The Dissolution Act (ABx126) eliminated redevelopment agencies as of February 1, 2012.  It also directed the creation of successor agencies and oversight boards to dispose of former redevelopment agencies’ assets.  These participating successor agencies (both cities and unincorporated communities) will dispose of during spring/summer 2013.

• Cedar Glen
• Chino
• Fontana
• Grand Terrace
• Hesperia
• Loma Linda
• Needles – New!
• San Sevaine / Fontana
• Twentynine Palms
• Upland
• Victorville
• Yucaipa

Learn more: http://www.sbcountyadvantage.com/Site_Selection_Data-RDA_Parcels.aspx

In the November 2012 issue of Site Selection magazine, editor Ron Starner profiled San Bernardino County’s High Desert cities citing: The High Desert region of San Bernardino County is proving to be an oasis of business opportunity for companies seeking to expand their manufacturing and distribution operations in Southern California. Read more, including interviews with Dr Pepper Snapple and Wal-Mart, here http://www.siteselection.com/issues/2012/nov/san-bernardino-county-california-ip.cfm.

SAN BERNARDINO, CA-San Bernardino Association of Governments, a.k.a. SANBAG, will spend $734 million this year upgrading roads, highways, bridges and mass-transit bus and rail service throughout the County of San Bernardino. The investment underscores the leadership of the County to bring that money to bear on the issues facing the region and to ensure the County remains a destination of choice for major corporations and investors. GlobeSt.com recently spoke with Dr. Raymond Wolfe of SANBAG about the projects the agency will be working on and how companies can benefit by being located in the County.

GlobeSt.com: How has SANBAG influenced growth in the County?

Wolfe: SANBAG plays a number of roles in economic development as the County’s transportation commission and authority. SANBAG was originally commissioned in 1973 as the Council of Governments. In 1989, the agency morphed into a more transportation-focused organization with the passage of Measure I, the half-cent sales tax dedicated to County transportation
improvements.

Measure I has been responsible for major County projects such as the widening of SR 60, extension of the 210 freeway through San Bernardino and realignment of SR 71, among others. These projects, constructed from the 1990s through the early part of the century, really changed the character of the County’s landscape, provided for more access to the region’s developing lands and allowed for more streamlined goods movement.

GlobeSt.com: How does SANBAG influence goods movement in the County?

Wolfe: The ports of Los Angeles and Long Beach are the most heavily traveled ports in the nation and have been for a decade. Due to the County’s proximity to the ports, freight and goods movement are a huge part of our local economy. Goods movement has helped foster a network of distribution centers—from Ontario to the West Valley. The new Amazon.com distribution center
at AllianceCalifornia, a 2,000-acre, mixed-use development in the city of San Bernardino, is a great example. Amazon.com recently opened a new fulfillment center in a 950,000-square-foot building, bringing hundreds of new jobs to the local economy. That type of expansion is needed; however, the increased truck traffic impacts local streets and arterials. A major portion of SANBAG’s work is to improve interchanges allowing for better movement on and off the freeways and to also support local communities and local improvement projects.

GlobeSt.com: Please share some of SANBAG’s top projects.

Wolfe: I-15/I-215/Devore Junction: Trucks and trains move significant volumes of freight along the I-15 corridor, through the Cajon Pass and the Devore Junction, where the I-15 and I-215 freeways meet. The improvement project undertaken by SANBAG in coordination with the California Department of Transportation is focused on adding new lanes, realigning the freeway-to-freeway junction, adding truck by-pass lanes, improving bridges, reconnecting Route 66 and addressing other environmental needs. Only 21% of the $324-million total cost is federally funded. The remaining 79% of the funding is derived from Measure I local sales tax (20.4%), state funding (56.5%) and private funding (2.1%).

Passenger Rail Service: SANBAG is working to expand transit options in San Bernardino and Redlands. During the last several years, SANBAG has been studying the feasibility of utilizing the Redlands Subdivision, a 9-mile railroad corridor extending between Downtown San Bernardino and the University of Redlands, to introduce passenger rail service to this area.

