open later than 4:00pm. That has always been the problem, the stores close so early that if you go down to walk around, shop then eat you are very limited on where to shop because everyone closes so early. I have been here all my life, 31 years, and it's always been this way. I am happy to see the improvements but everyone downtown has to participate for the night life to be successful.

Marc Nottelling February 9, 2012 at 07:36 pm

Get rid of the "BID". Then bring back the farmer's market right on the village. All ages had fun at the farmer's market except for the snobs at the corner.

Kathy Bell February 9, 2012 at 08:06 pm

I know a bakery just went in on Foothill, East of Glendora Ave. ( have not tried them yet but heard their bread was delicous), but it would be nice to see a great bakery right on Glendora Avenue. Anyone ever been to the Some Crust Bakery in Claremont? We drove out there a few weeks ago for some goodies. Worth the drive. They could also have chairs outside and maybe sandwiches for lunch, etc. The Village is wonderful, but to see shops come and go is so dissappointing. Antique shops would be fun, but the ones that were here before are all gone. We need out of the box thinking at city hall.

Ian February 10, 2012 at 01:40 am

I'd like to see an overhead map that shows where each business is located, and where the parking areas are.

Ian February 10, 2012 at 02:07 am

Regarding the alleged lack of parking in the village, I went on GoogleMaps and found the following parking areas (aside from Glendora Ave parking). Seems that there is actually a decent amount of parking for the village.
On the west side of Glendora Ave, going north from Foothill up to Bennett... a lot north of Marty's Cigar and Andrews, that extends north up to behind Ed's Place. Another lot between Nelson's and the Village Vault (although Neslon's has reserved parking along their store). Street parking on Meda. Another (small) lot behind the new sushi place that extends a bit north. East side of Glendora Ave, going north from Foothill to Bennett.... a small strip just south of Neufelds. Then a larger lot that extends from behind Neufelds, north to just east of that "new" plaza area thing. Then a smaller lot behind T. Phillips. Street parking on Meda. Then a small lot behind the cleaners.

brandi thoms February 10, 2012 at 03:29 am

I agree with the comments about Bock's or the old Newberry store.

Art February 10, 2012 at 10:59 am

I agree that you can't live off nostalgia. Less real estate shops, stores aimed at our youth and later hours. Also, something needs to be built on the eyesore that is the corner lot on Bennett and Glendora Avenues. Perhaps a donut/bagel shop like they have in La Verne? .
Art

Janelle February 11, 2012 at 03:41 pm

The only place for a large group of people to sit in the Village ( is in the Center of the Village, East side)....also has 'nothing to look at'. Have been asking for a long, long time for the City to put in a large Waterfall, that of course re-cycles. That way you could shop, eat, then rest in that Park-like setting - then start shopping & eating again. Fantastic draw for the businesses with the trees & benches and space already there.

GAYL SWINEHART February 11, 2012 at 07:11 pm

It would be great if The Village could become a “Restaurant Row”, of sorts. There are some locations available that would make beautiful restaurants but very expensive to convert with the cost of utility hookups, rest rooms to code and so forth.
The City of Glendora was willing to help new business locate in the Village but now with the loss of the Redevelopment Agency and the funds allocated to economic development, the investment to locate those business’ falls completely on the property owner and the new business. I love the idea of a weekly street fair, but again, costs for such an event is shocking. The BID needs to pay an organizer to manage the event and there is a very large charge from public works to close the street. In addition, there is a charge from the police department for the extra security needed for this event. So, costs to put on such an event exceed $5000 each week. Here are some shops that I would like to see come to the Village; Upscale restaurants, bike shop, skate shop, Van’s or other brand shoe store, hat shop, western wear shop, record store/vintage stereo, Cinnabon, Levi or jeans store, Radio Shack, toy store, maybe some type of entertainment (live productions: plays, concerts, comic shows, afternoon matinee for kids).

MonroviaKat February 12, 2012 at 02:35 am

I would like to see a stronger investment in landscape design. The bus depot design is a bunch of bricks baking in the sun. I surely haven't been hanging out there. A 'green street' would be a wonderful change. It would encourage more walking, people out sitting on the sidewalks, enjoying the company of others (who wouldn't want to be a part of that), economic growth, recycling water, solar, edibles in the empty lots, and that would attract hipster attention. Right now it is a street with cone shaped trees and some stores where everyone knows your name. A few parades pass the time. It can be more than just that. There is a story to tell and sell. Go big Glendora!

Janelle February 12, 2012 at 03:00 am

The bus depot, 'baking in the Sun', is the very spot I was talking about to put a large
re-cycling fountain. I agree, right now it is an excellent space to utilize - but it is presently being totally wasted - even though it has the space & seating to turn into a paradise. Why wait any longer ??