A historic Spanish Colonial Revival style property on Belmont Shore’s Second Street — which is currently leased by South of Nick’s Mexican Kitchen and KAL Capital Markets — has changed hands.
The building was originally constructed in 1929, according to a recent news release, and has been redeveloped by Aaron Tofani’s ATE Real Estate.
Tofani also owns Rance’s Pizza on Second Street, and is a Belmont Shore Business Association board member.
Two real estate firms, Hanley Investment Group Real Estate Advisors and Coastal Commercial Inc., arranged the $9.9 million pre-sale of the property, the announcement said, to a buyer from Palos Verdes.
“The buyer was seeking a pride-of-ownership location in Southern California, and we were able to facilitate a pre-sale transaction that closed escrow prior to both tenants opening for business and paying rent in order to satisfy the buyer’s exchange requirement,” said Nathan Holthouser, Coastal Commercial’s president.
South of Nick’s, the news release said, occupies the 5,707-square foot ground floor, and KAL Capital sits on the 3,284-square foot on the second floor.
A historic photo of the 5354 E. 2nd Street property, which was formerly a bank. It now houses South of Nick’s restaurant and KAL Capital. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Tofani).
Aaron Tofani of ATE Real Estate finds a historic photo the 5354 E. 2nd Street property, which was formerly a bank. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Tofani).
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A historic photo of the 5354 E. 2nd Street property, which was formerly a bank. It now houses South of Nick’s restaurant and KAL Capital. (Photo courtesy of Aaron Tofani).
“Some of the key elements of the building we restored were the windows at the tower element which had been covered, the grills over those windows which had been removed,” Tofani said in an email, “relocating the entrance back to the original location, replacing the pendant light above the front door and adding back the blade sign at the corner.”
The restaurant, according to Tofani, is expected to open next summer after construction delays pushed back the timeline several times.
“The construction delays were primarily caused by the needed utility upgrades to convert the building from a bank to a restaurant,” Tofani said, noting that the permitting process for the various upgrades took some additional time.
But with all that work finished up, Tofani says the new restaurant will “be a significant enhancement to activating this end of Second Street.”
Aside from the redevelopment that’s already been done on the property, Tofani said there are some other plans in store for the future — including the potential installation of a historical marker.
“Governor (George) Deukmejian did have an office here (may have been his first office as an attorney),” Tofani said, “and I have been working with the Mayor’s office to create a plaque designating this for the building.”
The property is located at 5354 E. 2nd Street.
Downtown dining
With music festival Dreamstate prompting the closure of the Queen Mary all weekend and filling the parking lots last Friday night, it seemed like a good time to venture to the downtown section of Fourth Street via ride share to check out a new Japanese restaurant.
Homareya is an izakaya — a casual place for after-work drinking and small sharable plates, like a neighborhood pub. It was opened by chef Yoya Takahashi, who is known as a sushi master that works magic with fish, in September.
We ate at the counter, which I strongly suggest, and paired our meal with sake. We started with a sashimi assortment and some grilled yellowtail. From there, we tried a variety of small plates that the chefs suggested, which made for a fun and delicious evening.
I suggest you park in the city garage (two hours free most days), or if you decide to go next weekend when Apocalypsefest gets underway — opt for a ride share instead.
Homareya is located at 145 E. 4th Street.
After dinner, we strolled over to The Lagoon — a speakeasy at Midnight Oil — which boasts a tiki trailer park-style bar serving craft cocktails at 255 Long Beach Blvd. for a nightcap.
Small Business Saturday
Small Business Saturday — the Saturday after Thanksgiving — is a daylong opportunity for holiday shoppers to show support for all the unique mom-and-pop shops that give Long Beach its local flavor.
The nationwide movement got its start in 2010 with an American Express credit card incentive, and now, Long Beach’s independent shopkeepers and business districts have made Shop Small Saturday their own.
In honor of Small Business Saturday, here are some local businesses with unique offerings worth a visit.
LB Swag owner Annie Mekertichian poses at the store. (Photo by Jo Murray).
Four local business are supporting the Grunion Gazette’s 2025 Gift Card Drive by hosting donation drop-off boxes at their stores. The one pictured is located at LB Swag, owned by Annie Mekertichian, on Belmont Shore’s Second Street. (Photo by Kristy Hutchings).
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LB Swag owner Annie Mekertichian poses at the store. (Photo by Jo Murray).
Aside from shopping small, you can also donate to the Grunion Gazette’s Gift Card Drive — supporting domestic violence survivors via WomenShelter of Long Beach — by visiting the following shops, which are hosting donation drop-off boxes to support the campaign this year:
Belmont Shore Optometric, at 5219 2nd St., offers a range of services including annual routine examinations, contact lens fittings, and treatment for various eye conditions.
Dainty Disco, at 3972 Atlantic Ave., will offer 25% to 30% off select stickers, DIY kits, and junk journal scrap kits on Small Business Saturday. Gift certificates are also on sale: $50 gift certificates for $40, or $100 gift certificates for $85.
At this DIY studio and event space, customers can decorate accessories like a jewelry box, phone case, mirrors, frames and more using fake whipped cream and a huge selection of charms. They also offer balloon services including custom balloon garlands.
LB Swag, at 5304 2nd St., sells artwork, clothing, holiday gifts, Long Beach memorabilia, and much more — many of which are made by local vendors. They also lighted Christmas trees that resemble the ones floating in Alamitos Bay.
Frosted Cupcakery, at 4817 2nd St., makes their cupcakes fresh in-house everyday, using high quality ingredients. A cupcake is a single serving, so you can treat yourself or buy a dozen to take home.
Other businesses with Small Business Saturday deals include:
Blue Windows, which will offer a 15% discount on many items (Jellycat and some holiday items will be excluded). They are open from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily and will be open until 8 p.m. on Small Business Saturday.
Customers can order online and have items shipped to their homes or to the store for pick-up — either way, let them know if you’d like it wrapped in the notes at checkout.
The DTLB Alliance is partnering with Driver to offer a special Shop Small Shuttle to help shoppers get around Downtown’s retail corridors easily. The shuttle will have four stops:
The Pike Outlets
First Street in the Historic East Village Arts District
North Pine, which will host an outdoor pop-up with tacos and vintage cars
Pine & Promenade, where the Angel City Market will operate
The free shuttle will run from noon to 5 p.m. on Shop Small Saturday.
Plenty of businesses in Bixby Knolls will also be offering specials for Small Business Saturday. For a list of deals, go to bixbyknollsinfo.com/thinksmall.