Los Gatos Weekly-Times

Sound Techniques relocates to Blossom Hill Road address

By Frank Stagnaro

DON'T PANIC if you see a "For Lease" sign in the window of Sound Techniques of Los Gatos at 15330 Los Gatos Blvd. ... The town has not lost its only remaining VCR, TV, stereo, camcorder and speaker re-coning store. ... It's just that proprietor Martin McGuire is relocating operations to 14060 Blossom Hill Road, which is in the Walgreens Square at the corner of Blossom Hill and Harwood. ...

That's a lot farther from downtown but still within the confines of L.G. ... McGuire reports that the new facility's 1,400-square-foot showroom has been remodeled at a cost of $45,000 and will be ready for business on March 15.

FRED SANDS Landmark Properties Inc., a prominent name in upscale Beverly Hills/Hollywood real estate circles (the firm handled the court-directed sale of the O.J. Simpson home), opened an office at 221 N. Santa Cruz Ave. on March 1. ... Sands has 65 offices throughout the state, most of them in Southern California ... Broker Eldon Ewing owns the franchise, which expects to hire 35 real estate agents. ... Dave Walsh will be office manager.

WOLF CAMERA and Video is opening a second Los Gatos store at 730 Blossom Hill Blvd. in the King's Court shopping center. ...

The 1800-square-foot retail outlet is scheduled to open on April 15 but "that date is subject to change."... The store will carry a full complement of photography, video and imaging products, such as 35mm and 24mm APS cameras, video camcorders, film, and accessories. ... Digital imaging services, including digital photo alteration and restoration, video prints, digital scanning and graphic design will also be available.... The Wolf store at 349 N. Santa Cruz Ave. will remain in operation.

THE LONG-RUNNING debate over the correct property designation of the Fountain Court Motel (motel rooms or apartment units?) at the juncture of N. Santa Cruz Avenue and Blossom Hill Road is over.

The buildings in question have been demolished. ... In their stead, developer Louis Romano plans to construct new retail, office, apartment and industrial structures at 664 N. Santa Cruz Ave., totaling 11,276 square feet on a 27,994-square-foot double frontage lot.

An existing one-story commercial building contains 1,859 square feet. Romano plans to renovate the first floor and add 1,784 square feet to it for retail use and an additional 2,801 square feet for a second story. ... The second story will be used for a 953-square-foot office, a 970-square-foot apartment and an 880-square-foot apartment. ... Romano will also build a second building on the site that will contain 4,832 square feet of gross floor area (1,000 square feet of the inside of the building will be used for parking). ...

Concurrently, John Heindel is erecting a 5,777-square-foot mixed-use building on a 14,012-square-foot double frontage lot immediately adjacent (646 N. Santa Cruz Ave.) to the Romano buildings. The site contained a pre-1941 single family residence which was demolished with the approval of the Los Gatos Historic Preservation Committee. ... The first floor of the new building will contain 3,602 square feet of retail space. The second floor will contain a 1,117-square-foot apartment and a 937-square-foot apartment.

Construction at the two sites is being undertaken as a cooperative effort by Louis Romano and John Heindel. Aptos architect Louis Dorcich, who has been associated with Los Gatos building projects since 1970, was commissioned to achieve the desired homogeneity of the three buildings. ...

"We wanted a commonality to the buildings, as well as having them blend in with the character and nature of the area," Dorcich says. "We feel we've achieved our goals."... Louis Romano, whose company will act as general contractor, is more enthusiastic. ... "I think the buildings will be among the better looking in downtown Los Gatos."

Heindel takes a broader perspective. "The project will certainly improve one of the gateways to Los Gatos. Visitors approaching from Winchester Boulevard will get a better impression of the town." ...

Access to the sites will be from N. Santa Cruz Avenue and Industrial Road. They will share a driveway. All parking requirements have been met. ... The buildings should be ready for occupancy in the early fall.

BORDERS, a leading national book and music retailer, is hoping to move into renovated Old Town sometime during the fall. "It all depends on the weather," says Jody Kohn, director of publicity and promotions at corporate headquarters in Ann Arbor, Mich. ... Typical Borders stores include a Cafe Expresso coffee shop and offer customers more than 200,000 book, music, video and periodical titles from which to choose. ... Each Borders store hosts a variety of public events, including lectures, author signings and appearances, and musical performances. ... Founded as a small independent bookstore in 1971, Borders has more than 185 stores nationwide.

Wondering what's going up on a specific corner in Los Gatos or whatever happened to a local business that suddenly disappeared? Have a hot tip about local business? Frank Stagnaro reports in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times once a month. Call him at 374-5881.

[ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ]