Chamber Members Attend
President's Luncheon
Leron Gubler, Chamber
President & CEO, was joined by Chamber board
senior vice chair Bill Farrar in welcoming new
Chamber members at the recent President’s
Luncheon. A quarterly event held at the
Chamber’s offices, the President’s Luncheon is
for new members, and those “in need of a
refresher”, to learn more about the Chamber and
how to best take advantage of membership
benefits. Attendees meet Chamber staff, hear
updates and details on Chamber programs and
services, and have an opportunity to network and
share information about their business. The next
President’s Luncheon is slated for December
2008. For more information please contact
bj@hollywoodchamber.net.
Unveiling of The Kress
brings Hollywood Glamour with a Modern Twist
 Photo
by Bob Freeman
The opening of The Kress last week at 6608
Hollywood Boulevard marks a landmark
contribution to Hollywood’s continued
revitalization. The 38,800 sq.ft. multi-million
dollar project has been historically renovated
in the past two years into an upscale dining and
entertainment venue. Michael Viscuso, founder and
CEO of Visco Entertainment Collection chose the
name The Kress as homage to the structure’s
original tenant and owner, S.H. Kress and Co. a
nationally-recognized retail chain which
operated until 1981. For over 59 years this
incredible art deco structure was home to the
landmark flagship location for Frederick’s of
Hollywood. Two years after Frederick’s closed
its doors in 2003, The Kress stepped in to take
this historical masterpiece back to its original
1934 architectural brilliance maintaining the
original 1930’s marble stairway, brass railings,
ornate Italian-designed ceiling and an art deco
façade. The Kress boasts a full service
restaurant lead by world renowned Executive Chef
Troy N. Thompson offering an inspired menu with
an Asian influence. All levels offer a diverse
full service bar. The basement level lounge
offers a limited food service menu, live
entertainment and dance floor. The third level
banquet and event center offer food service,
live entertainment and dance floor. The
spectacular design-driven rooftop lounge with
cabanas, offers a limited food service menu and
a 360 degree view of Los Angeles including the
famous Hollywood sign. Pictured are Scott
Campbell; Leron Gubler, President & CEO of
Hollywood Chamber; Michael Viscuso; Council
President Eric Garcetti; Billie Greer, Director
of Los Angeles Office of Governor Arnold
Schwarzenegger; Baydsar Thomasian, field
representative of Assemblymember Kevin deLeon
Chamber Testifies at
CRA Hearing on Proposed Permanent Supportive
Housing Project
 Nicole
Shahenian, Hollywood Chamber’s vice president of
public policy, spoke last week before the
Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) in support of the
proposed Villas at Gower permanent supportive
housing project. The LEED Gold certified
project envisions construction of a four-story
70 unit housing complex which will bring much
needed homes to those in the Hollywood community
who are most in need - single adults, families
with children, and transitional age youth who
were homeless, including a portion having
special needs. The Villas at Gower will respond
to the unique needs of these Hollywood residents
by providing essential services including
intensive case management that will connect
residents to the full range of support services
they need to gain increased independence and
remain stably housed. Shahenian testified that
the Villas at Gower are an important step in the
right direction in addressing homelessness
in the Hollywood community. As part of the
Chamber’s ongoing work to address homelessness
in Hollywood, the Chamber has joined with a
coalition of Hollywood business and community
leaders to find innovative approaches to combat
homelessness in Hollywood. The Hollywood
Business Roundtable on Homelessness recently
toured a similar permanent supportive housing
facility in Santa Monica. Both the Santa Monica
and proposed Villas at Gower facility are based
on a “housing first” approach to homelessness
which recognizes the effectiveness of permanent
supportive housing over the more historical
approach of asking the homeless to navigate
their way through a complex web of isolated
housing, feeding, and other service programs. For
further information on the Villas at Gower
project or how to get involved in the Hollywood
Business Roundtable on Homelessness please
contact the Chamber’s Vice President of Public
Policy, Nicole Shahenian at
Nicole@hollywoodchamber.net or at
323-468-1373.
Make Your Reservation
for “Summer in the Park” Mixer & EXPO!
The Hollywood Chamber’s Health Care Committee
and the East Hollywood Business Improvement
District invite members of the Chamber, and the
community, to enjoy a special evening at
Barnsdall Art Park. Summer in the Park, which
will highlight business resources of the East
Hollywood area, is co-sponsored by the Los
Angeles Association of Health Underwriters, the
Ramada Hotel of Hollywood, Children’s Hospital,
Kaiser Permanente, and Hollywood Presbyterian
Medical Center; BREATHE California, Hollywood
Famous Dental Care, the Saban Free Clinic and
Wilshire Pacific Investors. Additional
exhibitors include the California’s Department
of Managed Health Care HMO Help Center, Office
of the Patient Advocate, and the Medical Board
of California, as well as Queens Care Family
Clinics and the US Department of Labor EBSA.
Talk to Marty: Addiction
Counseling Services (213)500-8865 •
Take $50 dollars off first visit!
Community Invited to
Historic Survey Workshop Tonight
The Hollywood
community has been invited to a special
Hollywood Historic Survey Workshop
tonight on
Tuesday, August 12th, at the Will and
Ariel Durant Branch Library, 7140 W. Sunset
Blvd. The workshop will help to provide the
data for a survey being conducted of the
historic elements of the CRA’s Hollywood Plan.
It will be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m.
Attendees will be invited to provide their input
on buildings that they consider to be Hollywood
landmarks, and people who have helped to shape
the Hollywood area. For further information,
contact Kip Rudd at the Hollywood Regional
Office of the CRA at (323)960-2660.
The Feel Good Film Festival Announces Debut at
the Egyptian Theatre
The Feel Good Film Festival (FGFF) is set to
premiere Friday, August 22 at the Egyptian
Theatre in Hollywood and will run through
Sunday, August 24.. The three-day festival will
feature 53 films, including 15 features, 31
shorts, and 7 student films. The Feel Good Film
Festival lineup will represent seven countries,
including the U.S, U.K., Spain, Australia,
Netherlands, Finland and Canada. Festival passes
and tickets are available for purchase on
www.fgff.org.
KBKG reduces
taxes with Enterprise Zone Tax Credits
Members Take 15-20% Off with
I&A Dry Cleaners:
Call 323-953-9988
Click
here for Chamber
Member News, Events and Discount Offers
Free
business counseling at the Hollywood Chamber
Offered by the Service Corps of Retired
Executives (SCORE)
Richard Krelstein, a retired business
turn-around specialist
Consulting services will be available most
Fridays 9:30 - 11:30am
To schedule an
appointment, call Vivian at (323)469-8311.
This
Thursday, August 14th, 7:30am - 4:30pm:
Blood Drive at Childrens Hospital Blood
Donor Center
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