STAYCATION OPTIONS
Looking for something to do locally this summer? How about a museum?
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MEET SUPERINTENDENT LOVELY
The Carlsbad Unified School District has a new superintendent. Read her debut column for the Carlsbad Business Journal.
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business WWW.CARLSBAD.ORG
Journal
vol. 29, no. 7
tm
JULY 2012
an award-winning, monthly publication of the carlsbad chamber of commerce
Publication will mark Chamber's 90th birthday
5934 Priestly Drive Carlsbad, CA 92008
PRESORT STD U.S. Postage PAID Permit #67 Carlsbad, CA
SEE 90TH, Page 14
“I
f we didn’t have the telescopes, I’d be out
“
The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce will celebrate its 90th year, and the City of Carlsbad’s 60th anniversary, with a special publication that will explore the rich history of the city, and celebrate the Chamber’s long-standing tradition of leadership and excellence. The Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce, established in 1923, was the driving force for the incorporation of Carlsbad, and its history is integral to the development of the city. In fact, for many years the Chamber served as Carlsbad’s de facto leadership, taking on civic problems and looking for solutions and acting as the city’s liaison to county government officials. Three decades before the city had its first City Council, the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce was advocating for the community, dealing with issues such as tree trimming by the electric company, building and painting street signs, lobbying the U.S. Post Office Department for a daily rural route services and producing a promotional pamphlet about the community. It was by 1950, when the needs of the community grew, that the Chamber launched a concerted effort to incorporate the city of Carlsbad, which happened in 1952. “The history of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce is intertwined with the history of Carlsbad,” said Ted Owen, the Chamber’s president and CEO. The special publication will not just be about the past, Owen said, adding that the bulk of the pages
of business. You can get cameras anywhere.
— Craig Weatherwax Owner, Oceanside Photo and Telescope
Change of focus drove profits sky-high By José A. López Editor | Carlsbad Business Journal
It wasn’t a passion for astronomy that put Craig Weatherwax on the path to owning Oceanside Photo & Telescope (OPT), one of the top telescope and optics retailers in the world. In fact, Weatherwax — whose business card refers to him as the “boss” of the well-known business near Oceanside High School — admits that while he is amazed by looking up at the stars and recognizing that they suggest events that happened millions of years ago, his interest of astronomy remains “mostly from a business perspective.” It was a series of well-timed events, as well as an uncanny ability to anticipate future markets, that have helped this institution — a member of the Carlsbad Chamber of Commerce since 1991 — thrive and expand. Transitioning the business from its original focus in cameras to
telescopes, and becoming an early adopter of web-based sales have kept OPT competitive. In 1974, Weatherwax was in his 30s and was a rock concert promoter who also worked in canneries in Alaska and South America. One day, he walked into the Oceanside Photographic Center on Oceanside’s Hill Street (now known at the Pacific Coast Highway) to get a camera repaired. Donald Penning, a World War II fighter pilot, had opened the store in 1947 and told Weatherwax that he was looking to get out. Weatherwax said he didn’t have any business experience. “I always wanted to own a camera shop,” Weatherwax said. “I thought that if I could get the (film) processing for free, it would be a hell of a deal.” Weatherwax, along with a friend whose father owned a camera store in East County, decided to buy the business. Weatherwax didn’t envision a long-term future as a camera store owner. Still, the camera
business prospered, outgrowing its location in 1974 and 1977. It wasn’t until 1982 that Weatherwax sold his first telescope, when a salesman offered to let him borrow some telescopes to sell for 90 days. “After the 90 days, they all sold out and people wanted more, so I figured that was the way to go,” Weatherwax said. At first, the telescopes were only about 10 percent of the store’s offerings, with cameras and photographic equipment taking up 90 percent. Now, telescopes and astronomy products make up 95 percent of the store, which changed its name to Oceanside Photo & Telescope in 1985 to reflect the change in focus. “If we didn’t have the telescopes, I’d be out of business,” Weatherwax said. “You can get cameras anywhere.” Today, the store is on a 12,500 square-foot,
SEE OPT, Page 15
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Cinépolis offers dinner and a movie in style Luxury cinema now open in La Costa Cinépolis, the fourth-largest movie exhibitor chain in the world, opened its doors in the Paseo Real Plaza in La Costa in February with its movie theater luxury concept. Cinepolis Luxury Cinemas has been pampering residents since then with an unparalleled moviegoing experience. There is no more rush to the cinema to get a good seat. Guests have the luxury of choosing their seats when they purchase their tickets, either at the concierge desk in the theater’s lobby or online at www.cinepolisusa.com. Once in the theater, located at 6941 El Camino Real in Carlsbad, residents are warmly greeted by
Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas is located at the Paseo Real Plaza. Its theaters include reclining leather chairs, swivel tables and call services buttons to order food and beverages. staff and invited to relax in the décor, floor-to-ceiling windows and lounge to enjoy a cocktail before contemporary art. Great detail has their film. No design detail has been gone into every design detail. overlooked, and the lounge feels The cinema includes six statelike a swanky hotel with modern of-the-art, digital auditoriums,
reclining leather chairs, swivel tables and call service buttons to summon servers over to take food and beverage orders. “Our Luxury Cinemas are a whole new concept that has revolutionized the way moviegoers will watch movies,” said Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas Marketing and Brand Manager Alejandro Saenz. “You can relax, order your food and beverages inside the theatre and enjoy the movie. Make every movie memorable by coming to Cinépolis Luxury Cinemas which is a new level of a premium movie experience.” Hours for the cinema are 11 a.m. to midnight. Ticket prices range from $13.50 to $19.50 with a $3 surcharge for 3D films.
SEE CINÉPOLIS, Page 14
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