Regional HOV Lanes: We are also working to create an accessible HOV (high occupancy vehicle) network throughout Southern California by working with our neighboring agencies such as Southern California Association of Governments (SCAG), the Riverside Transportation Authority, Orange County Transit Authority and Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority.

We’re even dedicating more money to transit-oriented developments with a number of projects now moving through design and environmental requirements. While these projects will take a number of years to complete, they demonstrate a commitment not only to a strong freight and goods movement industry, but also looking at alternate modes of transportation to enhance overall quality of life.

GlobeSt.com: How does your work support economic development?

Wolfe: Obviously all of these transportation improvements are of interest to manufacturers and any companies that need to transport raw materials through the supply chain and deliver finished goods to market. SANBAG is focused on making the County an attractive place to relocate or establish a new business, for all industries. We are lucky to be a self-help county in
California, where we have the ability to leverage local sales tax to affect many of these important advantages. This is not the case in many counties that have to rely on federal and state dollars.

GlobeSt.com: What are the benefits to companies locating in the County?

Wolfe: The County of San Bernardino established a Countywide Vision Statement, and transportation is one of the nine elements. These elements, that include water, healthcare, education, among others, are central to improving our County and improving our competitiveness and quality of life. We have great leadership that isn’t just focused on being business-friendly,
but is also trying to solve the basic problem of transportation. That can be a basic hurdle toward a successful business climate. SANBAG is committed to helping to implement this Countywide Vision so that we don’t just have a document on paper that collects dust, but we address issues from every angle to make this a destination of choice.

Another great thing we bring to the table is that our average resident age, 31 years, is lower than most neighboring counties. We
have a robust workforce that will be available for years to come.

By Inland Valley Daily Bulletin’s Liset Marquez

Move over Seattle, the best coffeehouse can be found in Southern California.

Klatch Coffee, headquartered in Upland, recently beat out some of the top brew bars for the distinction as “Best Coffeehouse”
in the nation.

To celebrate the win and National Coffee Day, which is today, Klatch customers can stop by any one of its coffeehouses – in Ontario, Rancho Cucamonga and San Dimas as well as a roastery in Upland – for special discounts on their cup of Joe.
“What better way than to celebrate at America’s best coffeehouse,” said Mike Perry, Klatch’s owner and CEO. “It’s to thank
and reward them for their support. It’s also to encourage them to feel free to experience the coffee they might not regularly.”

Klatch came out on top of last week’s annual Coffee Fest, a trade show in Seattle that caters to the specialty coffee and gourmet tea industries.

As winner of the inaugural DaVinci Gourmet America’s Best Coffeehouse Competition, the company earned a trophy and $2,500.

Of the top eight finalists, three were from the Los Angeles region.

“L.A. was represented well,” Perry said. “People often think of the northwest as having the best coffeehouse. The winner was from California and that was really nice to see.”

Perry said their team – made up of his daughters Holly and Heather Perry, and Jenette Green – made the difference.

But the competition began long before the Klatch Coffee team arrived in Seattle.

Perry said having the distinction as the best coffeehouse in the nation is also an indication of the work by his staff who are constantly going through training and learning how to be better baristas.

Secret shopper

Klatch learned a couple of months ago they were nominated for the competition, which included coffee locations throughout the U.S.

Organizers then vetted that list to come up with 20 coffeehouses, including Klatch.

Perry said they were asked to submit a video about their operations.

At the same time, unbeknownst to them, a secret shopper was sent in to evaluate their competition.

Passing that round with flying colors – Perry says they got 100 percent – they advanced to the public portion of the competition.

From the online voting, Klatch emerged as one of the eight semifinalists.

When it finally came time to compete in Seattle, Heather and Holly Perry and Green had to operate a pop-up coffeehouse in front of 30 judges.

They were given 30 minutes and critiqued in everything from how they set up the coffee shop, served coffee and then cleaned up.

What made Klatch stand out from the rest of the competition?

