LITTLE TOKYO : Wholesale Alley to Add 4 Eateries
Developers of the new Los Angeles Wholesale Alley are hoping that the planned opening next month of a food court will entice locals to come shop at the mall-like complex of stores.
The 1 1/2-year-old complex, bordered by 3rd, Boyd, San Pedro and Wall streets, is an effort to extend the marketplace atmosphere of the neighboring wholesale toy, jewelry and general merchandise districts. The owner, Stelee Industries Inc., is looking to draw retail customers as well as wholesale buyers, following an industry trend in which wholesalers trying to survive the recession are selling directly to the public.
The Los Angeles Wholesale Alley is the brainchild of 29-year-old developer Steve Lee, whose real estate holdings have included a building on Winston Street in the heart of the wholesale district. The congenial Korean-American said he “saw potential” in the deteriorating line of buildings in Little Tokyo--particularly in drawing retail customers--and put $18 million of his own money into renovating and developing the property.
The complex, now painted in a palette of bright and pastel colors, is 90% filled with vendors selling general merchandise ranging from strollers and bicycles to Italian-made figurines. Although the complex is not yet widely known, Lee is confident that Wholesale Alley’s mall-like environment and retail prices 30% to 50% lower than membership warehouses will draw flocks of shoppers.
Lee said he hopes to eventually install cobblestone walkways and convert Wholesale Alley into a retail and entertainment attraction akin to the popular Ghirardelli Square in San Francisco. He said the November opening of the international food court, with four fast-food eateries, should help draw the public to the complex.
The food court was born out of necessity for quick, convenient and inexpensive food for vendors and their employees, according to John Chong, property manager. During a recent weekday stroll through nearby wholesale district streets, Chong pointed out the prevalence of catering trucks, and noted that most local workers have traditionally relied on them for fast sustenance.
The food court, on the complex’s second-floor with patio seating, will consist of a Taco Bell Express, a Chinese takeout restaurant, a hamburger stand and a sandwich/snack shop.
It opens Nov. 12 with a two-day festival celebrating the culture and people of the Mexican state of Michoacan.
