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Lakewood Community
Official publication of the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce | 30,000 Circulation - Delivered to every home in Lakewood www.lakewoodchamber.com
Volume 36 Number 7
Friar Tux rechristens its original Lakewood store on the national chain’s 45th anniversary
The year was 1974. “The Way We Were” by Barbara Streisand and the Jackson 5’s “Dancing Machine” topped the music charts, Blazing Saddles was #1 at the box office and families gathered around the TV to watch All in the Family and M*A*S*H*. Meanwhile in the quiet community of Lakewood, Mike Meskell, fresh out of college, took over a shuttered tux shop and started a family business with a little inspiration from his dad and a clever name from his mom. Forty-five years later, Friar Tux has grown into the largest familyowned men’s formalwear provider
in the country, with 31 stores, a thriving online business and more than 320 employees including an army of 200 stylists trained to provide the perfect look for weddings, dances and special occasions. “Who would have thought our original ‘tux shop’ with the memorable name would achieve so much over the years: largest familyowned formalwear provider in the U.S.; largest inventory of tuxedos in the Western U.S.; and one of the largest dry-cleaning operations in California,” said Meskell. “That growth is a testimony to the loyalty of our customers – especially the second- and third-generation
families who still come back to Lakewood so we can make them look their best for life’s most important moments.” The grand re-opening for the flagship location was held on June 13th and kicked off the company’s 45th anniversary. An official proclamation was presented by the City of Lakewood, along with a ribbon cutting ceremony by the Greater Lakewood Chamber of Commerce. The free event featured music, food, a vintage 1970s Volkswagen bus photo opportunity and a formalwear fashion show featuring authentic 1970s tuxes and classically retro looks. ♦
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July 2019
More cuts coming to Lakewood city budget
Faced with the continued loss of funds to the state government and declining local revenues, the Lakewood City Council on June 11 made cuts to several areas of Lakewood’s city budget in order to stay in balance for the new fiscal year, which starts on July 1, 2019. “We are definitely facing a tough city budget situation because of revenue takeaways from the state government and other factors,” said Mayor Todd Rogers. “The state government has taken $30 million from Lakewood over the past eight years and continues to take over $2 million every year, which undermines the city’s ability to maintain our fiscal stability. To maintain a balanced budget, the City Council on June 11 made $1.3 million in new cuts on top of cuts from last year that will continue into the new fiscal year. Cuts include: • Holding off on most major maintenance and repairs to park
and city-owned facilities. • Continuing to freeze nine vacant city positions, including park and public works staff who maintain park and community building bathrooms, lighting and landscaping. “I’m very concerned about the impact of these cuts on the quality services that our public expects and deserves,” said Rogers. “We take pride in Lakewood on having good quality parks and city facilities,” said Rogers, “but many of our buildings are over 60 years old and in need of repair, with deteriorating bathrooms and aging electrical systems. I’m worried about the state funding takeaways and whether we can find the resources in the next few years to make those repairs and upgrades for our Lakewood residents.” In the coming months, as part of Lakewood’s focus on longterm financial planning and transparent budgeting, the city will be engaging residents in a community conversation regarding the city’s budget situation and asking for their input on service priorities. Residents will receive surveys by mail and other means asking for their input. An online version of the city’s updated budget is available at www.lakewoodcity.org/ budget. ♦