San Pedro Today - January 2023

year of growing

and restaurants (because we sorely need additions, especially the new housing, will mean for our town. San Pedrans have always had a hard time accepting

We have a right to be nervous, though. We went through a similar time in the mid-2000s when we saw housing projects like The Vue, Centre Street Lofts, and the Bank Lofts open in Downtown San Pedro. Originally built to sell, the housing crisis of 2008 forced developers to turn some of the units into rentals and thwarted the type of investment and growth many were anticipating. But after more than a decade of stagnation, the momentum is swinging in the other direction, and 2024 is poised to be a significant year, especially with West Harbor finally opening, bringing new shops, restaurants, entertainment, jobs, and investment dollars.

We just need to get through 2023 first.

The momentum doesn’t seem to be stopping any time soon. All you need to do is drive through downtown and you’ll see several new buildings under construction, primarily mixed-use, with apartments on top and retail below—their modern aesthetic sticks out amongst our older – some historical –buildings. Even more projects are slated to begin construction this year.

Last month, I attended the ground-

breaking for the upcoming Vivo apartments on Harbor Boulevard, where The Grinder restaurant used to be. The project will feature 137 studio, one-, and two-bedroom units above (with 16 units marked as “affordable”) with 1,488 square feet of commercial space on the bottom. Vivo is the first major modern housing project along Harbor Boulevard that I can remember, not counting the Rancho San Pedro projects, which are also up for a major redevelopment soon (see onesanpedro.org). To paraphrase Bob Dylan, the times really are a-changin’.

So, what does this all mean for San Pedro? It’s a mixed bag, really. All these new housing units are intended to bring more people here to build the density needed to support all these new commercial projects. But with that comes the two issues San Pedrans love to complain about: traffic and parking. Unfortunately, both will probably get worse before they get better. But there are ways to mitigate these issues, and I’m surprised no entity has stepped up to address this yet.

Many years ago, I was told by a successful businessman that one of the smartest investments he made was purchasing a paid parking garage. His reasonings were simple: there was minimal upkeep, it was completely passive income, and it gave the community something it needed.

With all these new housing and commercial developments coming to town and calls from the community for more readily available parking, I’m surprised a new parking garage hasn’t been part of this redevelopment wave yet.

Maybe I’m missing something, but it seems like a no-brainer. spt

Joshua Stecker is the publisher/ editor-in-chief of San Pedro Today. Letters to the Editor can be emailed to contact@sanpedrotoday.com.

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Joshua J. Stecker

ASSOCIATE EDITOR

Lori Garrett

ART DIRECTOR/PRODUCTION

Joseph A. Castañeda

AT-LARGE CONTRIBUTORS

Mike Harper, Peter Hazdovac, Linda Grimes, Sanam Lamborn, Mike Lansing, Jennifer Marquez, Eddie McKenna, Nadia Nizetich, Amber Sheikh, Lee Williams

Steve Marconi and Sophie Schoenfeld will return next month.

PHOTOGRAPHER

John Mattera Photography

CONTACT INFO: Phone: (424) 224-9063 Email: contact@sanpedrotoday.com

San Pedro Today P.O. Box 1168 San Pedro, CA 90733

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EMPIRE22 MEDIA LLC OWNER/PUBLISHER

Joshua J. Stecker

San Pedro Today publishes the last Thursday of every month and is produced monthly by Empire22 Media LLC. No portion of this publication can be reproduced without written permission by Empire22 Media. 25,000 copies are delivered to San Pedro and portions of Rancho Palos Verdes. San Pedro Today is a product of Empire22 Media LLC. Empire22 Media LLC, their subsidiaries and affiliates are released from all liability that may involve the publication of San Pedro Today. Copyright 20092023, Empire22 Media LLC.

VOLUME 14 | NUMBER 12

ON THE COVER: Slavko's Harbor Poultry, circa 2022. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

JANUARY 2023

Every Friday – SAN PEDRO FARMERS MARKET AT LITTLE ITALY (396 W. 6th St., corner of 6th and Mesa), 11a-3p. – New location! Pick up essential fruits and vegetables from certified, small family farms. Get a head start on weekend meals with so many delicious and fresh options. Please note social distancing of six feet between groups and people is required. Masks must be worn at all times, and a hand washing station is provided for your convenience. For more info, visit sanpedrochamber. com/san-pedro-farmers-market.

Every Tuesday, Friday, & First Thursday Evening – OPEN GARDEN at Feed and Be Fed (429 W. 6th St.), Tuesdays 10a-12p, Fridays 10a-1p, & First Thursday evenings. – Feed and Be Fed farm, San Pedro's own urban farm, opens its downtown garden space every Tuesday and Friday and on First Thursday evenings. Organic produce is for sale at the San Pedro Farmers Market at Little Italy (corner of 6th and Mesa) on Fridays 11a-3p. Come share nature’s bounty and beauty as we grow vegetables, flowers, and community. Get your hands in the dirt as a volunteer, get expert advice, or just relax. For more info, visit feedandbefed.org.

Every Tuesday & Every Saturday –BELMONT SHORE RAILROAD CLUB at Angels Gate Park (3600 S. Gaffey St., Building 824), Tuesdays 7-10p & Saturdays 12-4p. – The best kept secret in San Pedro! The Belmont Shore Railroad Club is the oldest and largest N scale club and offers clinics on modeling and an opportunity to explore a new hobby. Admission is FREE and open to the public. For more info, call (310) 831-6262 or visit belmontshorerr.com.

5 (Thurs) – FIRST THURSDAY in Downtown San Pedro, 6p. – The popular First Thursday ArtWalk is back in the historic core of Downtown San Pedro. The redesigned First Thursday will feature guided ArtWalk tours, open galleries, outdoor dining, and live music on the corner of 6th and Mesa streets.

6 & 20 (Fri) – MARINERS NIGHT AT THE GOOSE & GRIDIRON at the Los Angeles Harbor Masonic Lodge (1640 W. 9th St.), 6:30-10p. – Every 1st & 3rd Friday! A lot of people don't know this, but the LA Harbor Masonic Lodge has a pub room called the Goose & Gridiron. It also has a deck with a beautiful view of San Pedro and the harbor. Start your weekend off on the right foot. Relax and socialize. Come when you want, leave when you want! Dinner and adult beverages will be served. This is a

casual event. Ladies, family, and friends are invited. Admission is FREE, but a suggested donation of $10 is appreciated. For more info, visit sanpedromasons.org or email perio77@yahoo.com.

12 (Thurs) - OPEN MIC NIGHT at the Grand Annex (434 W. 6th St.), 7-9p. – Live music, poetry, and spoken word. Tickets $5 ($6.25 for credit card transactions). To sign up or for tickets and more info, visit grandvision.org.

