Latest News

Giltcomplex Antiques
Brent Baden
4270 Atlantic Ave.
562-427-2299
www.giltcomplexantiques.com

How long have you been in business?  15 years  In Bixby Knolls?  Since February 2010.

What prompted you to open your business in BK?  
I live in the area and it is an up-and-coming, good area.

What realizations have you made regarding your customers/clients and their affect on your business?  People are excited to see a new store with quality items in Bixby Knolls.

What makes your business different from others similar to your in the area?
There are no other stores in the area.  Giltcomplex carries higher quality items and is a single-owner store, not an antique mall.

What role in the community does your business fill?
Giltcomplex carries high quality, unique merchandise, at fair prices.  A reputable dealer to sell valuable items to.

Summarize what your business is all about.
Giltcomplex provides unusual and unique antique items at fair prices, customer service and personal attention.  Always looking to buy wonderful items!

A new business in Bixby Knolls is holding its grand opening and you’re invited!

Tuesday, April 13, 2010
6:00 pm – 9:00 pm
at 
GiltComplex Antiques
4270 Atlantic Avenue
Bixby Knolls
562 427-2299
www.giltcomplextantiques.com

The business environment continues to improve in the Knolls area, particularly along the Atlantic Avenue corridor.  Giltcomplex Antiques has recently opened at 4270 Atlantic Avenue and presents an opportunity for those who love all things old to see a wide variety of select pieces from the 16th through the early 20th centuries.  Owner Brent Baden has a true passion for such things and has put his best foot forward for the community in which he lives.  ”I’ve always loved antiques.  Fifteen years ago I asked myself what I really wanted to do with my life.  I’d been a teacher and Principal for twelve years and needed a change.  So I went for it.  I never looked back.”

A local resident for the past seven years, Baden felt that a store close by would be wonderful and that the Bixby Knolls area was perfect for a store of this type. ”Not just antiques, but great antiques, things that you don’t usually see. I’m betting that the Bixby area is on the move and that residents here appreciate the chance to shop for truly wonderful pieces.” Items on the showroom floor include an English harp from 1822, a circa 1910 30-inch world globe from Greene and Greene designed house in Pasadena, and a good assortment of antique Persian rugs. Silver, jewelry and a collection of antique smoking pipes fill the showcases.

Reptiles Unlimited
Rare & Exotic Pets
4218 Atlantic Ave.
Long Beach, CA 90807
562-426-1090
www.reptilesunlimited.com

Reptiles Unlimited is proud to have been in business for 15 years, informing and serving the community on the experience of ownership in the world of reptiles, amphibians, and arachnids. Reptiles make excellent pets, they are housed in their habitats designed to mimic their natural environment, requiring only a little attention. However, if you need extra time with the animals, they are happy to oblige.

It is our goal to offer the highest quality of animals, supplies and services. We pride ourselves on the products we sell to maintain a quality environment for your animal, which includes terrariums, cages, substrates, decorations, and the all important lighting options. You can come to us for all your food needs as well.

We are home to Adventures with Reptiles, our party division. We bring 13 to 15 of our friends to share at your child’s birthday party, event, or school presentation. The children are able to touch the animals with a two finger touch as we strive to impart knowledge about the animal. We encourage photo opportunities.

We have participated in many city and community events in which we have brought some of our reptile friends, including BIA Car Shows, Miller Children’s Hospital, El Dorado Nature Center, as well as participating with some of the local PTA’s at their carnivals.

Reptiles Unlimited hopes you will come and check out our store and see our friends from the reptile world.

Bella Cosa
Christy Pardini and Kelly Dempsey
3803 Atlantic Ave.  
562-426-2100
www.bellacosaboutique.com
shopbellacosa@gmail.com

BK:  How long have you been in business:  
BC:  3 months

BK:  What prompted you to open your business in Bixby Knolls?  

BC:  Christy and I both live in the community, and we wanted to provide the residents of Bixby Knolls with an upscaled boutique that carries items for the family.  Our items are hand crafted or  up-cycled to add a “green” aspect.  We feel that Atlantic should be and will be the next Second Street of Long Beach, and we wanted to positively contribute to rebuilding the street.

BK:  What realizations have you made regarding your customers and their affect on your business?

BC:  The people of Bixby Knolls have been unbelievably supportive and gracious to Bella Cosa.  We’ve found the community to be quite close knit and word of mouth has truly helped our business!  People want to support the businesses on Atlantic; we need to give them what they want.

BK:  What makes your business different?

BC:  We focus on goods that are hand-crafted, upcycled and repurposed.  We also offer a community meeting spot to local groups such as LB Creative and we are beginning classes which promote everyone’s inner artist as well as natural health.

