Tag Archives: Magnolia Park

Goodwill Southern California Opens Their Newest Store in Magnolia Park

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Goodwill Southern California had a Grand Opening for their newest retail location in Burbank on the morning of Friday, June 28, 2019. Mayor Emily Gabel-Luddy and Vice Mayor Sharon Springer were in attendance for the ribbon-cutting to welcome the store to Burbank as well as representatives from the Los Angeles County Supervisor’s office, Senator Anthony Portantino’s office, and Assemblymember Laura Friedman’s office.

The first 100 shoppers in line received a $10 merchandise voucher and customers were invited to shop a wide selection of great values including 100 free items hidden throughout the store. “We are delighted to open our first store in the City of Burbank,” said Ray Tellez, Goodwill Southern California Vice President of Retail Operations. “We look forward to providing the Burbank community with additional employment opportunities as well as a great location for families to shop and find great deals!”

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Goodwill SoCal is located in the heart of Magnolia Park, taking over the 9200 square foot space that use to be occupied by the American Way Thrift store.  With its fresh bold paint and colorful window signage, Goodwill has turned the building into a vibrant addition to the ever-growing merchant’s district of Magnolia Park and has already shown their commitment to the neighborhood by joining the Magnolia Park Merchants Association.

The Grand Opening aligned with Magnolia Park’s monthly Ladies and Gents Night Out event where over 30 food trucks line the boulevard and stores stay open for late-night shopping. 

(Photo by Ross A Benson)

Goodwill SoCal expressed that they will be participating in the event that takes place on the last Friday of the month from January to October, and welcomed hundreds of guests into their store on June 28th.

 

Goodwill SoCal has more than 80 stores in its territory covering Los Angeles, Riverside, and San Bernardino counties. Ninety-five cents of every dollar generated from sales is dedicated to funding GSC’s mission to prepare and place individuals with disabilities and other vocational challenges in sustainable employment.

Visit Goodwill Southern California at 3226 W Magnolia Blvd. Burbank CA 91505.

S’mores “GONE WILD” Week at Plush Puffs Toasting Bar

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The Plush Puffs Marshmallow & S’mores Toasting Bar in Magnolia Park Burbank, will be hosting the first annual “S’mores GONE WILD Week”!

Every day from June 4 – June 9, 2019 during regular business hours, Plush Puffs will offer a variety of unique – and wacky! – s’mores, featuring its signature gourmet flavored marshmallows. The s’mores will also feature ingredients from local Los Angeles and Southern CA food businesses.

Creations so far include a buttery soft pretzel from the San Diego Pretzel Company served open faced with Caramel Swirl Plush Puffs Marshmallows, drizzles of salted caramel sauce, and toffee bits. Another features a waffle from Valley Village’s Steampunk Coffeebar & Kitchen oozing with almond & peanut butters, and 4 Vanilla Bean Plush Puffs Marshmallows. Still another will feature uniquely flavored jams from Los Angeles’ Laura Ann’s Jams.

Saturday-Sunday June 8-9 will feature free samples right outside the shop entrance during business hours which are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 12n-7pm.

S’mores “GONE WILD” Week at Plush Puffs Toasting Bar

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The Plush Puffs Marshmallow & S’mores Toasting Bar in Magnolia Park Burbank, will be hosting the first annual “S’mores GONE WILD Week”!

Every day from June 4 – June 9, 2019 during regular business hours, Plush Puffs will offer a variety of unique – and wacky! – s’mores, featuring its signature gourmet flavored marshmallows. The s’mores will also feature ingredients from local Los Angeles and Southern CA food businesses.

Creations so far include a buttery soft pretzel from the San Diego Pretzel Company served open faced with Caramel Swirl Plush Puffs Marshmallows, drizzles of salted caramel sauce, and toffee bits. Another features a waffle from Valley Village’s Steampunk Coffeebar & Kitchen oozing with almond & peanut butters, and 4 Vanilla Bean Plush Puffs Marshmallows. Still another will feature uniquely flavored jams from Los Angeles’ Laura Ann’s Jams.