14 (Sat) – HALEY-CLARK DANCE CO. PRESENTS FROZEN at the Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), 5p. – Haley-Clark Dance Company presents Frozen, the company’s winter 2023 showcase. Tickets: adults $31; children (under 12 years) $26. For tickets and more info, visit grandvision.org or call (310) 480-4981.

19-20 (Thurs-Fri) – BRANDY JOHNSTON & DAWN ZARNICK PRESENT UN-TOLD. (MOSTLY) TRUE STORIES COMEDY SHOW at the Grand Annex (434 W. 6th St.), 7:30p. – Join us as 12 brave women share their funny and inspiring stories on stage for a live audience. This is an 18+ event. Show dates are January 19 and 20, 7:30p. Tickets $33; VIP Table (up to 4 people) $350. For tickets and more info, visit grandvision.org.

19-21 (Thurs-Sat) – FANTASIA FAMILY MUSIC PRESENTS SHREK THE MUSICAL, JR. at Warner Grand Theatre (478 W. 6th St.), various showtimes. – Disney’s timeless fairytale is fun for the whole family and is sure to become a classic. Four performances and various showtimes. For tickets and more info, visit fantasiafamilymusic.org.

22 (Sun) – DOCENT GUIDED NATURE WALK at Abalone Cove Shoreline Park (5970 Palos Verdes Dr. South, Rancho Palos Verdes), 2p. – Enjoy a guided tour of Abalone Cove led by the Los Serenos Docents. Hike past the unique native flora and fauna and explore the tide pools. The hiking difficulty is moderate to strenuous. The trail to and from the tidepools is approximately a mile and involves about a 120 ft change in elevation. This is a kidfriendly hike, but the trails and rocky beach are unsuitable for baby strollers. Sorry, no dogs are allowed. The hike is FREE. Parking at Abalone Cove is limited; carpooling recommended. 62+ and disabled are FREE year-round. For more info, call (310) 544-5366 (Abalone Cove), (310) 544-5375 (PVIC Museum Front Desk), or visit losserenos.org or facebook.com/LosSerenos. spt

Events deadline for February 2023 is Friday, January 13. Email events@sanpedrotoday.com to place a listing for a nominal fee. Find more events at sanpedrotoday.com.

SAN PEDRO RESOLUTIONS

by Lee Williams

New Year’s resolutions are always an interesting subject for me. It’s easy to be cynical and cancel them before they even get started, but maybe that’s because so many resolutions are about things we are taking away or things that are hard. Going to the gym, eating better, reading books, stopping watching TV, taking more walks, quitting smoking, and drinking more water are reasonable goals and a great way to reset the year. But why not add some fun resolutions that help bring us closer to each other in new ways for the new year? Here are some resolutions you can borrow if you’d like.

Help support someone else’s resolutions. We all need accountability partners or people who help keep us in alignment with our goals. Most of the time, that comes out as passive reminders, but maybe we can take a more encouraging role. If someone you know is looking to add exercise to their routine, schedule some hikes and walks around town with them. San Pedro historian Angela Romero spent a year walking every street in San Pedro. Why not explore our town in little loops that help you exercise with a friend, as well as see parts of Pedro we would otherwise miss? Many of us have trackers on our watch that record our location and distance. It might be fun to drive to different spots and neighborhoods

and map out a loop. Make a game of it as you spot all the homes that still have their holiday decorations up. As a Realtor, I love seeing unique homes that we may never have noticed before.

Schedule a monthly lunch with people you want to get to know better. We all have friends and acquaintances around town that we find interesting, and we may have said, “Let’s grab lunch sometime.” Make “sometime” a monthly occurrence that you put on the calendar. I am going to add “schedule a lunch” onto my calendar as a reminder every month to send out a text or make a phone call to someone I’ve wanted to connect with better. There are a lot of great options, from Sirinat and Baramee for Thai food; Big Nick’s, Sorrento’s, Domenick’s, and Buono’s for Italian food; and Busy Bee,

Lighthouse Cafe, Pirozzi’s Italian Deli, Sandwich Saloon, West Coast Philly’s, Think Café, and The Corner Store for sandwiches. For variety, I like Ko Ryu for ramen, Crazy Fish for seafood, and Sebastian’s for Mediterranean food. Don’t forget, San Pedro has some of the best views: Grabbing food to-go and eating at the 22nd Street Marina, Cabrillo Beach, Point Fermin Park, Royal Palms, Angels Gate, or hotdogs on the Battleship Iowa at Vicky’s Dog House are a great way to enjoy time together. Put a date night on the calendar. There are so many restaurants in San Pedro that you may not have visited; it’s time to add them to the rotation. Also, having something to look forward to regularly is a great way to stay connected and spend quality time with someone you love. If you’re married,

I recommend taking your spouse, but if you’re unmarried and don’t have a special someone, take your BFF, your grandma, one of your children, or another family member for some oneon-one time. Compagnon Wine Bistro, La Bocca Felice, Raffaello Ristorante, Pronto’s, Think Prime, and Shore Grill are great options, along with some of my lunch suggestions.

Support local entertainment. Date night should be about food, drinks, and conversation, with the point being spending one-on-one time with someone you care about. Another night you should add to your calendar is a chance to see some of our local talent. Little Fish Theatre, The Grand Annex, and Collage offer great arts and entertainment. They have several events that create unique experiences and really interesting nights out. Getting out and trying something new is a great way to support our arts community and expose us to more culture and beauty. You’ll be surprised by the quality and variety of entertainment we have here in San Pedro.

I think some of these resolutions have a way of better connecting us to our community and to each other. With so much going on, it is easy to watch all the changes as a spectator and forget we can participate actively.

Where we spend our time and money locally is essential to ensure we keep all of the things we love about San Pedro thriving. spt

Lee Williams leads the Williams Group at Keller Williams Realty and is a member of the Board of Directors for the San Pedro Chamber of Commerce and the Boys and Girls Club for L.A. Harbor.

WE LISTEN TO YOU

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Little Fish Theatre's recent production of A Moment, written and directed by Kathryn Farren. (photo: Miguel Elliot/Little Fish Theatre)

Be a part of San Pedro history... Located across from the ocean and Pt. Fermin Park and next to the historical Walker’s Cafe. Stunning Catalina & sunset views, complete remodel, 3-huge bedrooms, 2-baths, old world charm!

Offered at $1,900,000.

WILLENBERG OPENS A GIVING ROOM

by Jennifer Marquez

Willenberg Career and Transition Center, located off Weymouth and Western, is a nurturing, upbeat campus where students are put first. Recently, they have opened a Giving Room for the students and their immediate families where essential items like new shoes, clothing, socks, and other products are provided at no cost.

Willenberg, part of the Los Angeles Unified School District, serves young adults with disabilities, ages 18-22. Students are provided real-world job experiences and daily living skills like cooking and laundry. The school differs from the ones the students experienced in their youth, where special education was upstairs or in a bungalow, almost as a second thought.

Many of the students attending Willenberg deal with multiple obstacles, including poverty. Their families struggle financially, in addition to the challenges of caring for a young adult with a disability. Some students live in group homes for various reasons, including caregiver abuse, which results in them being removed from their family home by adult protective services. For others, the family can no longer take care of their child. At Willenberg, 9 out of 10 students have experienced abuse by a caregiver in their lifetime. Fortunately, life at Willenberg is a safe space for youth of

all abilities to thrive.

The Giving Room is set up like a store with clothes organized by size and style; everything is brand new. There is a seating area with a private dressing room. A new outfit can provide students with dignity and self-esteem. Students and their families can take their time and have a quiet shopping experience without worrying about the cost since everything is free.

“Oftentimes, fashion for the students is selected by the family. A visit to the Giving Room is an opportunity for choice by the student,” says Gavin Mirigliani, principal of Willenberg. “When the students go to the Giving Room, their faces light up. These opportunities make a difference.”

The Giving Room is also a work training program that teaches retail experience. Students assist with the donation pickup, open the cases, inventory all the items, and provide guidance to shoppers. All products are inventoried with a square, and nothing is sold — prices are always zero. The school is able to track everything, like a store, which is helpful when requesting donations. Some popular items are men’s polo-style shirts and children’s clothing for siblings.

Willenberg is a strong community of caring staff and inspiring students. Helpful employees answer the phones, which does not happen in all schools. There are uplifting announcements on the PA, and everyone is invested in the

school. There is no trash or tagging — the Willenberg community takes pride in its campus, and it shows. While the school has maintenance staff, students are encouraged to sweep and pick up after themselves. Everyone matters, and the school is constantly expanding its programs.

Walking through the school, there is opportunity everywhere: a student-run café, graphic arts training, studentrun catering, a shrimp farm, a large garden, car detailing training, sports, and dances. Willenberg students bring their plants and graphic art creations to farmers markets and other events around the community and have mastered the pop-up.

With the new Giving Room, providing students with new shoes, socks, and clothing is one less thing the family has to purchase and a way for students to experience independence. A few of the students needed suits and gowns for their prom and were able to find them there.

Shelter Partnership, a nonprofit agency, provides donations. The community can also contribute to the Giving Room by donating new hoodies, new larger-sized athletic shoes and clothing, and gift cards for groceries. Contact the school for more information at (310) 548-1371 or follow them on Instagram at @willenberg_ctc. spt

Jennifer Marquez can be reached at jennifertmarquez@yahoo.com and @jenntmqz on Twitter and Instagram.

Light Therapy with Cold Laser.

Willenberg student workers and staff are all smiles at the grand opening of the Giving Room. (photo courtesy Willenberg Career and Transition Center)

RETHINKING THE 2023 ‘AMERICAN DREAM’

by Mike Lansing

After World War II, homeownership became a priority for returning servicemen and was bolstered by the GI Bill.

Lower interest rates were made available for these returning servicemen, and the Federal Housing Administration (FHA) began to insure mortgages, which resulted in having to put less money down to purchase a house.

This, coupled with available space to build affordable housing and the great “baby boom,” prompted again by returning GIs, resulted in a great demand/ need for affordable housing. From 1940 to 1960, homeownership rates experienced a tremendous growth spurt — from 43 to 64 percent of Americans.

Current homeownership rates remain about the same (approximately 65 percent). Still, with tens of millions of additional people living in the U.S. today compared to 1960, millions of additional people currently do not own homes. Add the fact that high rental rates on apartments too often result in 70 percent of household income going to just paying the rent, which translates into the fact that too many of our neighbors are the “working poor” who barely make ends meet. So, while housing for the homeless is foremost on most people’s minds, equally — or I would argue more — important is developing “affordable housing” for too many of our San Pedro brothers and sisters.

In 2023, it is estimated that an average household income of $220,000 will be needed to buy a home in Los Angeles, while the median household income in 2020 was only $65,000. We need to rethink the American Dream of homeownership and invest in the expansion of it to include affordable rental housing built vertically, which allows larger numbers of units and built-in amenities that replace the backyards and streets we used to play in back in the ‘60s. Everyone cannot own a home, but we can prioritize new and affordable rental housing that allows our workforce to live where they work and

at a cost where their quality of life is vastly improved.

In Mayor Bass’s recent swearing-in ceremony, she noted both the need for a “state of emergency” for the homeless and additional affordable housing for the working class/poor. While there is an estimated 69,000 homeless people in Los Angeles, there are well over a million working poor living on the margins due to unaffordable rent, including in the San Pedro/Harbor Area. Prioritizing affordable housing is not as sexy/ politically correct as homeless housing, but the need is much greater and must be seriously addressed. Yes, there are creative new and important efforts here in town, like the 456 West project from One San Pedro and Linc Housing, both of which provide additional housing for all income levels. But we need at least ten times that amount in the Harbor Area, if not more, to meet this affordable housing need for our working class.

I am addressing the same problem/ situation with our Boys & Girls Club employees. We recently distributed a survey to gather information on my team’s housing challenges, and we are having discussions with other nonprofits, elected officials, and soon, banks/ lending institutions to see if there is an opportunity for us to secure workforce housing for some of my staff. Prepandemic, I would not have considered us being a “benevolent landlord” for some of our employees, but today I am discussing this idea with anyone I can.

If you are interested in discussing the same or possibly partnering in this potential workforce housing project, or if you would like to “invest,” please reach out to me, as I am ready and available. The American Dream in 2023 is not dead, but we must rethink it to include all of our working neighbors, which will improve the quality of life for all and the quality of our community for decades to come. spt

Mike Lansing is the executive director of the Boys & Girls Clubs of the Los Angeles Harbor.

TAKING CARE OF OUR OWN

by Amber Sheikh

My relationship with San Pedro started 12 years ago, first as a resident and homeowner, and now as a small business owner. One of the many things I’m proud of about our community is how we’ve always taken care of one another. Over the past five years, I’ve been so impressed by how San Pedro has been on a truly transformational journey towards taking care of our own in an even deeper and more meaningful way.

Specifically, I am thinking about how we transformed our conversations about our neediest residents. About

how we shifted our conversations from whether we would support solutions for homeless and low-income neighbors to how we would find and support solutions for them. Now that we’ve successfully opened and begun so many projects, it can be easy to overlook or underplay what a transformational shift this has been for our community, but it has made all the difference.

Many of you know me as a homeless advocate. And I am. But I’m not a oneissue person. I genuinely believe that by tackling and even solving homelessness, we are impacting almost every challenging issue our society faces — income inequality, healthcare reform, the mental health crisis, education equity, racism, gender inequality, domestic

violence… the list goes on. Even though homelessness is the most obvious manifestation of societal and systemic failures, I firmly believe there is hope.

