I did hear about this from the grapevine that a store will be opening in LA. I had the impression that it would be opening in downtown LA, but Torrance out of all the places! That's my old hometown! I'm really excited about this. Yay! I have more reason to make trips down to SoCal (aside from visiting my folks and friends). I skimmed through the first page. Now, I'm wondering WHERE in Torrance? I have a feeling it's going to be in Old Town Torrance since that's where there are a ton of novelty and specialty stores are (vintage clothing, WW2 store, wig / costume store, etc). I could be wrong, but I'm just happy that my former hometown has something special again! ^^
well, I can tell you where it isn't. At least that building. It's not on Western, because I made a trip to Mitsuwa today from our shop in San Pedro, so drove up Western. Did find a couple nice paper fans for my girls tho! And sorry Paulkaiju, but it's not at the Donald's 15 hole golf course. Ever since the 16th hole slid down the hill, they haven't built much of anything there. It's great when I go hiking along the Coast Trail, especially for photo taking. And PV is very particular as to where businesses are located. Residents with lots of money can do that. I have not seen any buildings there that look like this around the course. Since most business in PV is in the Peninsula Center area, that would be my guess as the mostly likeliest place for the Beauty Salon. As for the Angel's Nest and other buildings, I'm gonna say PCH or Sepulveda, possibly near the Torrance Airport. There are so many shopping centers in the area, it would be very easy for Volks to find a place. I was looking at that photo, and noticed it appears there is an office building behind it on one side, which really makes me say it's not along the ocean in PV. Also the very large fire hydrant pipes makes me think this is in a retail/office center. Possibly this building might have been intended to be a restaurant, which would explain the chimmney. Kinda reminds me of the Olive Garden restaurants. Well, I hope soon we will hear more info, which will help people plan their trips out here. And I miss Marine Land too. At least it is with us in spirit, and on very old film at my house.
That building looks unnervingly familiar... *curses inwardly* I KNOW I've seen that exact design before. Too bad there's a lot of what used to be clone houses out in Torrance that have been over time drastically remodeled. It looks like it's one of those.>< I only wish I could remember where I've seen that before. *considers driving around at some point during the week to check on some places* Also, has anyone got any idea what they're doing for staff? They have to be hiring locals for retail... I mean I really highly doubt they'd be relocating all the staff. Especially for a presumably english speaking branch.
well, that's what I was told when I asked. They will put the info on the website when the time comes.
Thanks for the info! *Smiles* I hadn't been able to find anything and that is really useful information. I'm sorry also if I ever ask anything that's already been answered. I'm on a dial up connection most of the time and so sometimes the page doesn't fully load... -_-
WWWhhattt???? Marineland is gone???? Dang, now I wish I hadnt thrown away all those neat wax figures I got from there in 1969! That was a fun place - Alex 8)
It's been gone a long time. I think they shipped the live animals out to other places. Nothing was there for years until Trump started building his golf course. He thought he would make a lot of money, but then the 16th hole slid down a few years back, so not much has been done after that. The course is playable, has a club house and all, there are gorgous homes on the hills above, but the houses they were suppose to build next to it have been very very slow in coming. Only one is partially built. I think alot of people backed out. But it's all good, because there is a trail along the cliffs which has wonderful views. I will have to make a map for the store opening in case anyone wants to check it out. There is free parking right there and not many people go there. As for hard to open threads, I know what that is like, I am stuck with dial-up for now too. And sometimes even the search option is difficult to use when there are alot of threads for the same subject.
I just heard from a friend that the Tenshi no Sumika is going to be in Mitsuwa in Torrance! She goes there a lot and perhaps they put a sign up at the construction... Can anyone verify this for me? Not that I don't believe her, but I hate to start a rumor and find out it isn't true somehow XD;
I was there Thursday, and did not see any signs. I did not walk all around the building, but there was nothing inside the market indicating Volks would be there or around the areas of the parking on Western. I did not see any buildings around there that matched what was in the photo. I did get some good food tho. My guess is that Volks will most likely be over in that part of Torrance that is near the ocean, since that is near Palos Verdes where the beauty salon will be, or possibly more towards San Pedro/PV on the westside, but I don't feel that is as likely, since they tend to chose more photogenic areas, and I have not seen the building in the photo. Being near the Torrance airport by the ocean also helps with transportation of stock. Did your friend actually go to Mitsuwa and speak with someone there who has knowledge of this?
Probably. She works for a company that does a lot of anime/manga/popular japanese culture stuff and I know they're interested in doing a report on the TnS opening. She was at Mitsuwa today (she goes fairly often to get groceries and pick up things at Asahiya) I don't know who she talked to, but she told me it was going to be at Mitsuwa in an email today. It was a brief note, so I have no more information than that, but considering up until this point I was her only information on the TnS opening (since she's not that interested in dolls herself), I don't see why she'd say anything unless she was sure of it. As far as the photo is concerned, I was under the impression we had already figured that was probably the Salon in Palos Verdes...
Thanks for all the updates! I'm looking forward to seeing the map - it will be helpful for us out of towners. Am preparing a roadtrip from the sf bayarea, with some NON dollfie friends, to see the store and salon on its opening weekend. Alex
Hm...Big thread. Can I ask something? Can I, here from Brazil, buy anything at Volks LA shop like I do at their English site? Can I have some kind of register there as any other SD owner from USA? Will anything in this shop be limited to people living in the USA? I hope I can buy from there, for the shipping costs will be a lot cheaper.
Juu > you mean, like if you go to the actual shop itself, in person? I don't see why not? ... as for the owner registration, there doesn't seem to be much info on that yet at all.
I think that the English website will stay the same but maybe ship from LA (?), and I'm sure someone will do a shopping service.