Saturday-Sunday June 8-9 will feature free samples right outside the shop entrance during business hours which are Tuesday-Saturday 10am-8pm, Sunday 12n-7pm.

Magnolia Park Merchants to Have Store Scavenger Hunt

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The Magnolia Park Merchants Association is bringing some fun to their monthly Ladies and Gents Night Out event in the upcoming summer months with a store scavenger hunt.  Ladies and Gents Night Out is a monthly community event that takes place on every last Friday during January to October. 

Magnolia Park sidewalks are filled with people enjoying food and music, July 26, 2013. (Photo Courtesy of Ashley Erikson)

The event has been an ongoing tradition for the Magnolia Park area for the last 7 years and has become a successful event for the stores in the area. Over 30 food trucks line the boulevard while Burbank families fill the sidewalks and enjoy late night shopping, live music, balloon twisters, face painting, henna and more.

On Friday, May 31st, the association plans to begin their scavenger hunt which will feature 5 Magnolia Park Merchants Association members during each Ladies and Gents Night Out.  The line up for May includes Mindfulnest, Previously On, Nail Ink & Spa, Besame Cosmetics and Bell Cottage.  Event attendees will be encouraged to visit the listed stores and hunt down a QR code that will be hidden at each location.  The QR code can be scanned from any smartphone either using a QR code scanning app or their iPhone camera app.  After scanning, a form will pop up where attendees will type their name and be entered into a drawing for a Magnolia Park goody bag featuring gifts from multiple Magnolia Park stores. If all 5 stores are visited, then guests will have 5 entires into the drawing.

The Association which is a non-profit mutual benefit corporation run by Magnolia Park merchants and community advocates, hopes to encourage people to visit stores in the area that they may not have been in yet, and experience all that Magnolia Park has to offer.

Plush Puffs Celebrates Grand Opening In Magnolia Park

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Handmade, high-end marshmallows are the focus of newly opened Plush Puffs Toasting Bar and Takeaway, Los Angeles’ first marshmallow confection shop. City officials showed up for the store’s grand opening and ribbon cutting on Saturday, October 13, in Burbank’s Magnolia Park shopping district.

Marshmallow samples, both toasted and untoasted, were available at the event, along with some heartier fare provided by Magnolia Park neighbor World Empanadas.

(from left to right) Laura Frutos and Vice Mayor Sharon Springer join Plush Puffs owner Ann Hickey, City Councilmember Bob Frutos, and Magnolia Park Merchants board member Dominic Scarola at the grand opening. ( Photo by Ross A Benson)

The sweet shop also offers Cognoscenti coffee, four flavors of hot cocoa, Art of Tea selections and a variety of desserts made with marshmallows, including custom made s’mores, Plush Bars, Puff Crispies and Puffwiches.

Or, one can always purchase marshmallows by the half-pound weight to take home. Available in a host of flavors, from peppermint, birthday cake, lemon, mocchachino, vanilla bean, simply s’mores, caramel swirl, chocolate chipetta, toasty coconut and more.

plush puffs

A giant marshmallow heralds autumn at Plush Puffs in Magnolia Park. (Photo By Ross A. Benson)

Counter salespeople recommend storing the marshmallows in the freezer. Not only will they keep for several months that way, the marshmallows are absolutely delicious straight from the freezer!

We’ve visited the shop a few times during their soft opening, and their hot drinks and sweet treats are a big hit with us.

Try Three On A Twig – three marshmallows of your choice, toasted on a stick, for instant campfire goodness without all the effort and mess. Many of their products are also available to order online via their website.

Plush Puffs opens with a Tops In Town, for their unique and tasty approach to confections. They’re located on Magnolia just west of Hollywood Way.

Restaurant/Bar Info: Plush Puffs is located at 3811 W. Magnolia Boulevard, Burbank, CA 91505. Plush Puffs is open Tuesday through Sunday 8:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.

myBurbank Ratings:
Tops In Town (Outstanding)
On The Marquee (Really Good)
Could Use A Rewrite (Average or Slightly Below)
Don’t Quit Your Day Job (Poor)

Magnolia Park Merchants Holding Fundraiser to Support this Year’s Holiday In The Park

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“The Magnolia Park Merchants Association is holding a t-shirt fundraiser to raise funds for Holiday in the Park 2018.  Community member, Sarah Tacoma, created and submitted the design to the association during a contest which is now available for a limited time.