The annual homeless count is a significant indicator of how we, as a community, are a regional model for practical solutions. The number of San Pedro residents experiencing homelessness has decreased by 36 percent (source: sbceh.org) over the past two years. In November 2022, we broke ground on the first of five permanent supportive housing projects in Los Angeles, with San Pedro leading the way.

However, we know that those successes happened in the midst of a pandemic, which exacerbated an already challenged system. As we readjust to life post-pandemic, we all recognize how many things have changed and have needed to be re-centered.

So, I want to take us on a journey each month to hear voices from those on the front lines. People we often talk about but very rarely talk to, and even less rarely hear from.

We will hear from folks experiencing homelessness, people that serve our homeless population, recently housed folks, or those who have family members that this has impacted. We will hear their stories, their struggles, and their successes, and even maybe learn a thing or two about what more needs to be done.

I want all of us to feel the deep humility, the magic, and, to the extent we can in print, the life-altering experience it is not just to hear their stories but to get to know these people — to walk on

their journey alongside them. Everyone deserves not only to have their story told, but we all deserve the privilege of hearing it.

I want us to have deep community conversations. I want us to ask hard questions. Sometimes the answer might be “ no, ” and sometimes it may be “not now. ” Discomfort is part of the ride. But I promise I’ll 1.) try to keep it fun, 2.) keep it calibrated and aligned to where we are, and 3.) I will always, always listen.

Together, I hope we can explore ideas about how any or all of us can be part of this work no matter what we do or wherever we sit. One thing we all share is the goal of making our community a more beautiful, safe, and equitable place for everyone. We take care of our own.

I hope you’ll join me on this path, wherever it leads. I’ll meet you back here in these pages (and online at sanpedrotoday.com) next month.

If you have questions and/or comments for me, please reach out to us here: info@sheikhimpact.com.

If you are struggling, reach out to Harbor Connects by phone (424) 5703733 or email info@harborconnects. org. spt

Amber Sheikh is a San Pedro resident, mother of two, community advocate and owner of Sheikh/Impact, a nonprofit consulting firm. She has nearly two decades of experience working in and with organizations solving homelessness and income inequality.

A homeless man waits with his belongings near the intersection of Palos Verdes and 7th St. (From SPT archives 2015.) (photo: John Mattera Photography)

A century of

What came first, the chicken nuggets or the potato nuggets? Unlike the age-old riddle, there’s no debate here. “We started selling the potato nuggets before the chicken nuggets,” says Jim Frlekin, owner of Slavko’s Harbor Poultry, which celebrated its 100th anniversary early last year. “We had French fried potatoes, but people would tell us, we hate your potatoes.” So Jim and his father Slavko, who owned the business at the time, pivoted. “My dad said, go down to San Pedro Produce on Channel Street and bring me a sack of potatoes, and he came up with the recipe. He was really an excellent cook.”

Though Slavko has since passed, Jim and his son Brian carry on his inventive spirit, with Jim citing it as one of many reasons that has allowed the restaurant to thrive for over a century. But, he explains, it’s not the sole ingredient to success. “The secret in small business is to know your customer,” he says. “Treat him or her right, and they’ll help you succeed. It’s that simple.” Jim has relived the truth in that statement many times over. His best-selling menu item, the chicken nuggets, were born out of a favor to a customer in the early 2000s. “Robert Santich came in and asked if we could do a party for him with boneless chicken,” he recalls. “I said, ‘man, it’s going to be a lot more work,’ but we did it, and he reordered two weeks later.”

Slavko’s, which began in 1922 as Harbor Poultry, has seen its menu change countless times over the years.

by Nadia Nizetich

The business started as a poultry butcher and was founded by Jim’s father and uncle, both immigrants from Prvić, Croatia, the latter of whom had experience in the poultry industry. During these early days, San Pedrans could drop by for a fresh chicken, duck, or turkey and grab some barbecued chicken while they waited for their bird to be butchered and cleaned. It was in this context that Jim — who began working in the restaurant as a young boy — learned the ins and outs of the business, and he recalls an early customer service lesson from childhood. “Two ladies came in saying ‘Hey, your chickens aren’t really fresh,’” he explains. “So I went and got a chicken out of the cage, and I put it on the scale, and I said, ‘Is that fresh enough for you?’ And they bought it.”

The family business has of course had its fair share of challenges throughout the years, the first being in the 1950s when they were forced to move from their original location to 1211 S. Pacific Avenue. The change spurred them to stop butchering poultry, and they transitioned to selling already-cleaned birds. They also decided to revamp their menu to adapt to shifting consumer habits — the rise of multi-earner families caused take-out food to proliferate, and the boom of supermarkets meant that their main product could be found cheaper elsewhere. They began selling bone-in fried chicken and later introduced the potato nuggets, a period that again influenced Jim’s

SAN PEDRO ICON SLAVKO’S HARBOR POULTRY CELEBRATES 100 YEARS OF FAMILY, COMMUNITY, AND UNPARALLELED FOOD.

The famous chicken that adorns the roof of Slavko's. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

Slavko's circa 1989. (photo courtesy Frlekin family)

philosophy. “A lot of the things that I’ve learned in my business is that it’s an ongoing experiment,” he says. “You’re learning as you go along, you’re taking risks, and having fun with the people around you as you see how life unfolds.”

Perhaps one of the most vivid challenges Slavko’s faced was in the 1960s, when a fire forced them to change locations yet again to their current location at 1224 S. Pacific Avenue. If it weren’t for the kindness of a customer — and a stroke of luck — the restaurant may have ended there. “Joe Mazza, who was a realtor for Atchison Realty, came into the store,” Jim recalls. “He was a customer, and he had a listing for the property across the street.” With Joe’s help, they purchased the building where their business stands today, which in Jim’s words meant “they could never get kicked out again.” Little did they know that the decision would allow them to weather one of the largest challenges in their history: the COVID-19 pandemic. “We didn’t have a big rental payment to make,” says Jim. “We were lucky.”

Soon after the purchase, Jim’s father retired and officially passed him and his brother Ray the reins, and a franchise approached the pair with an offer. “A local guy contacted Kentucky Fried Chicken, and they wanted me to go and show them how we prepared our chicken,” says Jim. “But I wanted to keep our business here. I’m not in this to make money — I’m in it because I like it.” The move paid off, albeit unexpectedly. “Years back, I talked to a fellow that came in that worked for Kentucky Fried Chicken,” he explains. “I told him, ‘What was the biggest order you ever had?’ He said, ‘We had 3,000 pieces.’ And I said, ‘Well we’re not a national company, but we did 18,000 pieces of chicken twice. So, what do you think about that?’”