“We went up with a cold drink, I think that blew (the judges) away. The naked Verbana uses lemon peel, verbana leaves and a shot of espresso. She mixes it in an ice shaker and pours it out,” Mike Perry said.
Heather Perry has been known for her specially drinks. She captured first place at the U.S. Barista Championship in 2003 and 2007.

Mike Perry adds, “We also brought coffee from Panama, the Esmeralda Leon Geisha and an Ethiopian which is fruity and has a
unique flavor.”

Perry prides himself on traveling to different countries such as Costa Rica, El Salvador and Panama and tasting for himself what he will be bringing back to his roasting company.

Shop’s buzzing

On Friday afternoon, the Rancho Cucamonga location was still buzzing with the news that the coffee shop was victorious.

Sitting at the bar reading his paper was Willie Decastro. The Rancho Cucamonga native was later joined by his wife, Dulce, where they shared a cup of the “brew of the day.”

The Descastros, who consider themselves coffee aficionados, often go to other locations in Los Angeles such as Intelliensa and
La Mil.

“They deserve it,” says Dulce, as she sipped her coffee. “In the Los Angeles area this our favorite choice. It’s nice
and homey.”

“We’re purists,” Willie chimes in.

Dulce said they don’t need creamers or sugar because the coffee is a really good quality.

The couple say staffers at Klatch are very accommodating and often share their drink recommendations if they don’t have something they like.

“They really know their coffee. We get our education from them, and they love to talk about coffee,” Dulce said.

It’s the welcoming environment that has kept the couple coming back since they first began in 2005.

Meghan Schauer, a barista at the Rancho Cucamonga location, said it’s what they pride themselves on.

“We want to create the friendly environment. This is their shop, too. Everyone is pretty much family,” she said.

And as customers trickled in on Friday afternoon, Schauer and the other baristas working at the bar not only greeted them by name but many times knew their drink order without having to be told.

As staff prepares for today’s specials, don’t expect things to slow down for Mike Perry or Klatch.

Perry is in the midst of opening up an 1,800-square-foot coffee spot in Terminal 7 of Los Angeles International Airport.

The facility has been under construction for about a month.

An opening date has not been finalized, but Perry said it could be operational by early November and, when it does, it will nearly double all of Klatch’s staff.

The LAX location alone will employ 50 people, he said.

“It exposes our brand to the rest of the world,” Perry said.

By Inland Valley Daily Bulletin’s Liset Marquez

In recent years, the specialty beer scene in Los Angeles has taken off and now the Inland Empire seems to be catching up.The new wave means beer aficionados no longer have to make the trek to Los Angeles or San Diego counties for handcrafted selections, but they can look no farther than their hometown or neighboring city.

San Bernardino County is home to Hangar 24 Craft Brewery in Redlands, Dale Bros. Brewery in Upland as well as Big Bear Mountain Brewery and Restaurant in Big Bear Lake.

This year alone, I & I Brewing in Chino opened in January. More than six months after that, two new locations also began serving up artisan hops – Chino Valley Brewing in Ontario and Claremont Craft Ales in Claremont.

And it doesn’t end there.

Donkey Punch Brewery and Ritual Brewing Co, both based in Redlands, are expected to open some time this month. There are many more in different stages of development.

“We are getting all these breweries here and we want to be a place where people think of it as a destination, they can come and do a brewery tour. Hop around within a 15-mile radius where they start here and end up at Hangar 24,” said Emily Moultrie, who is general manager of Claremont Craft Ales, which opened its doors in August.

Moultrie said she has noticed that customers will go to Chino Valley Brewery, then stop by their brewery in the industrial complex in the north part of town, and end up in Upland at Dale Bros.

“These are people who would have never have come to Ontario or Claremont before. They go on purpose to see the brewery,” she said. “We’ve all done it. We’re a bunch of beer geeks and planned vacations around beer.”

As Dale Bros. brewery gets ready to celebrate its newly expanded location at Cable Airport in Upland, it now means the brewery will be able to increase its production, including its well-known selection, “Pomona Queen.”

