www.encinitaschamber.com
Volume 6, Issue 9
SEPTEMBER 2010
Slight drop in number of sold small businesses
Routing slip Share Encinitas First with others in your organization:
INSIDE Pacific Station in downtown Encinitas nears completion PAGE 3
MiraCosta College receives accreditation for another six years PAGE 3
What are consumers doing with their money? They’re paying off their debt PAGE 9
Interim Executive Director Stephanie Edwards addresses what’s new and what’s on the horizon for the chamber
THAT’S THE TICKET!
Bartender Molly Patterson of Casa de Bandini wins a six-pack of Kona Ale and a box of chocolate from Robin Tarr of Jonathan Tarr Foundation from the raffle at the Aug. 17 Sundowner held at the restaurant. See a story and more photos from the August Sundowner on page 10. Photo by Suzanne Perez Swanson
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PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID ENCINITAS, CA 92024 PERMIT NO. 94
Sticky situation for local bike riders By Shelby Taylor ENCINITAS — For more than 27 years, Leucadia Cyclery’s owner Fredric Breidenthal has felt the heavy concentration of thorns along North Vulcan Avenue and Coast Highway 101, between Encinitas and Leucadia Boulevard. This summer is no exception. On July 22, at least 30 customers came in with flats due to Tribulus terrestris stickers, according to Breidenthal. “With so many people getting flat tires, it doesn’t become profitable,”
Breidenthal said. The cost to fix a flat ranges from $10 to $25 at Leucadia Cyclery, depending on the bike. Reactions to the price include, “It’s going to cost me what?” Breidenthal’s son and employee, William said. “Customers are mad at the city, mad at us,”
Breidenthal said. Breidenthal shares his customers’ frustration toward the city of Encinitas. “It’s a nonperfect world,” he said. “The cleaning crew doesn’t sweep up after (foliage removal), and there is an increase in flats the day after. The city has covered, scraped and poisoned them, but the thorns always come back.” From the city’s perspective, there isn’t the money to constantly clean up. “We ❚ see Bike riders on 8
The thorns strewn across Encinitas have three prongs, with one always sticking up. As such, bicycle tires and flip-flops easily pick up the “goathead” fruit. Courtesy photo
RETURN SERVICE REQUESTED P.O. Box 232550 Encinitas, CA 92023
Join the Oktoberfest festivities By Angel Haag ENCINITAS — The 16th annual Encinitas Oktoberfest is right around the corner. You don’t want to miss out on this fun-filled German festival being held Sept. 26. Located at the corner of El Camino Real and Mountain Vista Road, the street is
shut down for a day filled with great food, fun activities, entertainment and a variety of great vendor booths. Be sure to visit the special event website at www. encinitasoktoberfest.com for all of the latest updates on the big event as it draws near. There are many ways
that you can get involved with this great event: — Become a sponsor: If you would like to make sure that your business gets the maximum exposure to 30,000-plus people, then you can choose to donate a product or service or make a monetary donation toward the event and you will be rec-
ognized in all the advertising prior to and the day of the event, announced throughout the day and on the special sponsor banner and you can be a part of our program. — Become a vendor: Showcase your business with a vendor booth at the ❚ see Oktoberfest on 8
COAST CITIES — The total of 92 small- and midsized San Diego County businesses sold last month was off slightly from the 96 closed escrows recorded in July 2009. And July 2010 sales activity showed a decline from the 100 transactions completed in June. The city of San Diego led the county with 39 closed escrows in July. There were nine completed deals in Chula Vista and seven in Oceanside, according to BizBen.com — businesses for sale in California, which tracks privately-held business sales throughout the state. Sales totals by city, throughout San Diego County this year are at the BizBen.com San Diego County statistics pages. Statewide sales for last month set the record for 2010, with 1,298 transactions recorded Californiawide. The company also announced the July 2010 tally was well ahead of the 1,075 sum of sold businesses in California during the same month last year. “We’re pleased to notice that the number of sold businesses, statewide, is increasing,” said Peter Siegel, MBA, founder and CEO of BizBen.com. “But it’s been a tough year and it’s too soon to declare that one strong month constitutes a trend.” “An obstacle continues to be the reluctance of community banks as well as large institutions to loan out the money entrepreneurs need to fund their transactions,” Siegel said. “It’s a good sign,” he added, “that many buyers and sellers in California are adapting to the market place. We’re seeing more deals with the seller helping to finance by taking some of the price in a note secured by the business. And the percentage of the price that sellers are willing to carry back has increased in the past couple of years.” Business owners, business brokers and agents currently are offering approximately 750 businesses for sale in San Diego County. Information about the opportunities is accessed at the San Diego ❚ see Sold on 11