All proceeds from the campaign will go toward Holiday in the Park.  The fundraiser ends at midnight EST on October 9th order your shirt today and show your love for Magnolia Park!”

CLICK HERE TO ORDER SHIRT TODAY

Samples of the shirts below:

Community Meets to Try and Save Magnolia Park Businesses

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Magnolia Park business owners endured the hot sun while gathered to discuss how best to save their businesses from skyrocketing rents which have left many owners seeking solutions to stay in Magnolia Park. 

(Photo by © Ross A Benson)

A crowd of 200 plus business owners, customers, and local residents gathered in Geeky Teas and Games’ patio to suggest ideas and volunteer for one of several committees charged with creating ideas and strategies to stop the higher rents. The popularity of Magnolia Park is now causing rents in the Park to double or more putting many small shops out of business or making them move to locations not as suitable.

 “We are going to crowdsource ideas to maybe preserve this unique area,” said Donna Ricci owner of Geeky Teas and Games.

Small business zoning, co-ops, purchasing the building they are established in, and increasing sales in the area were a few of the possible solutions suggested at the meeting.

Ricci’s shop will be moving from Magnolia Park due to her own rent increasing $1800 dollars, pricing her out of the Park. 

The 400 businesses in Magnolia Park are an assortment of eclectic shops, boutiques, and eateries selling everything from clothing, antiques, movie memorabilia, books, Halloween costumes, and cupcakes. One such shop is Dark Delicacies, the only all horror books and gifts shop in the nation.

(Photo by © Ross A Benson)

“The small businesses all get together organically, and they create a unique area that builds up business in an area,” said Dell Howison, Dark Delicacies’ proprietor.  “Landlords notice it and say look at all the foot traffic, now I can jack the rents.”   

Several merchants have shuttered because of rent increases: Creature Features, The Writer’s Store, and Pin Up Girls are a few of them. Other businesses are in danger of the same fate. 

Burbank Vice Mayor Sharon Springer and Councilman Bob Frutos were in attendance as well as many customers and neighborhood residents.

“My shopping experience is sort of at stake here as well,” said Jim Terry a local resident. “I’m a frequent customer of these places up and down Magnolia Boulevard.”   

“It’s quirky.  I like that,” said Nora Johnson a neighborhood resident.  “I just love Magnolia Park, I love living here, I love the fact that it drove up the value of my home. I don’t think people come here for the big box stores, they come here for the charm.” 

 

 

 

Holiday In The Park Draws Record Crowds

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Magnolia Park’s annual Holiday in the Park event drew record numbers of people to the eclectic Burbank shopping district on Friday evening, November 17. Approximately 22,000 people attended the event showcasing local music, arts and crafts, services and shops.

“On behalf of the Holiday in the Park committee, we are overjoyed and overwhelmed by the amount of love and support the community has shown us by attending the event,” commented committee member Ashley Erikson.

“Everyone involved from the the entertainment, to the stores, to the exhibitors that filled the streets, to every single attendee, did a phenomenal job creating such a fun and interactive event that people of all ages could enjoy.”

holiday in the park

 

A cappella vocal groups from John Burroughs High School and David Star Jordan Middle School performed at the event, along with cheer teams from Jordan and Luther Burbank Middle Schools. Live DJs, along with small acoustic and electric bands and ensembles livened up the scene along the nine block stretch.

Two performance stages at Bank of America and Worship Walk Church showcased musical and gymnastics groups.

Santa and Mrs. Claus posed for photos with children and families at the UMe Credit Union and free candy apples were handed out to those in line.