Despite the nuggets’ success, it’d be doing Slavko’s a disservice to ignore the rest of their menu. The unique collection of dishes — all of which are family recipes — were thoughtfully curated by Jim, Brian, and the late Slavko, and they range from local classics, such as mostaccioli, to forgotten favorites like creamy Jell-O. True to their Slavic heritage, they also serve ćevapčići, making them one of the last restaurants in town to serve Croatian food. Longtime patrons may have even noticed a recent menu addition — lobster — which is caught by Brian and sold the same day it’s fished. With so many family recipes, it’s no wonder Jim struggles to pick a favorite. “A lot of people ask, what’s your favorite? But it’s all good. I try a little bit of everything.”

Having landed on a surefire recipe for success, it’d be easy to assume that Jim and Brian’s future plans strictly include business as usual. Instead, they intend to keep experimenting while keeping on. “This January, my son and I are going to go and apply for a license so you can have a beer in the restaurant,” says Jim, “and other than that, just keep selling the products like we’re doing.”

It’s not hard to see why — when asked about what has made Slavko’s successful after so many years, Jim believes it all comes down to the basics. “Number one, you’ve got to have a good product, and don’t worry about the complications of it,” he says. “Treat people right, give them good food, and give them good service. It’s going to be a little bit of work, but don’t worry about that.”

Is it really that simple? He has a suggestion for any skeptics. “Come on and see me sometime. You’ll enjoy the food, and the people here will like you.” spt

Slavko’s Harbor Poultry is located at 1224 S. Pacific Ave. For more info, call (310) 832-8171.

Top: The Slavko's family today (l to r): Bobby Hernandez, Brian Frlekin (seated), Sam Rosen, Veronica Ponce, Barry O'Brien, Jim Frlekin (seated), and Michelle O'Brien (Jim's daughter); center: Slavko's circa 1975 with (l to r) Jim, his brother Rey, father Slavko, and first cousin Rick Welle; bottom: Slavko (right) with a customer circa mid-1970s. (photos courtesy Frlekin family)

EAT IN SAN PEDRO: COLD WEATHER SOUPS

by Sanam Lamborn

Now that the weather has cooled down, I am back to my soupeating habits. Last January, I wrote about my favorite soup options at four restaurants in town. This year, I am bringing you along for a few new discoveries. My quest for unique options took me from one corner of our town to the other. Figuratively speaking, my taste buds traveled to three different continents and countries without ever leaving San Pedro.

Puesta Del Sol (1622 S. Gaffey St.) has been my go-to place for Mexican food for a while. I love many things on their menu, but on a cold day, a bowl of their albondigas soup hits the spot just right. Albondigas in Spanish means meatballs. This clear broth soup is loaded with large pieces of carrots, celery, zucchini, potato, and perfectly ripe avocado. At first bite, I was immediately impressed with the meatballs because they have what appear to be small diced onions, which add flavor and moisture, and

marjoram. Squeeze some lime over it and enjoy. Overall, this is a delicious soup. I also tried their chicken tortilla soup. I have seen a few variations of this type; however, Puesta Del Sol’s was new to me. It’s a dense tomatobased soup that is thickened with actual tortillas. It’s loaded with shredded chicken, then topped with cheese and sour cream. To be honest, it’s not my favorite version because it tastes a lot like enchilada sauce. However, my husband really enjoyed it.

Next, I went to Compagnon Wine Bistro (335 W. 7th St.), our very own French restaurant in town. The only soup option on the menu is French onion. It’s remarkable how a humble and simplistic soup made with a combination of onion, beef broth, sherry wine, and thyme can produce such an incredibly heartwarming dish. Also, presentation-wise, it’s pretty impressive. Traditionally, this soup is served in crocks and arrives at the table piping hot, topped with melted Gruyère

cheese on a thin slice or two of bread. Customarily, the size of this type of soup is small because it’s just a starter, so it’s not filling on its own. However, there are plenty of delicious choices on the menu to explore.

Lastly, I visited a new place: Northern Cafe (29050 S. Western Ave.), a Chinese dumpling house. Many people rave about the beef noodle soup here, and they are not wrong. The deep red broth is robust in flavor with the right amount of spiciness that doesn’t overpower the dish. The texture of the noodles is soft and buttery. The only other ingredients are chunks of very flavorful tender beef shank, bok choy, green onion, and cilantro. It might be simplistic, but everything comes together really well. I also tried the pork wonton soup, which might come across as mild tasting compared to the beef noodle soup. But don’t be mistaken: This is yet another soup where simple ingredients — pork dumplings, bok choy, green onion, cilantro, seaweed, and sesame oil — come together really well. The mild broth is clear; however, the burst of flavor comes from the well-seasoned pork inside the dumplings and seaweed. Texturewise, I like how for both dishes, the bok choy is not overcooked so it does not fall apart; instead, it’s steamed to still have a bit of crispiness to it. I noted the texture of the dumplings’ dough; unlike most places, it’s thicker, making it a bit chewier. Currently, Northern Cafe operates as a pickup/take-out establishment only. spt

Sanam Lamborn created the Eat in San Pedro Facebook group and Instagram account in April 2020 to entice people to patronize San Pedro’s eateries.

SAVORY SOUPS (clockwise l to r): Compagnon Wine Bistro's French onion soup; Puesta Del Sol's albondigas and chicken tortilla soups; Northern Cafe's pork wonton and beef noodle soups. (photos: Sanam Lamborn)

by Nadia Nizetich

The studio was alive with activity as the advanced class wrapped up their lessons and the beginning students chatted in the lobby, waiting to take their seats. Two teenage teaching assistants fluttered among the beginners and tuned their instruments while random plucks and strums rang out in the foyer. I was expecting a cacophony, but the untuned ukuleles sounded harmonious, even when they were played all at once. “It’s an easy instrument to make sound good,” says Greg Daulton, teacher and leader of San Pedro Ukulele at Angels Gate Cultural Center.

Despite opening shortly before the pandemic, the studio’s student body tripled during the COVID lockdowns, a feat Daulton attributes to a strategy of using flyers and an improved website to get the word out. But the reviews from Daulton’s students tell a different story. “It’s just really a fun class, and there’s no judgement,” says Marty Barrera, who attends the beginner’s class. “Mr. Greg is so nice. If you miss a class, or can’t remember what you’re working on, he tells you right away,” she adds. Elliot Kennedy, one of Daulton’s teaching assistants, agrees. “Mr. Greg is just awesome. He really teaches you the details, and he’s such a great teacher.” Although currently specializing in

ukulele instruction, Daulton’s musical journey involved several different instruments and musical pursuits.

“Guitar was something I always had,” he explains. “I was into rock n’ roll, and at the age of 12, I was given my first guitar.” His Hawaiian heritage later led him to ukulele music. He felt a deep connection to the instrument and loved its harmonious sound. “It’s seen as a simple party trick, but there’s so much more to it,” he says. “It’s a challenge — you need to do more with less.”