The Upland Brewery will celebrate the grand opening of its 8,200 square foot brewery at Cable Airport, today with Oktober Fiesta, with live music, food trucks and beer tasting.

The brewery’s move is significant for another reason – it puts a cap on the burgeoning beer scene in the Inland Empire, which, in the past year, has seen the opening of two breweries as well as a nanobrewery.

“The more (breweries) we have to offer the more we can change the culture, expand people’s knowledge of what beer is and what it can be – all the different tastes.

It’s a rich beverage with a rich flavor,” said Karen McMillen, general manager of Dale Bros.

Her husband, Andy Dale, and brother-in-law, Curt Dale, own Dale Bros, one of the first local breweries in the Inland Empire.

Another brewery, which many in the industry see as a business model worth emulating, is Hangar 24 Craft Brewery in Redlands. Ben Cook, who has been brewing for more than six years, is the founder and master brewer at brewery adjacent to the Redlands Airport.

In May, Hangar 24 Craft Brewery took home a first-place win at the 2012 Brewers Association World Beer Cup in San Diego for its Winter Warmer selection.

The growth has been fairly recent, Moultrie said. Just two years ago, when the creators behind Claremont Craft Ales were working on their business plan, the only local brewers in a 23-mile radius, besides Dale Bros., was Hangar 24, she said.

Moultrie opened the brewery along with her husband, Simon Brown, who is the director of the brewery operations. They are joined by business partners Natalie and Brian Seffer, who is the head brewer.

“There was good crop in Riverside but right in this circle of east Los Angeles County and western San Bernardino, the last three
years have been crazy,” Moultrie said.

McMillen echoed her sentiments.

“At that time we started seeing some new breweries, but it’s been an explosion, three all new craft breweries. We think its
fabulous,” she said.

Strength in numbers

Why the sudden surge in breweries? McMillen thinks it has to do with the success of Hangar 24 and Dale Bros.

“It ends being up a lot of hard work and more difficult than people imagine in the beginning. That’s why we try to help out
others.”

Even with the spike in local breweries none of them see themselves as competition. In fact, it’s the opposite.

McMillen said she considers the craft beer industry to be very friendly – one where everybody helps each other out. She said she is excited to see the growth of the industry and what crops up next because they can all learn from each other, McMillen says.

“I think part of it stems from the fact that almost everyone who opens a craft brewery started out as a home brewer. And home
brewing is often a collaborative venture among friends. Home brewers are always looking to connect with each other and share knowledge, ideas, equipment and war stories of brews gone bad – all over a couple of beers, of course.”

Moultrie said she can attest to the helping hands of the Upland brewery. The Dale brothers were extremely helpful in helping Claremont Craft Ales brewery open, and it’s why Moultrie is now trying to help friends who are thinking of opening up a brewery in Glendora.

It doesn’t end there for Dale Bros., the new location may even have a tap available for up-and-coming homebrewers, McMillen said.

With the larger location, Dale Bros. will serve their own beer styles as well as from other brewers. They are also exploring the idea of bringing in homebrewers and giving them more of an outlet for their creativity.

Another reason why the breweries in the region embrace each other is because they know they provide something that can not be imitated.

Each brewery has a different focus or idea on how how they make their lager or ales.

“They are going to be made by a different person at each place and that person brings their own tastes, style preferences,
knowledge and experience and what they like and what they want to serve,” Moultrie said.

The new brewmasters

Those behind the handcrafted ales say they are aiming to provide more selections than what is often known in the beer community as the big three – Bud Light, Miller, Coors – which is mass produced and watered down.

Many brewers in the Inland Empire produce their one-of-a-kind ales using fresh and local ingredients such as orange-infused
beer.

Partners Chuck Foster and Eric Millspaugh opened I & I Brewing in a Chino business park in January

The business venture is an outgrowth of their enjoyment of home brewing, and both say they are self-taught in the craft of ales, lagers and porters.

I & I Brewing is only open for tastings on Fridays and Saturdays.

Like many of the new locations in the Inland Empire, the brewers hold full-time jobs elsewhere, as Foster is a chemist and Millspaugh, a programmer.

They currently have more than a dozen beers on tap, including their interpretation of an American Oktoberfest. Their upcoming beers will feature a Cinnamon Papaya Belgian Dark Ale, a Belgian Pinapple Blonde and Peach Wheat Ale.

Business has been growing at both Chino Valley Brewery and Claremont Craft Ales. So much that both locations are now open Thursday through Sunday.

In Claremont, full-time jobs mean the brewmasters only brew once a week – on the weekends.

Right now, they typically have between seven and eight styles on tap. The goal is to expand to 16 taps in the near future.

The Claremont Craft Ales will always offer seasonal and speciality beers. Their flagship beer is the Jacaranda, a Rye IPA.

“No matter what kind of beer drinker you are, everybody loved it. People who say, `I’m not a beer drinker,’ like this
beer,” Moultrie said.

Things are a little different for the guys at Chino Valley Brewery, a nano-brewery nestled among a row of industrial warehouses in Ontario.

On most days, brewer Matthew Maldonado and business partner Ray Duran spend nearly 10 hours a day, several days a week, brewing one of the five styles of beer that is produced by Chino Valley Brewery.

One of the newest Inland Empire breweries to serve up artisan hops offers everything from their own IPA, an English-style stout served on nitrogen, a porter to a Blonde.

What sets these brews apart from what you’ll find in the grocery store is the ingredients, Maldonado said.

The Blonde Butterfield is one of the popular beers served at the Ontario Brewery. It’s a light ale and something he recommends for people who don’t like strong beers or are not use to drinking craft-style beers.

“Girls who don’t usually drink beer drink it. Guys like it, too. It’s our best seller and we seem to run out or we seem to be on
the verge of running out of it on the weekends,” Maldonado said.

Maldonado admits that he decided to brew a porter and stout because they are English-style beers, a personal preference.

The Foggy Morning Stout is a dark roasty beer, which has hints of chocolate and roasted coffee flavor.

He also uses milk sugar during the brewing process. It is served on nitrogen, something he said he doesn’t see a lot in the Inland
Empire.

As the business continues to grow, Maldonado said he would like to start by distributing their ales to restaurants and local pubs.
If there is enough demand, they will most likely increase their operations. Ultimately, they would like to bottle their beers.

Staff writer Andrew Edwards contributed to this report.

BY DAYNA STRAEHLEY

Judson & Brown Elementary School in Redlands was named by U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan as a national Blue Ribbon School for 2010-11.

Judson & Brown was the only school in the Inland area this year and one of 23 in California to win the national honor for schools whose students who achieve at very high levels or have made significant progress and helped close gaps in achievement, especially among disadvantaged and minority students.

Blue Ribbon Schools will be honored at a national awards ceremony Nov. 12-13 in Washington, D.C., where each winner will receive a plaque and flag the schools may fly as a mark of excellence and a symbol of quality. In its 30-year history, the National Blue Ribbon Schools Program has bestowed this award on almost 7,000 of America’s schools, said State Superintendent of Public Instruction Tom Torlakson.

By Ian Ritter

One retail developer that is no stranger to California is Lewis Retail Centers. The company, which owns more than 20 centers in the state and neighboring Nevada, is especially active in the High Desert region of San Bernardino County. Randall Lewis, the firm’s executive vice president of sales and marketing, spoke with GlobeSt.com about doing business in the area, what tenants he likes right now and what he expects from the coming ICSC show.

GlobeSt.com: How is the leasing dynamic in the High Desert different than other locales in your portfolio?