BK:  What role in the community does your business fill?

BC:  In Atlantic Avenue’s revitalization, Bella Cosa provides a “Second Street” type boutique to the Bixby Knolls residents.  Bella Cosa offers one of a kind items at affordable prices.  From jewelry to the garden, Bella Cosa has items for the whole family!  We are kid and pet friendly!

BK:  Summarize your business:

BC:  Our Motto, “Designs for Life with the Planet in Mind”

We are a service retailer striving to make our community stronger environmentally and socially.  We promote local artists and offer green, one of a kind items to our clients.

Every Monday Baja Sonora, 3502 Atlantic, asks every customer to select a local school and donates 10% of their sale to the PTA of that school.  At the end of the month we take checks to the schools.  The schools don’t have to do anything.  However, if they spread the word the checks grow larger.  And if the school’s staff orders delivery on that Monday it counts towards the donation as well.

We believe that we are the only restaurant around that has such a program.  As of now we have taken checks to some of the local schools for as much as $100.  Some schools are ordering every Monday.  Since there are so many holidays celebrated on Mondays we are allowing schools to order on the Tuesday following a legal holiday and counting those sales towards their donation as well.

Stop in, enjoy a meal, and support a local school! 

Baja Sonora
3502 Atlantic Avenue
562 981-1950

www.bajasonora.com

Latest News

Artist, John Culqui, painted his second utility box located at the south east corner of Atlantic & Carson.

New banners are up on the light poles along Atlantic from Wardlow to 46th Street:

New bike racks have been placed on Atlantic south of Bixby Road. Keep your eyes open as more of these will be put in place by the Department of Public Works. You will see SHOP, DINE, and other designs soon. Have you see the Penny Farthing bike rack in front of Bake ‘n Broil yet?

In the Queue:
The Redevelopment Agency has approved funding for a number of new projects that will help revitalize Atlantic Avenue from Bixby Road to the 405 freeway. Projects include planting 34 trees (35th to Bixby), landscape enhancement of the Signal Hill Petroleum lot at 33rd and Atlantic, painting store fronts with the help of property owners, and a potential community garden in the 3300 block of Atlantic.

The Bella Cosa boutique, set to open Friday, November 6, is the latest addition to the revitalized Bixby Knolls area.
Bella Cosa is a high-end green boutique, specializing in “life goods:” items that are hand-made, created from environmentally friendly materials, locally produced or fashioned from recycled/upcycled materials.
The store is the creation of Long Beach residents Christy Pardini and Kelly Dempsey, who have designed Bella Cosa to be an experience for the green shopper.
“We’re giving the shop a hip yet nostalgic style,” said Pardini. “It will have a wide selection of upscale, extremely well-made green items for self and home. This is the type of store that has been missing from the Bixby Knolls area, and we can’t wait to showcase items from the many talented local artists and craftspeople to the people of Bixby Knolls and all of Long Beach!”
In addition to the life goods for purchase, Bella Cosa will also offer craft workshops, seminars on a variety of topics including drought-tolerant plants and home composting. Other services Bella Cosa will provide include environmentally friendly event planning and having meeting space available for local groups.
“We’re much more than a boutique,” said Pardini. “We want to not only offer high-end products, but also to teach people how to create their own green, upcycled items. We’re planning to be a part of LB Creative, the Bixby Knolls First Fridays and the Long Beach Chamber of Commerce. As new residents of the area, we wanted to open a store here and be a part of the Bixby Knolls improvement process.”
Bella Cosa is located at 3803 Atlantic Ave., at Bixby Rd., next to Bixby Knolls Mortgage.

Know of other improvements to the area? Please let us know at: info@bixbyknollsinfo.com

Spotlight on Business – Look for our newest feature on the website where the Bixby Knolls Business Improvement Association is offering members a chance to promote their business for free. Every two weeks a different business will be featured in an article called Spotlight On Business. The information you give us will be displayed on the homepage as well as any photos you submit via email (limit 2). The BIA will come and shoot a photo of the front of your business that will also be included. 

Why would you want to take advantage of this opportunity?

It’s FREE

Your business will be exposed to more than 500 visitors to the website during the two weeks for FREE.

Your spotlight will be shown in the Banter, a monthly e-newsletter that reaches more than 1000 people each month for FREE.

Best of all it’s FREE

Submit your business information (click here for the form) to our office at 4313 Atlantic Ave., Long Beach, CA 90807 by mail or drop off. Email us the information at info@bixbyknollsinfo.com. Fax us the information 562-595-0281. Submissions are taken in the order received and will be verified through the BIA business listing