He continued to play guitar and ukulele throughout his teenage years. After high school, his passion led him to Berklee College of Music, where he studied film scoring and composition. It was there that he began to develop his teaching philosophy. “In college, I had a guy that gave me an incomplete and then left for the summer,” he explains. “I never want to be that guy. I’m your teacher all week, not just for a 45-minute class.”

After his studies, he moved to Los Angeles and gigged until the 2008 recession hit. Live events came to a stop, and he began instructing group and private guitar lessons in Orange County. He experimented with instructional methods; he

created a course on rock band performance and a composition called The Rock Band Experience and later published The Complete Guide to Modern Songwriting. As of 2021, the do-it-yourself textbook on music composition was listed on BookAuthority.org’s “100 Best-Selling Songwriting Books of All Time.”

Along the way, he discovered San Pedro. He moved to the town in 2015, and upon the suggestion of his wife, he visited Angels Gate and found a thriving artistic community. He opened his own studio there and split his time between the new location and Orange County. When the pandemic began, he shifted to virtual lessons and whittled his enterprise down to the basics, keeping only his studio in San Pedro and teaching only his most popular instrument: the ukulele.

Now, he teaches private lessons and holds group ukulele sessions on Fridays that draw about 30 students. The curriculum is rooted in Daulton’s philosophy, and the classes are structured like a conversation, with plenty of back-and-forth between Greg and his pupils. To ensure his classes offer something for everyone, he penned a music book that includes

works from ukulele icons like Israel Kamakawiwo’ole alongside adaptations of songs from Elvis, David Bowie, and dozens of other artists. The students learn one song per session which can be drawn from nearly any genre or style of playing. “I think it’s really important that people get to learn what they want to,” he says, “because when they’re encouraged to go after what they want, that’s when people want to put their own spin on it. That’s when you get originality.”

In the future, Daulton hopes to expand to more locations in San Pedro and organize community service outings with his students. But despite his classes’ popularity, he has no plans to teach outside of the town. “There’s a togetherness in San Pedro,” he says. “My students are going to each other’s volleyball games, to their concerts... you just don’t see that support in other places.” The feeling is mutual. “I tell everybody about Mr. Greg,” says Susan Tsuji, who attends the beginner class with her husband Carl. “He’s just the nicest person on the planet.” spt

Greg Daulton, owner of San Pedro Ukulele; inset: Daulton teaches a class at Angels Gate Cultural Center. (photos: John Mattera Photography, Greg Daulton)

FOR LOVE OF THE GAME

In the Martinez family, baseball is in the blood.

When his three sons – Armando Jr., Renae, and Chazz – were younger, Armando Sr. would wake them early in the morning any time they had a day off from school and take them around the corner to the old Eastview Little League fields (where Target is now) to practice, even on holidays.

“I would hit them ground balls, have some batting practice, do infield and outfield stuff,” says the senior Martinez. “I’d get off work at 6 a.m., and we would be there by 6:30.”

By all accounts, the boys (mostly) loved it.

“I loved it growing up as a kid,” says Chazz, 22, the youngest of the three who was drafted by the Kansas City Royals last summer. “I wish I could go back to those days when we’d wake up, go to the park, or just hit some balls in the batting cage. He built us a batting cage and a pitcher’s mound in our backyard. It was pretty cool, just waking up, being able to go in the back, flip on a machine and hit, or just throw a bullpen session with my brothers. It was an awesome experience.”

San Pedro is known for producing some impressive baseball talent, but having three boys from one family

succeed in the sport is unprecedented. Listening to the Martinez brothers talk about their father’s passion for helping them succeed, one quickly realizes that it’s also not surprising.

“It was a dream come true,” says Armando Sr., who raised all three sons as a single parent. “They were always on top, baseball, football, basketball. Any sport they tried, they perfected it. But I didn’t like them playing football because of injuries, so I led them a little more towards baseball.”

Playing Little League, especially at Eastview, is a rite of passage for many San Pedro kids growing up. For the Martinez brothers, it was no different. All of them excelled playing for Eastview, but high school was where baseball became a serious business.

Armando Jr., the eldest brother, set the pace. Playing for San Pedro High from 2008-2011 as a pitcher, where he made the All-Marine League team in 2009 and 2010, he capped off his high school pitching career in the 2010 L.A. City Section playoffs, playing alongside middle brother Renae as the school’s pitching and catching duo. They’re the first brother combination to play in the City playoffs for San Pedro High School.

“Growing up [playing] baseball,

that’s all we knew,” says Jr. “He had a rubber arm. He could throw over a hundred pitches in a ball game, without a doubt,” recalls Armando Sr., who also coached his sons in Little League and high school. “He wasn’t very fast, but he had a changeup, curveball, knuckleball, knuckle curve. People couldn’t hit them back then.”

After high school, Armando Jr., now 29, played baseball for Harbor College for three years before hanging up his glove to pursue a career in mechanics.

Being passed the baseball baton by his older brother, Renae took his playing career to the next level. Graduating San Pedro High in 2012, he earned AllCity, All-Daily Breeze, and first-team All-Marine League honors two years in a row.

“We were a good duo,” remembers Renae, 28, about playing alongside his brother. “I definitely learned from a lot of his mistakes on the field. Same thing with Chazz. I’m sure he learned from mine.”

After graduating high school, Renae attended UC Irvine, where he played catcher for the Anteaters in the College World Series as a freshman in 2014. Even though the team lost in the second round to Texas, the experience would prepare him for more baseball success.

by Joshua Stecker

“That was pretty spectacular,” remembers Renae. “UC Irvine were the underdogs. I think we were the last team in. We had to go to Oregon State for regionals. They were the number one team in the nation, and we upset them and upset Oklahoma State to get to the College World Series. It was a great experience being on that Cinderella team.”

Seeing that his playing time was limited, Renae left UC Irvine after two years and attended Compton College, where he was recruited by then University of Oklahoma baseball head coach Pete Hughes.

“I transferred to Compton for one year,” recalls Renae. “[Hughes] just came out of nowhere one day. He was sitting at a picnic table watching me play, then came to a game and offered me a scholarship.”

Renae would finish his college baseball career in 2017 with the Sooners, where he was named team captain and was runner-up for the Johnny Bench award. Soon after, the big leagues came calling, and the middle Martinez brother was suddenly wearing an Arizona Diamondbacks uniform.

“That was a big relief,” says Renae about being drafted by the Diamondbacks in the 33rd round. He would

The Martinez family: Chazz, Renae, Armando Sr., and Armando Jr. (photo: John Mattera Photography)

FROM EASTVIEW TO THE BIG LEAGUES, THE MARTINEZ BROTHERS FIND SUCCESS ON THE BALLFIELD, WITH A BIT OF HELP FROM THEIR FATHER.

eventually play for nearly every minor league team in the Diamondbacks organization, finishing his baseball career in early 2022. But while he was still playing, there was a family emergency.

