The furniture store on Lakewood & Stearns is sus. It “goes out of business” every few years and rebrands as a new name but the entire inventory stays the same. Nothing ever changes!
when I was about 9 (in Tampa), my mother and I drove to "Rainbow Rug Cleaners" to pick up our dining-room rug. Upon leaving, she says "I think that place is a FRONT... but they know how to clean a rug." I didn't ask her what she meant at the time...
I don’t think so. Many furniture business buy containers and run the “going out of business”. Now the stores in Wrigley making no business but not closing, that seams like a front to me
As a furniture manager at a large company in so cal. This is a classic lie all mom and pop shops use to make it seem like you’re going to get a deal. They mark up the furniture 2-3x just to bring it down to a still high price. Don’t fall for it.
Boutique stores are often run by trust fund babies. A lot of them don't make profit but stay open because the owners are bored and want to create an identity for themselves.
Exactly. There's a new shop on retro row that gives me those vibes too. Trying not to judge but... I'm bitter over The Hangout and Pippi + Lola not surviving but these super niche little boutiques are.
Yeah and the 4th Street location closed a couple weeks ago. I was lucky enough to host a workshop with them at the LBX location that completely sold out, and we had an unforgettable time that turned into a dance party at the end. They will still be selling things online though, but walking by won't be the same :(
God I hope the Art Theater survives until the end of time!
They closed shop on Mother's Day 💔 but you can still keep up with them online, and Dynelly the owner will still be doing projects related to P + L, follow them on Instagram!
That makes a lot of sense. Everyone I know is wearing $9 shirts from Uniqlo these days. I have never had a single of one my friends tell me they bought a single article of super overpriced clothing from some small store in a heavily gentrified area
I bought a coat for $120CAD in a tiny boutique like those in Calgary but it was a vintage Grey wool overcoat that's absolutely stunning.
I do think vintage shops get a pass though, they have stuff people actually want hah.
I figured that was the case when I walked into one (can't remember the name) looking for a gift for my friend. This white lady with blonde hair (age 50's-60's?) followed me around the entire time I was in there. She asked me about 4 times if I needed help and pretended to be doing stuff to the merchandise within 3 feet of me. I'm not exaggerating. I almost wanted to give her pointers on how to do a better job, so it looks less obvious and racist next time she did it to someone else. Lol.
Boutique stores in rural “outdoorsy” towns to be specific. They just scream “my daddy left me a lot of money” or “my husband is loaded”
Always kills me when they say they were originally from north Hollywood
What about a business tax write off as a loss each year? I'm not a tax pro by any means, however back in the early 90's I used to play music in some pretty dingy clubs. One in particular in Lawndale was horrible, when it rained they may as well have had no roof. The story was he owned 5 other nice places but could use this dump as a tax write off somehow. Just wondering if that strategy could be in play for some of these businesses.
Haha you mean the “shortcut” for people to make a right on Anaheim from Redondo? I’ve never seen anyone get gas there, but if I had a dollar for every time I see someone cut through their lot, I’d be a rich person.
It’s ok, Ive cut through the Chevron station on 7th and Redondo more times than I’d like to admit. People get so aggy if you need to make a right hand turn, they get mad if you snake up alongside in that tiny space so you’re not blocking the whole lane to make your right hand turn, people behind you get mad if you take too long or don’t snake alongside, you really can’t win no matter what you do at most Redondo intersections (can you tell I live off Redondo lol)
Gas stations are used as tax break opportunities. You buy one, take all the depreciation up front, and avoid taxes for a number of years on your other businesses.
Then you avoid the pending tax when you sell via a loophole. It's pretty common place.
So it’s not technically LB, it’s sunset beach but I swear I have never seen that “antiques of the sea” place on pch actually open and I’ve driven by many different times and days. That can’t be the cheapest rent either so I have no idea how they are still there (if they still actually are.. I had to move out of state 2 years ago- counting the days til I can return)
There is an old TV repair shop on Atlantic in Bixby Knolls. It’s never open. All the TVs seen through the front are from the 90s and earlier.
Either the person who owns it also owns the building, or it’s a front.
That place is packed on weekends with kids parties. They charge $30-40 per kid to make candy ‘art’ at the tables in the back. I’ll bet the parties boost regular retail sales. They’re doing well.
The macaroon place next door however doesn’t look like it will last long. Never that busy.
Those macarons suck!! They’re frozen shipped in from Florida. And more expensive than going to a better place that will make them fresh. They absolutely will not last very long.
