The DOWNTOWN Report: Mid-December 2023

By Mike Ritto on December 14, 2023

2023 In Review

Once again, an artificially designated “New Year” is nearly upon us, so we look back at what took place, what we did, what we did not do, and what may be left over to get done in 2024; wow, 2024.

Last January, we noticed the empty lot on East Amerige near Pomona was overgrown, but suddenly, it was cleared, perhaps a sign that something would finally be built there. Nope, it’s still an empty lot, so it’s wandered into a second decade of emptiness. Chapman Brewing took over the Vino Nostra location, and . . . yea, nothing is happening there yet either; what the heck? The historic concrete bridge on Pomona and Union came crashing down, not a match for a speeding car, now restored, as you readers know all too well.

February saw Mo’s Fullerton Music close and begin getting their new building on Commonwealth ready, reopened at 1109 E Commonwealth. Joes became Callahans at 124 West Commonwealth, and funding began to replace the iconic neon sign in front of our Police Department.

March, wow, the drought-busting deluge continued, and we even became familiar with ‘graupel’- soft hail/snow pellets, snow on our nearby foothills, and floods due to massive amounts of rain. The Mugs opened at 444 N Harbor. The Hornets finished #1 in Men’s Basketball with an 83-73 victory over City College of San Francisco on the 12th, and we celebrated the start of the Little League season as Tommy Lasorda Highway was dedicated.

In April, Quamaria Coffee opened at 229 West Commonwealth, and they purchased the lot across the street for parking. Good move. Lagos Mexican restaurant was getting closer to opening, and they gave us a peek inside (Mid-April edition). Monday Mornings at Hillcrest Park began as veterans gathered at the Korean War Memorial to visit, share stories, and help each other when needed.

May brought sadness as we bid farewell to Tommy Thompson, the longtime Fullerton Fire Department Inspector/Investigator. Bootleggers celebrated their 15th Anniversary at the downtown tasting room, and The Olde Ship turned 30. The second annual Pride Parade took place Downtown with hundreds of bicycles, people on skates and skateboards, and a few tiny cars heading west on Wilshire to the Fullerton Museum Center. The vintage Police sign we mentioned was installed, better than the new one.

June marked the return of the first large event at our Municipal Airport since June 2019, when Helicopter Day took place. We caught up with “Commander” Chuck Street, who was instrumental in getting our Downtown on the map with his help getting us the aerial photos and publicity we needed. Summer is here, and we had a successful Day of Music on June 21, with many musicians donating their talents to celebrate the worldwide event once again. We learned much more than most knew about the legendary Wilshire Theater when former owner Pete Beard filled us in on the many inconceivable events that led to its demise. There was so much to tell.

The story continued in the August edition, detailing the final days of our most cherished Angelos and Vincis. Do you remember September? Many gathered at the Downtown Plaza to celebrate Leo Fender’s birthday and announce the upcoming Fender exhibit at the Museum, which opened on December 9. The heavy rains continued, and urgent flood warnings were given, as up to a year’s worth of rain was predicted, creating a “significant threat to property.” Things got rough but not as dire as expected, and we all made it without an Ark in sight.

October was a huge month for new businesses in our downtown area. It marked the opening of Allison’s Goods at 815 N Harbor, Sew Fun at 622 N Harbor, Chako’s Social at 101 S Harbor, Lagos at 139 W Santa Fe, The Charleston at 114 E Commonwealth, Ax Lair at 109 E Commonwealth, This Café and Creamery at 115 E Commonwealth and Sabori! At 133 W Chapman. Wow. Free movies were shown at the Fullerton Museum Center.

November just gave way to December, and we covered the walking tour of Hillcrest Park, plus the completion of the vintage bridge repairs on the hairpin turn at Pomona and Union that was originally built by the WPA in 1940. The loss of John Keller on November 8 was a shock, and many celebrated his life on Saturday, December 2. He will be greatly missed, and all who knew him were witness to that great life he had with his wife Pam Keller and their three sons. After putting this issue to bed, in silence and stillness, while reading a particularly haunting chapter of Maus, out of the darkness came a loud sound, a sharp jolt, and rapid-fire text messages. Social media came to life, and we all quickly discovered that the epicenter of an earthquake was about a mile away. The next day, we found amusement in trying to find the best shakes in town. Nick’s Super Burgers strawberry shake kicked off the list. No damage was done.

This month (December), we all hope for a Happy Holiday Season, and helping bring in the season cheer is a follow-up to our photo last time- the sparkle balls are up and shining on North Yale and Princeton Circle. Check them out when you can. The Winter Market on December 2 was a success once again, and the upcoming First Night 2024 takes place Downtown beginning at 7pm on December 31. Admission is FREE.

New In Town

Veronese Café is no more, but the good news is that the location is now open again and has transformed into The Classic Café. They had a soft opening beginning the final week of November and continuing into December. The address is 419 W Commonwealth- welcome to Fullerton.