Lewis: A lot of people don’t realize the High Desert is part of the Inland Empire so it requires a more comprehensive education process about the market opportunity including the demographics and demand for retail. Housing and jobs are both coming back well within the region. From a retail perspective, the success of High Desert Gateway and the expansion of the Victor Valley Mall (including the addition of Macy’s) have helped immensely to improve the awareness and image of the market. Population in the High Desert/Victor Valley is almost 400,000 and even with the new developments, the High Desert market is still under served, and people are driving “down the hill” for their retail and entertainment needs.

GlobeSt.com: What is it like doing business in this area overall?

Lewis: It’s a pleasure to work with the elected officials and the staffs at the County of San Bernardino and the cities throughout the Inland Empire. They do an excellent job at creating a business-friendly environment which helps assure the retailers success. In addition to having pro-active, business-friendly staffs, several of the cities offer targeted business attraction programs.

GlobeSt.com: At Apple Valley Commons you have a Walmart Supercenter going across the street
from Super Target. How does that dynamic work?

Lewis: In this instance it’s definitely a positive because it will bring more retail (critical mass) to the intersection, and we expect that it will also attract new customers from some of the outlying areas of the High Desert, such as Barstow, which should help create new tenant interest in Apple Valley Commons from those retailers looking for a more regional draw. As a side note, this is also a relocation of an existing Walmart that is currently across the street from our center.

GlobeSt.com: You have some medical uses in High Desert Gateway. Do you see that as a wave of
the future?

Lewis: Consistent with the aging baby boomer population and the emphasis on health across all demographics, we have seen increased interest from personal care and health and beauty shop-space users, such as dentists, optometrists, massage/chiropractic uses as well as urgent care operators. These types of users are looking for the visibility/convenience that a neighborhood/community shopping center can provide.

Apart from the shop space within a center, we’re also seeing interest/opportunities for medical office buildings within shopping centers (like Eastvale Gateway South, Sierra Lakes Professional Park) with a hospital partner providing diagnostic services and office space for private practice physicians.

GlobeSt.com: Are there any tenants you are excited about right now?

Lewis: Generally speaking we are seeing a lot of retailers coming off the side lines and starting to expand in centers that are well-located with good co-anchors. We have a strong portfolio of opportunities for these users.

We have also seen some new concepts, as well as some existing concepts, that have accelerated their expansion in the Inland Empire particularly in the food and health/beauty/fitness categories including Smash Burger, Freddy’s (steakburgers and custard), Jersey Mike’s Subs, Farrell’s Ice Cream Parlour, Mountain Mike’s Pizza, Fitness 19, Massage Green,
The Joint (chiropractic), and Fleet Feet.

GlobeSt.com: What is your firm’s objective at the ICSC Western Division conference this year?

Lewis: Our leasing/development team has over 35 meetings set up with a number of retailers/brokers to market both
the available space in our existing portfolio as well as to showcase our new development opportunities. We have a 1,500-square-foot booth, and we always have a lot of “walk-up” traffic so it is also an opportunity to showcase our projects to the general attendees/new retailer and broker prospects at the convention. In addition, the ICSC conventions are always a great opportunity to network and to learn what other developers and cities are offering.

By Ian Ritter

The Macerich Co. embraces the desert. San Bernardino County‘s High Desert is home to the REIT’s Mall of Victor Valley, in Victorville, CA, which it has owned for eight years. The mall is one of the top retail draws in the area, nearly 100% leased and going through a facelift that includes the addition of a new Macy’s anchor. Though Macerich owns 63 regional shopping centers across the United States totaling 64 million square feet, and is one of the largest mall owners in the country, Skip Kuhn, the firm’s vice president of development, took some time to tell us about what makes this particular asset a standout in the portfolio.

GlobeSt.com: Tell us about your retail assets in the High Desert.

Skip Kuhn: Macerich has owned and managed The Mall of Victor Valley for over eight years. This regional center, today with three major anchors (Sears, JCPenney and Cinemark Theatre) and a new one – Macy’s – arriving next year, is a highly successful property. Across our portfolio, our key properties are always evolving to meet the changing needs of retailers and consumers. Here at Victor Valley, we are renovating all four of the property’s major entrances; we recently completed renovations at the soon-to-open Penney; and we are working toward the opening of our new, full-line Macy’s department store in spring 2013.