Two years ago, Armando Sr. fell ill and required a liver transplant. Renae was found to be the perfect match, so he donated 65 percent of his liver to his father, which ended up saving his life.

“Renae’s liver grew back within two and a half weeks. Mine grew back within three and a half months,” remembers Armando Sr. “I wouldn’t be here today [without him].”

Renae hung up his cleats last year and became a Los Angeles City fireman,

graduating from the academy a few months ago.

With Armando Jr. and Renae out of baseball, all eyes are now on Chazz.

“From the beginning, we always knew Chazz was going to be something special,” says Armando Jr.

Growing up in a baseball household, including that backyard with a batting cage and pitching mound, it seemed inevitable that Chazz would follow in his brothers’ footsteps, hoping to go even further.

“Chazz was always on top of probably the whole family,” says Armando Sr. “He learned from Renae and Armando about baseball, and myself, so he had an

edge on all these other kids.”

Unlike his brothers, Chazz went to Corona Del Mar High School in Newport Beach, where he pitched and played first base and outfield for four years.

“Our dad moved me out there for better [baseball] exposure,” explains Chazz. “We saw how good the talent was out there.”

Chazz graduated in 2018 and then spent two years playing at UC Santa Barbara, where the pandemic shortened their 2020 season. After a quick stint at Orange Coast College, he transferred to the University of Oklahoma and became a Sooner like his brother. The team made it to the College World Series last year, making Renae and Chazz the first brother combination out of San Pedro to play in the tournament.

“That was awesome,” says Chazz. “I saw my brother go there, so I always wanted to follow in his footsteps. Everyone we played [in the series] was top of the top. You play the best teams in the nation. It took my game to the next level. That’s what I needed.”

Last summer, the next level came calling when the Kansas City Royals drafted Chazz in the 17th round of the 2022 MLB June Amateur Draft. (He got the call while getting a sandwich at Busy Bee.) He played a half dozen minor league games with the organiza-

tion last year but will experience his first official Spring Training in Arizona this February.

“I’m very excited,” says Chazz.

On Prospects Live, a minor league news website, one scout wrote about the 6-foot-3, 210-pound left-hander, “Martinez, from the left side has been up to 99 [mph] but sits in the mid-90s. Martinez mixes a curveball, slider, and a changeup to keep hitters off balance.”

As Chazz joins the Royals in February, hoping to get that call to the major leagues, Armando Sr. cannot help but feel pride for all his boys and their lives, both in and out of baseball.

“Oh, I’m a proud papa, 110 percent,” he says. “Doing things in San Pedro that no other family has done. I’m so proud of them.”

His sons feel the same way. Those years of waking up early to shag balls, the hours spent driving to and from practices and travel ball games, and giving his sons the support to succeed have all paid off.

“I don’t think we could’ve done this without my dad,” says Chazz. spt

WONDER YEARS (l to r): Chazz with the Royals organization in 2022; Armando Jr. and Renae at Renae's L.A. City Fire Academy graduation last year; (top, l to r) 2004 Eastview Little League Red Sox: Chazz, Armando Jr., Armando Sr., and Renae. (photos courtesy Martinez family)

CREATING PUBLIC ART AND COMMUNITY

by Linda Grimes

Why does the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District focus on creating public artwork for this community?

Because we know the goal of public art is to make us engage with art every single day. Our relationship with the arts is essential for the social and cultural aspects of a society. Public art extends beyond the gallery space and out into the real world, giving access to huge audiences from all walks of life. No longer confined to commemorative statues featuring dead white men and horses, contemporary artists have broadened the scope of public art to encompass a wide range of media, from mirrored abstractions to acts of political protest.

You may have seen the CNN and 60 Minutes stories about the artist JR. He began his career as a teenage graffiti artist, and by his own admission, he was not interested in changing the world but in making his mark on public space and society. After finding a camera in the Paris Metro, JR and his friends began to document the act of his graffiti painting. At 17, he started applying photocopies of these photographs to outdoor walls, creating illegal “sidewalk gallery” exhibitions.

In 2007, JR put up enormous photos of Israelis and Palestinians face to face in eight Palestinian and Israeli cities on either side of the separation barrier. Upon his return to Paris, he pasted these portraits up in the capital. For the artist, this artistic act is first and foremost a human project: “The heroes of the project are all those who, on both sides of the wall, allowed me to paste the portraits on their houses.”

JR calls himself an “urban artivist” — he creates pervasive art that he puts up on the buildings in the Paris area projects, on the walls of the Middle East, on the broken bridges of Africa, or in the favelas of Brazil. During the pasting phase, community members take part in the artistic process. In Brazil, for example, children became artists for a week. In these creative acts, no scene

separates the actors from the spectators.

How does this desire for community engagement manifest itself in San Pedro? The Arts District received a 2022 Community Grant from the Port of L.A. to paint a mural on the side of the Los Angeles Maritime Institute’s Building G shop. To accomplish this, we will continue our community public art program, Adventures in Public Art Conceived in June 2019, our goal is to give high school art students and community members hands-on experiences creating public art. This six-week mural workshop program is designed to engage participants in public art projects, encourage more astute arts enthusiasts, and foster a sense of community ownership and inclusion.

High school students were given community credit hours and were urged to include this program on their resumes and college applications. All workshop participants were given sketchbooks and were encouraged to use them for mural imagery.

We hired a teaching artist to guide

the students through the foundations of design, perspective, color theory, and public murals while working collaboratively with the property owner and us to create an acceptable, appropriate mural image.

Adventures in Public Art consists of two parts: a design phase and a construction phase. By the conclusion of the design phase, the teaching artist used student work and feedback

from the property owner to formulate a design for a mural to be executed on a wall in San Pedro during the project’s next phase. After the first phase concluded, there was a three-week construction period where the teaching artist executed the finalized design with the volunteer assistance of participants from the design phase.

Before the program began, we worked with the chosen teaching artist to finalize a lesson plan. The teaching artist led workshop participants through activities focused on producing the visual material to serve as the basis of the mural design. During this process, the teaching artist produced a design for the mural, incorporating the student’s work and the property owner’s feedback, as well as a reasonable schedule for executing the approved design within the project period.

The project started in mid-June 2019 and concluded six weeks later with a formal mural unveiling ceremony during the August 2019 First Thursday ArtWalk.

Want to participate? Visit SanPedroWaterfrontArtsDistrict.com in early 2023 for details. spt

Linda Grimes is a retired sales and marketing geek with a passion for art and design and is now the executive director of the San Pedro Waterfront Arts District (SanPedroWaterfrontArtsDistrict.com).

Do you have arts and culture story ideas? Please share them — email to 55lindagrimes@gmail.com.

