THE GARDEN GROVE
GAME ON RESIDENTS BRING ‘WIPEOUT’ TO LIFE FOR KIDS OF A GARDEN GROVE NEIGHBORHOOD. PAGE 1 2
JOURNAL ALSO SERVING WESTMINSTER AND MIDWAY CITY
AN EDITION OF
THURSDAY, AUG. 22, 20 1 3
OCREGISTER.COM/GARDENGROVE
POLISHING ECONOMY IN LITTLE SAIGON BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
F
inancial experts look at indicators to gauge the economy’s health, from jobless claims, building permits and new home sales to cocoa commodities, palm oil prices and shipping tolls. Add a new economic indicator to the list: nail polish. Since the late 1970s and early ’80s, the nail salon industry has boomed into one of cosmetology’s largest, staying strong through the recession and generating billions of dollars in sales revenue each year. Need proof? Look no farther than Little Saigon, home to scores of independent nail salons and a beauty college with the country’s largest manicure program. On a recent afternoon, dozens of aspiring cosmetologists – men and women, young and old – donned blue caps and gowns for a graduation ceremony at Advance Beauty College’s Garden S E E N A I L S ● PA G E 4
‘‘
KEVIN LARA, ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A student practices applying nail polish to the hands of a peer at Advance Beauty College in Garden Grove. The school, which has been in the city since 1 999, has graduated nearly 30,000 students over the years.
NAILIN’ DOWN NUMBERS $7.47 billion
I see it as a very viable profession and an industry that changes lives.”
Spent in nail salons in the U.S. in 20 1 2, up from $7.3 billion the previous year
48 percent Of nail workers in the U.S. are of Vietnamese ethnicity
80 percent Of California nail workers are of Vietnamese ethnicity
2.5 million Google searches each month for “nail art”
TA M N G U Y E N CO-OWNER OF A D VA N C E B E A U T Y COLLEGE
$250,000 Price tag for the world’s most expensive nail polish, with 267 carats of black diamonds. Source: NAILS Magazine, 20 1 2-20 1 3 Industry Statistics report
SHUTTERSTOCK.COM
Fundraising push coming for Vietnam War Museum
NEW ERA FOR HARBOR BOULEVARD City officials rebrand tourist corridor as Grove District – Anaheim Resort. BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
A busy stretch of Harbor Boulevard stacked with hotels and chain restaurants is being rebranded by the city as Grove District – Anaheim Resort. It is the result of a collaboration between the city and Anaheim to market the area as a major tourist destination. The stretch of Harbor Boulevard, from near Chapman Avenue to Garden Grove Boulevard, was previously called International West. “Grove District – Anaheim Resort marks a new
era for Garden Grove and Southern California via a solid business partnership and meaningful goodneighbor relationship with Anaheim,” City Manager Matt Fertal said. “This joint endeavor will promote the area as a major hospitality, entertainment and retail destination in the heart of Southern California’s prime tourist center.” Garden Grove plans to pump an extra $500,000 a year into the Grove District. Upgrades will likely include new bus shelters and benches, medians, pole banners and other high-end
BY DOUGLAS MORINO ORANGE COUNTY REGISTER
CITY OF GARDEN GROVE
The city collaborated with Anaheim for the rebranding of International West.
street furniture similar to that in Anaheim surrounding the Disney parks. The city will also provide about $1.7 million annually to the Anaheim/Orange County Visitor & Convention Bureau to promote the Grove District. The rebranding comes as groundbreaking nears for a 12-acre water park resort on Harbor Boulevard.
Details are surfacing on the planned Vietnam War Museum that, when opened, is expected to be among the first of its kind in the U.S. The museum is expected to cost $17 million to construct and will be on Harbor Boulevard. Garden Grove officials said the money will be raised through fundraising and a capital-drive campaign expected to launch this year. Construction is expected to last 18 months. The museum could be open within three to five years. “The time is right,”
VIETNAM WAR MUSEUM OF AMERICA FOUNDATION
A proposed $ 1 7 million Vietnam War Museum in Garden Grove could be open in three to five years.
Elaine Ma’ae, an administrative analyst for the city, said during a recent City Council study session. “It’s to honor those who gave their lives in the Vietnam War, to educate about a
misunderstood war that happened in a challenging time, and to share stories of those who started over again. Not only is the time S E E M U S E U M ● PA G E 3