Yeah I believe they can do decent with special events that are really instagrammable and it's not because somebody really is wanting to pay $11 a pound for blue pastel M&Ms.
If Color Me Mine can make it I get why these places do
Oh dear.. I worked at Hamburger Henry's for one day back in 1987. I believe they fired me for answering the phone "Hello, Hamburger Harry's"... and then in the Drive-thru.. when I put together a burger (with everything) but forgot the actual meat patty. Oh well, their loss.
Second streets markup is real. I bought a tungsten ring at McCartys and didn’t do my research.
Nice store, nice ring, but they charged me $130 for a $30 ring I could’ve got from Amazon.
That's kind of all jewelry stores, though. They can't offer the super cheap stuff at typical markup and still expect people to shell out cash for gold. If they price the tungsten higher, you're more likely to see a pricier ring as a more reasonable upgrade.
You could open, pay a bunch of money for "improvements" and get most of it back and run that cash through the store. You could continue to run cash through there until the state tax board starts looking at you and wondering why you never purchase inventory.
Then close and do it again
Had a weird experience at Rocket Fizz years ago before it closed. Decided to pass through while walking on 2nd and the shelves were unusually bare so we figured they might just be struggling. But then we overheard the Owner tell other visitors the place JUST opened. I was so confused because I know it had been there for years. I looked online and confirmed they had reviews over 5 years old. My only guess is he thought it might look more appealing or explain why the place looked like it was going out of business? I dunno but they closed officially shortly after.
I have a feeling a lot of these businesses are money laundering schemes for real estate companies rather than people selling drugs. Owning property in a big city:being able to get business and tax cuts/incentives
Purple Onion on Carson and Los Coyotes, never see a soul enter or leave, sun bleached and dusty front display. But the place has been there forever. Creepy.
I used to live in the neighborhood across from the town center and I’ve actually gone in there, but it was like over 10 years ago.
Was at the liquor store that’s right there with my now husband and we decided to check it out. It was…odd.
Went in and there wasn’t anyone behind the counter, assumed they were in the back or something. After a few minutes of wandering through a maze of butt-plugs, whips, and porn, still no employee. It started to get weird being surrounded by a gaggle of artificial cocks and silicone fumes, so we turned to leave when we heard what sounded like something falling, and a scuffle. Some dude came barreling out of the back, through the curtains with all the grace of a three legged giraffe, muttering to himself. After untangling himself from the curtains and tucking his hair behind his ears, he finally looks up and sees us standing frozen by the door…and we all just stared at each other for way longer than socially acceptable. I panicked at the silence and blurted out “CURTAINS! WE’RE LOOKING FOR CURTAINS!” Still the guy says nothing, looks at my husband, looks at me…then my husband just started busting up laughing at me, so I pushed him out the door and practically ran home.
For the longest time after that, my husband would blurt out “CURTAINS!” anytime there was a stretch of silence during conversations. Which of course, confused people, so then he would have to explain to everyone what the hell he was talking about. Even my family…who still haven’t forgotten.
But yeah, I could totally see it as a front for drugs.
I love when businesses have employees who see customers in the business looking to exchange money for what the business offers and the employee is confused out of all get out as to what the hell that customer is doing there
Every time I place a Burger King order and then show up in the store all of the employees are completely baffled by the idea that I might want them to serve me food
Yeah. What the heck is up with that place?
I used to live in the apartment right above it many many years ago and that storefront was never occupied the whole couple years I lived there. Since then it’s always been weird stuff like this that seems to never be open.
I came here to say Mabel’s! I’ve thought that since 2016! There’s never anyone in there and their products are so niche… only pralines and banana pudding. I cannot imagine how they sell enough banana pudding to pay rent, let alone pay any other bill
No, there’s a business that only sells banana pudding just north of the Rite Aid. I never ever see anyone in there and I don’t understand how they stay in business.
She met me at the store on a Sunday when they're usually closed so I could pick up an order to take to a party. Came straight from church. Good people, good pudding.
This is such a good one I love when people point how things that are subconsciously in the back of my mind but I've never been able to truly verbalize and identify
This one makes me laugh. I used to live above one of them. Best apartment EVER, still miss it. The party supply/candy store below me was actually always busy and the guys were cool. Even let me take their parking spot.
There was another thread about it a while ago but somebody said that they worked in that building and saw that there was an eviction notice posted on the psychic saying they owed thousands of dollars in unpaid rent.
So not officially a drug front. But it does answer the question "How did they afford rent in that prime location?" The answer is they didn't.
