Biz News: New ‘flexible-format’ Target to open in Irvine
Irvine is scheduled to get a new small Target store near the UC Irvine campus next July.
The roughly 20,000-square-foot space at Bridge Road and Campus Drive will sell fresh groceries, grab-and-go items, dorm and apartment essentials, sports team apparel, electronics and health, personal care and beauty products.
It is part of the Minnesota-based company’s effort to provide a smaller, “flexible-format” store. It will be the first such store in Orange County.
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Newport Stationers bought by Office Solutions
Newport Stationers has been acquired by Yorba Linda-based Office Solutions, which provides commercial business products and services.
Terms were not disclosed.
Newport Stationers’ retail store, which first opened in 1964 in Newport Beach, will remain open, Office Solutions said.
“Both parties can leverage this change by serving customers who require specific needs for their Southern California businesses,” Bob Mairena, president of Office Solutions, said in a statement. “Although Office Solutions services customers nationwide, we continue to focus on cultivating our regional footprint.”
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Third generation of Newport family joins wire company
The third generation of a Newport Beach family has joined the team of R&B Wire Products, based in Santa Ana.
Balboa Island resident Grant Rawlins, a recent graduate of Pepperdine University, joined the company as its sales and marketing coordinator. His father, Rick Rawlins, also of Balboa Island, is the chief executive.
Grant Rawlins’ grandfather Rea Rawlins, who died in 2000, purchased the company five decades ago.
R&B Wire manufactures wire, tubular, poly and vinyl bushel products for laundry, healthcare, hospitality, janitorial supply, material handling and car wash businesses. It is known for its wire laundry cart commonly found at coin laundries.
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CdM High grad’s app company celebrates 2 years
Pocket Points, an app co-founded by Corona del Mar High School alumnus and Newport Beach native Mitch Gardner, is celebrating its second anniversary this month.
The app rewards students for turning off their smartphones during class.
The longer their phones are turned off, the more points the students receive. The points can be exchanged for discounts, coupons or gifts. Major participating companies include Subway, 7-Eleven and Papa John’s Pizza.
Within 10 months, Pocket Points has gone from two full-time employees to 30, Gardner said.
Last year, it was launched at more than 100 college campuses and is working toward launching at high schools.
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Newport’s Bosscat expands to Texas
Bosscat Kitchen and Libations, an industrial-chic restaurant in Newport Beach featuring a wide selection of whiskeys, is opening a second location in Houston.
“I love Houston. We had opportunities to open a second location in California, but I took a trip to Texas and just fell in love with Houston,” owner John Reed told PaperCity, a lifestyle magazine in Texas.
Houston’s Bosscat is scheduled to open in the fall, PaperCity reported.
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Yogurtland hires 2 executives
Irvine-based Yogurtland has named John Wayne Carlson as vice president of development and Chad Bailey as senior director of marketing.
“We’re eager to welcome John and Chad to Yogurtland during this exhilarating time of expansion and growth,” Phillip Chang, Yogurtland founder and chief executive, said in a statement. “They both have the extensive backgrounds needed to build on our growth trajectory and will make valuable contributions to our creativity and success.”
Carlson has held a variety of development and operations positions with Coffee Bean & Tea Leaf and Dunkin’ Brands, according to a news release.
Bailey most recently was chief marketing officer of Robeks Juice.
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Eschle promoted at Westin hotel
Tricia Eschle has been promoted to associate director of sales at the Westin South Coast Plaza hotel in Costa Mesa, according to a news release.
Eschle has been with the 393-room hotel since 2010 as its business travel sales manager and then business travel account director.
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New VP joins Newport’s Alliant benefits team
Julie Beacock has been hired as first vice president for Alliant Employee Benefits’ Newport Beach office, according to a news release.
The Cal State Bakersfield graduate has more than 20 years of industry experience.