Exploring the Old World

On a recent Thursday afternoon, Reggie the Siamese cat, a resident of Old World Village in Huntington Beach, sauntered down the cobblestone streets and enjoyed the sun.

It was another quiet day at a predominantly quiet shopping center. About half the doors in the pedestrian-only center were open; the other half were closed, their interiors either available for rent or sale or used for office space.

But Old World’s merchants are hoping to change that, with plans to band together to give the village a new appeal.

The village’s setting itself borders on bucolic, with handmade murals depicting European scenes, lush landscaping and plentiful iron patio chairs.

Patrons walking past Reggie in the multi-acre complex were of two sorts: wide-eyed first-timers — whose jaws dropped as they passed windows filled with dachshund memorabilia or beer steins — or hurried regulars, seeking to pick up their preferred European moisturizer or biscuits from the market before rush hour began.

Unless you know what you’re looking for, it can be easy to miss Old World Village. Only a stone’s throw from the massive new Bella Terra development, the village’s European charm isn’t very evident from the stretch of Center Avenue it borders.

A kitschy sign is one of Old World’s few outside landmarks, as patrons must park and walk into the village to enjoy its shops and restaurants. Those driving by the village used to see a gray stone “mountain” alongside its iconic global sign. Now a new beer garden beckons, evidence of restored efforts — spearheaded by a new generation of entrepreneurs — to revitalize the center.

IN THE BEGINNING

More than three decades ago, German-born Josef Bischof, fresh from the success of his new Alpine Village shopping center in Torrance, decided to start a new venture.

Bischof had worked at Alpine Village for several years following its founding.

But the South Bay retail center had no residential aspect, and he was craving a change. So he purchased several acres of farmland in Huntington Beach, and his dream opened in the late 1970s.

Bischof was so excited about his plans for the old European-themed village that he sold the majority of its buildings to others whom he hoped would share his vision.

“That was kind of his downfall,” Bischof’s daughter, Cyndie Kasko, said.

Along with selling the buildings, Bischof ceded many key rights to the people who bought them. The homeowners’ association’s covenants, conditions and restrictions only had vague wording about operating “craft”-type businesses, Kasko said.

“In the beginning, when it was first built, there were lots of retail shops mixed with some related service-based shops, like a tailor and shoe repair,” she said.

The 45-shop center experienced a boom in its early days, Kasko said, and there was always a festival or other special event for the public to attend.

“Then, over the years, some of the retail shops turned into services, and it seemed that there were a lot of services coming into Old World and taking over,” Kasko said.

New owners have since begun opening businesses that weren’t in line with Bischof’s vision, Kasko said — like a tax service, a chiropractic office and a virtual reality skiing and snowboarding outfit.

Currently, Kasko estimates, about 40% of the village commercial spaces are used for services, rather than retail. But many of these recently have begun selling products in their storefronts, as well; for example, DigitAll Home, an all-in-one home media server company, now sells personal computers from its Old World Village office space.

The business has become a multi-generational effort for Bischof’s family, which still runs on-site properties like the restaurant and festival hall, and a European market, bakery and deli.

Along with Kasko and her own family, her parents and brother’s family live in the village.

“It’s fun to be able to work with my family and still get the old-school teaching from my dad,” Kasko said. “We work very well with my brother and his wife, and my mom takes the kids and plays with them each day. It’s such a unique atmosphere.”

A NEW DEAL?

Kasko’s family has joined with other remaining retailers to form a merchants association, with the goal to bring a new generation of retailers to the center.

“I’ve talked to so many people who say, ‘I’ve lived in Huntington Beach all my life and I never knew Old World existed,’” Kasko said.

She’s lined up a series of special events to increase interest and foot traffic at the center, like a murder mystery dinner theater, happy hour nights, improv theater, karaoke night and a multi-chamber-of-commerce mixer.

Kasko also looks forward to an upcoming musicians’ swap meet, where people can buy, sell and trade musical equipment and services.

Although old favorites still remain — the multi-week annual Oktoberfest celebration is still a cash cow, and the monthly dachshund races continue to draw onlookers — Kasko has lots of ideas on how to update the center.

“We want to make it portray what Europe is in the modern day,” Kasko said. “We want to really promote this trendy new village icon, where you can still get a slice of Europe without leaving Southern California.”

Many of the shop owners share Kasko’s dream, although others have voiced their disagreement through lawsuits and other forms of dissent.

Some business owners tried to stop the construction of the new beer garden with temporary restraining order requests; they were sued by the Bischof family. The case is still ongoing. Others want to preserve the “residential” feeling of the village, rather than promote its retail offerings.

But many of the longtime owners just want to see an end to the legal battles and a common vision for the center, and they see the merchant association’s marketing efforts as a win-win.

“Anything they can do, I think, is a good thing,” said Darcy Tueller, a hairdresser at the village’s Upstairs Salon.

Her salon has begun its own extensive advertising campaign, including an online video showing the salon’s hair styling area and aesthetician and nail stations.

But business is doing well at the salon, she said, thanks to their regulars — both current and former residents and business owners at the Village.

Former Old World sports collectible shop owners Carol Roesel and Joanne Ohare still drive 65 miles each way to Old World from Murrieta to have their hair styled by Upstairs Salon co-owner Ursula Heidenwag.

“She’s the best hairdresser that I ever met,” Roesel said.