In addition to The Mall of Victor Valley, Macerich owns a number of other shopping centers in California, and Santa Monica is home to our corporate headquarters. Inland Center is an estimated 35 miles away and offers Coach, The Disney Store, Macy’s, Sears, Vans and Zales.

GlobeSt.com: What has been the latest news at Victor Valley?

Kuhn: In early October, Penney will officially open its 93,000 square foot, single story, full line department store. The new store will feature recognized brands such as Sephora, Liz Claiborne, I Heart Ronson, Bisou Bisou and Levi’s. The expanded store is opening in the former Forever 21 location and will be approximately twice the size of the current jcpenney.

In spring 2013, Macy’s will open its doors to a brand new 103,000-square-foot department store. The store will feature Macy’s
well-regarded set of national and locally edited merchandise.The center’s Cinemark Theatre recently completed a renovation of its own. The theater boasts the largest HD Theater in the High Desert and offers wall-to-wall and floor-to-ceiling screens.

The center is also in the midst of remodeling all four major entrances. The sleek glass storefronts and travertine stone give
the center a whole new look and feel. Along with new landscaping and additional seating, The Mall of Victor Valley becomes even more inviting. Construction on the four entrances is taking place right now and two of them opened over Labor Day weekend and the other two will be complete just in time to celebrate the opening of the new Penney in October.

GlobeSt.com: What you see as the greatest opportunity at Victor Valley?

Kuhn: The Mall at Victor Valley is the dominant shopping center for this key part of Southern California. The property’s high-profile location on I-15 and Bear Valley Road; its loyal shopper base; and strong working relationships with the City of Victorville contribute to its continuing success. The fact that Macy’s is building a brand new store here is testament to the power of this center and this market, and we look forward to adding even more national brands to our already strong roster of stores.

GlobeSt.com: Why do you think this asset has performed so well, and how were you able to attract Macy’s
to the center?

Kuhn: For many years, Southern California’s High Desert has been a fast-growing market thanks to family-friendly housing prices and good employment opportunities. Since it was built in 1987, our well-situated property has been continually
serving the needs of this market by always evolving to meet the changing preferences of the community. New stores, fresh amenities and modern design elements help keep this property top of mind for Victorville and the region. All of these reasons made our location desirable for a premier national fashion anchor like Macy’s.

GlobeSt.com: What has driven new tenants to move to your center?

Kuhn: The powerful combination of strong demographics and the center’s collection of brands, make The Mall of Victor Valley a natural choice for retailers who want to reach the region’s attractive and ready consumers. Additionally, the effective management team maintains excellent working relationships with the City of Victorville and contributes to a friendly business environment for the retail community. In all, more than 546,000 square feet of shopping space that includes Sears, Penney and soon, Macy’s, meets the needs of this appealing market. This center is also home to in-line stores that include Bath and Body Works, Vans, The Children’s Place, Victoria’s Secret and Barnes & Noble, to name a few.

Our leasing team is always in talks and negotiations to bring new and exciting retail and entertainment to this dynamic
center. The expansion of Penney, the addition of Macy’s and Macerich’s capital investment in the Mall of Victor Valley have spawned a new interest from retailers formerly not in the market. Looking forward, we are excited by current negotiations and look forward to announcing our new merchants in the near future.

GlobeSt.com: What is your perspective of retail in that region?

Kuhn: The Mall of Victor Valley continues to be a powerful draw for High Desert consumers and beyond. The center creates a nexus that enhances the regions retail offerings and we are proud of the center and its recent additions.

Retail and entertainment in the High Desert has always been responsive to the consumers and the Mall at Victor Valley is no exception. The Mall of Victor Valley is committed to family friendly events from the quintessential holiday visit with Santa to an on-going partnership with Circus Vargas. With our new and expanded anchors and the addition of the new-to-market retailers, The Mall of Victor Valley is a stronger retail draw than ever.