Businesses Remain Open at Trancas

Amid the temporary fencing, demolition and construction, a handful of long-standing Malibu businesses are still open at the Trancas Country Market in western Malibu.

The stores, including Drill, Starbucks, Trancas Tailors & Cleaners, Postal Annex, Trancas Canyon Nursery, and Sea Lily Malibu, are open at temporary locations within the shopping center, which is undergoing a major renovation.

The owners of the center originally hoped to begin work in October, according to Tony Dorn of Dorn Commercial Real Estate.

“They knew these independent businesses needed Christmas and it gave them three more months,” Dorn said.

Each business has been given a temporary location within the center, where they are open.

Starbucks is operating a food truck with outdoor seating during the renovation and expansion of its space.

On the other side of the shopping center, Drill Surf & Skate Shop, Trancas Tailors and Cleaners, Postal Annex, Trancas Canyon Nursery and Sea Lily are all grouped together.

Sam Sung of Trancas Tailors and Cleaners has been in business in Malibu for 15 years and believes the new space will be good for both his operation and Malibu residents.

“I have very loyal customers,” Sung said, adding that he has signed a 10-year lease with a five-year extension option.

His customers include many longtime Malibu residents and well known ones such as Pamela Anderson, Pierce Brosnan and others.

The new space will include new equipment and he will continue to offer natural cleaning, without toxic chemicals.

Craig Clunies-Ross, owner of Drill since 2009, said he is excited about the new location and happy with his temporary one, which is next to the Erewhon Market, an independent supermarket that could open as early as this summer.

“I believe in this location,” Clunies-Ross said. He confirmed he has a multi-year lease, but did not wish to discuss the terms.

Mike Herbert, owner of Postal Annex, said he has been operating at the shopping center for 10 years. He said he recently signed another 10-year lease.

He said while Postal Annex is open in the temporary location, residents will not be able to access their mail boxes 24-hours a day due to security. That access will be restored once they move into the permanent location.

“Everything will be back to normal,” Herbert said.

Even Trancas Canyon Nursery and Sea Lily Malibu have trailers to operate out of in the parking lot near Pacific Coast Highway. Their original space in the back of the shopping center is being bulldozed to make room for new buildings that will be up to code. (Read more about the changes to their space here.)

A resident-led effort ensured their future at the shopping center after they received an eviction notice in 2011. The businesses now have a five-year lease.

The Preserve Malibu Coalition said in a statement it is working to organize a petition to make sure Trancas Canyon Nursery and Sea Lily are given the same length of lease as the other businesses in the center.