570 W. 5th Street San Pedro, California 90731 (310) 832-9131

www.mcnerneysmortuary.com

Detail from the Sirens mural, painted 2019. (photo: Linda Grimes)

I

DID NOT WANT

TO WORK OUT TODAY

by Eddie McKenna

I started working out when I was eight. At first, I’d do pushups in my living room to mimic my dad and older brother. Then as I got older, I’d have my mom pull over miles from our house so I could run home. Being physically active has always been a part of my life. I love moving, sweating, and pushing my body. So much so that I made it my career. But although I love it, I frequently don’t want to do it.

As a coach, the words I most often hear after a workout are: “I did not want to work out today, but I’m glad I did.” It’s tough; there are more days you will not feel like training than days you will feel motivated to do it. Participating in a class environment may help you get motivated — misery loves company. It’s much more enjoyable suffering with others than suffering alone.

We can all relate to not wanting to work out; it’s this perpetual cycle of loathing, knowing we are about to endure something uncomfortable. But in the end, everyone I have witnessed usually leaves the gym with a big smile, and they are happy they put themselves through the pain. Overcoming the dread of going to the gym or beginning your workout starts with you putting on your shoes and deciding to work out because you know you will feel 100 times better after you’re done. In thousands of workout sessions coached, not once have I witnessed someone regretting they completed a workout.

The feeling of not wanting to work out is normal. Generally, people don’t want to put themselves through 30-60 minutes of uncomfortable exercise daily. But people, we need to, and we need to badly.

And the worst thing is that we know we need it. But still, we don’t do it. Why? Why do we not do the one thing we know can help solve so many mental and physical issues with ourselves? Not sleeping well, having bad moods, low self-esteem, or anxiety, exercise has been proven to help mitigate all of these things. It is quite literally a magic drug.

Crazy, right? A drug that’s good for me? No way. But people, it is, and the crazy thing is, it can be free.

Exercise doesn’t have to be fancy or complicated. For some people, it can be as simple as walking every day for 30 minutes. Walking costs nothing. One could even find a park and start a simple calisthenics program or one of the many free programs on the internet. Another easy and accessible option could be running around town. It’s a great way to get to know your community better. These are all easy ways to start improving your health and lifestyle with a low barrier of entry.

The great thing about exercise and embarking on this journey of a healthy lifestyle is that it can and will evolve. Do not be deterred by thinking you have to have special shoes or a colorcoordinated outfit to start. Just start. Make it easy. Just know that there will be many days you don’t want to do it, but take comfort in the fact that you will love being done.

For those lacking the self-motivation and accountability to get it done alone, you may need to seek out a coach or community of people on the same path. Rest assured, the little extra money you spend to be a part of these tribe-like communities will pay off dividends in the end.

So, where do we start? Look to your friend groups and ask for recommendations for gyms or personal trainers. Call or walk in to meet the owner and have a bit of a conversation to see if you like the vibe of the gym and the owner. Usually, the owners dictate the vibes of the gym, so if they are cool, then you can expect the gym to be a reflection of them. Okay, so now that you’ve found a gym or personal training option, ask for a free trial; usually, these are offered but not always.

I will be checking in on you for the next 12 months, hoping I can inspire, push, or even guilt you into starting your journey to a healthier, more active lifestyle. spt

Eddie McKenna is co-owner of Heyday Elite Fitness. For more info, visit heydaytraining.com.

2022 REAL ESTATE MARKET: A YEAR IN REVIEW

by Mike Harper & Peter Hazdovac

Over the past four-plus years of writing the real estate column for San Pedro Today, we have always tried to offer an annual review of our local real estate market. This year has been unique from previous years because it has become the “tale of two halves” in our local market. While we began the year on a pretty stable footing, the second half of the year has been defined by a significant slowdown in our local real estate market.

To give the complete picture of how our local market fared, let’s look back at how the market settled out in 2021 compared to 2020. 2021 (post-pandemic) ended up considerably higher in prices and volume compared to 2020. According to local MLS statistics (2021 vs. 2020), there were 411 single-family residences sold in San Pedro (+15.7%) with an average sales price of $870,000 (+15%) and average days on market (DOM) of 10 days (-23%). In neighboring Rancho Palos Verdes, there were 488 SFRs sold (+22.3%) with an average sales price of $1,719MM (+18.5%) and average DOM of 8 days (-38%). Overall, there were 4,841 SFRs sold (+22.1%) in the Greater South Bay with an average sales price of $1,109MM (+16.8%) and average DOM of 8 days (-27.2%). The overall trend across the Greater South Bay was increased sales volume, substantially higher prices, and fewer days on market.

In July, we discussed the transitional phase our local real estate market was experiencing due to a slowing economy, inflationary concerns, and the average 30-year fixed rate mortgage climbing from below 3.25% for much of 2021 to 5.78% in mid-June. So how did the final six months of 2022 play out?

According to MLS statistics (2022 vs. 2021), at the time of our column submission (12/12/2022), 294 SFRs sold in San Pedro, which was down -23.4%, with approximately 90 fewer homes sold. However, the average sales

price for an SFR remained strong at $960,000, which was +10.3% higher than the same period last year. DOM remained unchanged at 10 days. In Rancho Palos Verdes, there were 346 homes sold, which was down from 461 homes sold in 2021. This was a -24.9% decrease and a whopping 115 fewer home sales. Average sales prices rose from $1,725MM to $1,855MM, a +7.5% increase. DOM went from 8 to 10 days. Overall, 3,448 SFRs sold in the Greater South Bay, which was down significantly with 1,151 fewer homes sold (-25%). The average sales price remained stable at $1,187MM, up +6.65%. DOM went from 8 to 10 days. It’s clear that rising mortgage rates and inflationary concerns had a significant impact on sales volume in our local market. Although price appreciation has slowed, overall market conditions have remained stable where values are concerned.

What’s the outlook for 2023? The California Association of Realtors® projects a -7.2% decline in existing SFR sales (333,450 units), and home prices are forecasted to decline by -8.8% to an average of $758,000. Stubbornly high inflation and growing economic concerns will keep the average for 30-year fixed mortgage interest rates elevated at 6.6% in 2023, up from 5.2% in 2022 and 3% in 2021 but will remain relatively low by historical standards. Housing supply continues to remain tight in the Greater South Bay. While sales volume is expected to continue to soften, housing prices in our local market should remain relatively stable to down slightly as long as people have jobs, the unemployment rate does not increase significantly, and inventory remains low. One thing is sure, we will continue to stay on the pulse of our local real estate market and keep our readers informed in 2023. Wishing you all a happy New Year! spt

Mike Harper and Peter Hazdovac are both licensed Realtors® with Keller Williams Realty. For more info, visit harperhazdovac.com.

REMEMBERING MR. SAN PEDRO: John Olguin stands in front of the Cabrillo Marine Aquarium auditorium that bears his name in May 2010. Olguin passed away on New Year's Day 2011. This photo was taken by San Pedro Today's late historian, Angela Romero, while Olguin toured her around the aquarium. (photo: Angela Romero)