Minding Their Business
It’s been the buzzword of 1999, but will the word “millennium” have any staying power once the New Year turns? We asked L.A. businesses that use (and occasionally misspell) the name why they chose it, and if they have any plans to change it come January.
Millenium Textiles, L.A., (213) 840-9715.
Business: fabrics.
Years in business: 2 1/2.
Why the name: “Everybody’s talking about the millennium now,” says Rafael Rosas, owner.
Plan to rename: “No. For at least four or five years people will keep it in mind.”
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Millenium Thrift Shop, L.A. , (213) 484-1626.
Business: used items.
Years in business: two.
Why the name: “The owner is really into the Internet and computers. “ says Jai Adviento, store manager.
Plan to rename: No.
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Millennium Cargo Consolidated Inc., L.A., (323) 258-9621.
Business: cargo to the Philippines.
Years in business: three.
Why the name: “Because of the coming millennium,” says Zenaida Lagrimas, treasurer.
Plan to rename: “We are thinking of adding ‘new.’ New Millennium.”
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Millennium Clinical Laboratory, L.A., (323) 953-8100.
Business: blood testing laboratory.
Years in business: nine.
Why the name: “First of all, we like that name--how it’s pronounced. Our understanding of our company is not the literal understanding as a thousand years or a new thousand years, but everything that is connected with progress, with the future, with high tech,” says Areg Alikhanian, vice president.
Plan to rename: “No . . . It’s modern technology and future technology, and we are doing very sophisticated and specific blood tests.”
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Millennium Development, L.A., (213) 382-7180.
Business: real estate construction.
Years in business: one.
Why the name: “We started a new business going into the millennium,” says Durk Hagan, president.
Plan to rename: “No. It’s good for the next couple years.”
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Millennium Diamond Inc., L.A., (213) 629-4405.
Business: loose diamond wholesaler.
Years in business: 1 1/2.
Why the name: “I hope to stick around for another thousand years,” says Vipul Shah, owner.
Plan to rename: “No way.”
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Millennium Group, Beverly Hills, (310) 550-1995.
Business: Internet venture capital, merchant banking.
Years in business: five.
Why the name: “Our specialty is innovation in business strategies and our portfolio companies, and millennium as a term represents that,” says Jonathan Mork, managing partner.
Plan to rename: “Being in the five-year club, we have no plans to change our name just because people are jumping on the millennium bandwagon.”
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Millennium Imaging, L.A., (310) 282-8545.
Business: legal support.
Years inbusiness: one.
Why the name: “In my business, everybody is [named] Legal Something. I just wanted to have a name that was different but also was on the top of everybody’s mind,” says Greg Herweg, owner.
Plan to rename: “No. I’m hoping somebody will buy me.”
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Millennium Information Research, L.A., (213) 487-3530.
Business: pre-employment screening.
Years in business: two.
Why the name: “It’s kind of a buzzword, so that, grouped with the fact that there’s a lot of new things that are going to be introduced in the new millennium, made it a match,” says Alexander Rodriguez, director.
Plan to rename: “No. Hopefully we’ll still be in the business.”
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Millennium Salon, L.A., (323) 782-1443.
Business: beauty salon.
Years in business: Since 1997, though owner James Kennar Jr. launched a Millennium hair product line in 1993.
Why the name: “Back then, I knew that the millennium was coming up. My slogan for my line of products was ‘the hair-care system for the next 1,000 years.’ I was thinking of this almost seven years ago, and now all these people poppin’ up with this name is mind-boggling,” says James Kennar Jr., owner.
Plan to rename: “No, because I’ve established a name for myself. Someone tried to open a salon a few months ago, and they called it the New Millennium. I know they knew I was open.”