After running her store for 11 years, Roesel shut it down and moved to the desert earlier this decade.

“I love the village. I loved living here,” Roesel said. “It was just the factions that were fighting all the time that made me go.”

Heidenwag’s husband, Bruno, serves on the village association, and is running again for another term in next month’s election.

The Heidenwags believe that past lawsuits and disputes only served to divide the business owners, when they need to focus instead on working together as a team for the common good.

“It’s like a marriage,” Ursula Heidenwag said. “If we all stay together, we’ll get through it.”

The salon’s hairdressers said activities like wine tasting and car shows, which could be strung throughout the entire shopping center, would bring more foot traffic to their end of the village than Oktoberfest and other events, in which patrons stay in the area around the beer garden.

HARD TIMES

Other standouts in the village include a recently remodeled coffee shop and an art gallery with a sister location in Berlin. Current stores peddle hard-to-find music and vegan food.

Paolo’s Ristorante Italiano continues to garner top reviews from diners and critics alike, and a new Mediterranean restaurant is due to open at Old World in the next few weeks.

But there are also signs of disuse and decline: a Jewish gift shop now has handwritten store-closing signs in its windows, and many shops remain shuttered, with blinds closed.

Kasko said the recession hasn’t hit the family grocer as much as may be expected, as people continue to buy their European specialty products. But their catering business has been hit by a decline in corporate parties and weddings at the on-site banquet facilities and church.

“It’s obviously a trickle effect,” Kasko said. “A lot of brides are calling saying they can’t come up with the funds, but we’ve been able to work with a lot of these brides to make their dreams still happen.”

Everything’s open to bargaining right now, including the village’s real estate market.

“Our per-square-foot prices here are one-third the cost of what you would pay at a mall,” Kasko said. “You can’t go wrong with the prices that Old World has to offer, and it’s a nice, clean environment. Right now, I would say there are a good five or 10 places that I’m sure are available for either rent, sale or leasing.”

LOOKING TO FILL SPACE

Retail stores are the merchants’ association’s big push right now.

“We are trying to get other retail shops to open in Old World,” Kasko said. “Part of the idea that the merchants came up with is a DVD with reasons to open or lease space here.”

The DVD, which was completed recently, is being shown to Old World homeowners before being sent out.

“It shows how relatively close the beach is, and how Golden West [College] and Bella Terra are right across the street. It also shows how you can live in the village. What we’re planning to do is to take this DVD to every economic development department in the state of California,” Kasko said.

“We’re encouraging every store owner to give it to as many retail shops that they know of, that they may think is good for the Village. We’re really looking for young entrepreneurs that have these unique shops that you might not see in a regular mall.”

Some of the European brands Kasko called to mind include Hugo Boss, Diesel and Miss Sixty.

“We need to get more retail in here,” Kasko said. “Second, there needs to be more festivals. All my friends wanted to stay the night at my house growing up, because it was like spending the night at Disneyland. When I was a kid growing up here, you would open the door and see a girl selling pretzels; cartoon artists; puppet shows. We even had an old-time photo booth. And there always was music. In my teenage years, it was cool because Old World kind of grew up with me. Old World was one of the first venues for KROQ, back in the ’80s. Now I’ve reverted back to family events, and now at Old World, there’s a mixture of both the 21-and-over and the family crowd.”

Kasko recalled the many festivals of her youth, like Czech Day and Polish Day; the village recently held its own German Day.

She even envisions a Taste of Europe event, like a cross between the Taste of Huntington Beach and the Orange International Street Fair, that would feature fare from European restaurants from around Orange County.

Closer to current reality is a Thursday afternoon farmer’s market, which the association hopes to enact in the future, and a Mardi Gras-style Brazilian carnival in 2010.

With so many opportunities for growth, Kasko is staying positive about the center’s prospects.

“My outlook for the future is that Old World can once and for all work together, and focus on bringing more business here to get this place back on the map again,” Kasko said.

“There are so many unique little niches. And there’s a lot of potential that we have here . . .Now the merchants’ association is saying, ‘Let’s stop fighting each other, and let’s become one and operate as a real shopping center.’”

Upcoming Events

Karaoke Nights

8 to 11 p.m. Thursdays

Information: (714) 895-8020 or oldworld.ws

Happy Fridays

5 to 10 p.m. Fridays

Information: (714) 895-8020 or oldworld.ws

“Revenge of the Unemployed”

Comedy Improv Nights

8 p.m. Friday and July 24

$15 admission

Information/reservations: (714) 362-7480

“Hollywood Confidential”

Murder Mystery Dinners

Friday and Aug. 15

$64 per person, including dinner

Information/reservations: (888) 833-4895 or killerentertainment.com

Musicians’ Swap Meet

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Aug. 23

Information: (310) 828-2002 or [email protected]

Multi-Chamber Mixer

5 to 8 p.m. Aug. 27

Information: (714) 895-8020 or [email protected]

Plum Festival

2 to 6 p.m. Aug. 30

Information: (714) 895-8020 or oldworld.ws

Dachshund Races

3 p.m. Aug. 30

Sundays during Oktoberfest

Information: (714) 895-8020 or oldworld.ws

Oktoberfest 2009

Wednesday through Sunday

Sept. 6 to Nov. 1

Information: (714) 895-8020 or oldworld.ws