From L.A., With Beep
Add this to your L.A. lexicon: Please leave a message after the beep.
A study of Los Angeles consumers concludes, among other things, that local residents are much more likely than other Americans to have answering machines for their telephones. Impact Resources of Columbus, Ohio, says it found that 38.9% of 9,883 households surveyed had answering machines, compared to 17.4% of those in major markets elsewhere.
East Coast? Don’t Bank on It
The intense competition among banks and savings and loans here has turned Southern California into a breeding ground for innovative financial marketing experts.
But luring them to other parts of the country is tough, laments Colin A. Hanna, president of The Cheshire Group, a recruiting firm in West Chester, Pa. “People tend to be fairly deeply rooted here,” said Hanna, who was in Los Angeles recently on recruiting trip that he said was little more than a wild goose chase. “Not a lot of people want to go back to New York or Boston or Washington.”
A Blessing in Disguise
No, that’s not Pope John Paul II. But that is Los Angeles publicist Fran Zone in an eye-catching Christmas card she sent out last month with the message “J. P. and I wish you Holiday Blessings.”
Although Zone--the newly appointed Southland spokesman for MCI--helped plan for the Pope’s visit last year, the two never met. Actually, she said with a laugh last week, that’s a celebrity look-alike who entertained at a show-biz party.
Shipshape in Hull New Way
Seasickness--with its relentless nausea and dizziness--is not a pretty human condition, but new marine technology is coming to the rescue of some sailors.
Swath Ocean Systems, a small San Diego-based boat builder, has developed a hull design that is extremely stable in choppy seas. The boat has twin submerged hulls with stabilization planes connected to the deck by struts.
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers recently issued a contract to Swath to lease one of its boats. The Navy, whose men aren’t real sailors until they have “sea legs,” has yet to contract for any of the boats.
Burgers for the Bourgeoisie
The owners of the Wells Fargo office tower in downtown Los Angeles have finally found a replacement for Perino’s, the high-style restaurant that closed there in 1984 and later reopened on Wilshire Boulevard.
The new tenant: Carl’s Jr. Restaurant.
The fast-food chain beat out Burger King for 6,000 of the 30,000 square feet left vacant by the Continental restaurant. “The juxtaposition between fast food and Perino’s is just mind-boggling,” admits Carl’s spokesman Patrick Flynn. Where Perino’s sold a serving of veal with souffle potatoes for $46, Carl’s will serve a double cheeseburger and large fries for about $4.50. Carl’s will also offer beer and wine.
Santa Rolls Out a Big One
Most automobile dealers would break out in tears if they had sold only 100 cars a year. At Gregg Motors--Rolls-Royce in Beverly Hills, they broke out champagne and caviar last week.
When Mark Hughes, the 30-year-old founder and president of Herbalife International, bought the 100th Rolls sold at the dealership this year, it was cause for celebration. In all, Gregg Motors sold 107 new Rolls-Royces in 1987--its best year. The autos sell for $117,500 to $200,000.
Hughes, who already owns a 1985 Silver Spur Rolls-Royce, bought the $183,500 Corniche II for his wife as a Christmas present, sales manager Peter Cloke said. “I think she was pretty overwhelmed by it, as you would imagine.”