A snow play area, a bubble party, face painting and games entertained visitors. Vehicles from SRT and Burbank Fire and Police departments, along with classic cars, were parked throughout the event.

holiday in the park

“For the committee, putting Holiday in the Park together is an act of love- not just for Magnolia Park but for the entire Burbank community, and we hope we conveyed that in our efforts.”

Erikson noted Burbank officials estimated the number of attendees for the 2017 event at 22,000 – which was 7,000 more than the estimated attendance at the 2016 Holiday in the Park.

“The committee is already hard at work analyzing the event and what we can do better for next year, seeing as 2018 will be the event’s 30th anniversary,” added Erikson.

Holiday in the Park is funded through donations from individuals, businesses and stores in the Magnolia Park area.

The Holiday in the Park committee is accepting donations online to help fund the 2018 Holiday in the Park here. Closing down Magnolia Boulevard is costly for the committee, but much safer than trying to contain the event to the sidewalks of Magnolia Boulevard.

More information on the Holiday in the Park event can be found on their website.

Holiday In The Park Plans For Bigger Better Event November 17th

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Save the date Holiday in the Park just a week and a half away.

Holiday in the Park 2017 plans have been getting worked on by the Magnolia Park Merchants Association who is hard at work to bring the biggest community event in Burbank to life.

The event which is always planned on Friday before Thanksgiving will land on Friday, November 17th from 5-9pm.  Holiday in the Park stretches down Magnolia Blvd from Hollywood Way to Florence St with an estimation of 20,000 people in attendance this year.  The street will be closed as the previous year’s event, creating an open and safe environment for kids and families. 

You’ll be able to find all of your favorite things from last year including live music and dance shows, character photo ops, including Santa and Mrs. Claus, as well as Food Trucks, community booths, a kid zone, classic car show and more.

The neighborhoods surrounding Magnolia Park should expect plenty of cars parking in front of their houses and traffic on the east/west corridors to be packed with vehicles. 

As a reminder, Magnolia Blvd. will be closed down from 2 pm to close to 11 pm so please use alternate routes.  

For more information you can Follow Magnolia Park on Facebook here:
www.facebook.com/ MagnoliaParkBurbank/  or visit www.holidayintheparkburbank. com for more updates

FLASHBACK FRIDAY: Magnolia Park

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Magnolia Park 1927

On the western end of Magnolia in Burbank is an area of homes and shops know as Magnolia Park.

Earl White with Betty Gerry

In the 1920’s, a project to build homes and a shopping district was begun.

Hopes were high and plans were laid out to make this a fantastic area to live and to shop. To draw attention to the area of Magnolia, the promoter Earl L. White pulled out all the stops and hired several Silent movie actresses to show off the new development and bring in buyers and businesses.

Within a short few years there were 3500 homes and a new business district on Magnolia Blvd itself.

As they say the rest is history as today Magnolia park is a bustling hub of shops, restaurants, antique stores and other fine eclectic businesses.

Here are some photos from the 1928 promotional pictures featuring actresses, Betty Baker, Betty Gerry, Dorothy Gulliver, Ann Carter and Billie Barnes.

BETTY BAKER

BETTY BAKER

BETTY BAKER

Betty Gerry

Betty Gerry

Betty Gerry

ANN CARTER

BILLIE BARNS

BILLIE BARNS

BILLIE BARNS

Coming on November 27, 2017….

Growing Up in Burbank

 

NOW AVAILABLE!!

Get your Copy of Lost Burbank Now!
lost-in-burbank-book-coverSlowly fading with the city’s ever-changing landscape, the places and people of Burbank’s past tell a vibrant story. Before the arrival of Warner Bros. and Walt Disney, First National Pictures built  its original studio lot on Olive Ave in 1926. For over sixty years, Lockheed Aircraft Company produced some of the nation’s best airplanes where the massive Empire Shopping Center now stands. Heavyweight champion James Jeffries turned his Burbank ranch home and barn into a beloved landmark and boxing venue. Inventor Joseph Wesley Fawkes’s scheme to build a monorail to Los Angeles became a local laughingstock.  Diehard Burbankers Wes Clark and Michael Mc Daniel collect these and many more forgotten local stories where they can finally be found.