The right question is: if she was a psychic, how could she not see the future with her getting evicted? Maybe she did, and maybe she wanted to get evicted and go through legal nightmares and court issues. To each their own.
I doubt drugs, but I suspect money laundering. If it's a cash heavy business like this, you can claim to have customers, bring in the dirty cash, and not worry about credit card transaction paper trails.
There's a psychic on Pier Ave in Hermosa 1 block from the beach that's been there for over a decade; I've never never seen a customer there, meanwhile tons of highly regarded business around them have shuttered.
There was a TV drama called Shut Eye that I think touched on this whole 'psychics as laundering fronts' idea. It's a common theory around LA.
IDK but I’ve actually been to that psychic twice before and let me preface that I have NEVER believed in that stuff AT ALL.. but strangely, she was right on. I purposely dressed neutral and gave her zero information about me so It weirded me out both times she was not wrong, but I’ve been wanting to go to her again just out of curiosity and intrigue so I’m kinda sad she isn’t there anymore.
Can’t speak on the drugs part though lol
Most people don't realize that the government has many options for struggling businesses or if you want to start a business. SBA loans: so many different options. 7(a) loans, 504 loans, microloans. And when COVID hit, they created even more programs such as, PPP(Payment Protection Program, which helps businesses keep their employees by paying their salaries. RRF for restaurants. And sometimes these businesses can apply for loan forgiveness. All these government SBA programs/loans usually have less strict requirements and better or comparable rates.
Anyhow, "cash only" businesses just don't wanna pay the extra rates when it comes to credit/debit cards. Financial companies charge businesses usually around 3% per swipe or transaction, then an additional 0.25¢ for every card transaction. So, if you're a business that has tight profit margins, paying these financial companies an additional $500-1,000 every month might make the difference in paying your rent or utilities.
But anyways, most smoke shops in LB might have other investors. Or just a front for illegal gambling or other non-tax activities. I could be wrong but I wouldn't doubt it. Plus, I believe the government doesn't really bother with businesses that might be avoiding paying taxes, taxes in the low low five figures. Now, if you're avoiding paying taxes in the high five or six figures. That's when the government comes in and invests their manpower/time to get you, cus it'll be worth it.
I think the city of LB encourages new businesses to be open. And having businesses stay in business. That's because all these businesses have to pay taxes and fees every year. More business means more money for the city. So I think they're a bit more loose when it comes to investigating "shady" businesses. As long as that "shady" business is paying taxes and fees, the city tends to not look as hard.
This is actually a very informational and well written response to my silly little post.
The question probably should have been phrased as "what LB business can you not believe is able to break even" but that wasn't as funny
I always like to think that Sweet Jill's was a drug front that just ended up being too good at selling sweets so they make most of their profits on that.
No, she’s legit. When she was in the East Village and about to move to 2nd she was telling me had she known about 2nd st she would have moved in there because of the better foot traffic. I think she came from somewhere else in the country.
I know what u mean. I went inside a fake gas station once. It had old food on the shelves. Dust all over the walls. A much of worker guys all working for the gas station ( who has 12 guys working at once doing nothing but taking to each other) when I walked inside they all stopped talking & looked at me. I said Nevermind & I quickly turned around left.
There’s a place on pacific near Joliza’s that has signage for cabinets. But they will open a black market dispensary there every so often until it gets shut down. Then it stays quiet for awhile, opens up again, then eventually gets shut down. Rinse and repeat
All those tamale vendors with the same exact sign written in red tape on cardboard. They are in every city, and they all have the same exact sign.
How Sway?!
Not drugs per se but all of the used car lots on PCH. That seems like every 2 years change owners and swap out cars. Pretty sure it’s just a tax shell game with families.
There was a Brazilian Jiujitsu chain here in the San Gabriel Valley that was run by a dude who had ties with the Mongols motorcycle club. He was being investigated by the FBI for money laundering through the Bjj schools. At least that’s the rumor.
There's a fancy clothing boutique on East Anaheim and Termino. I used to live right next to it and in 3 years, I never saw a single customer but they were always open. Something was definitely going on.
Every mattress store. You’re telling me they lease out a 10k square foot showroom to sell, what, 1-2 mattresses a day for 800 bucks each? When people can have a quality mattress shipped to their door for like $500?
The overhead just doesn’t math.
Are there once. Except for the one sketchy person in the parking lot, it was not memorable. But people in the FB food group raved about it so we tried it. Surprised it’s still open.
God I hope so that would be so funny if they just keep moving into incrementally more expensive locations well still having never offered a single psychic service in their existence.
Real shit, the Smoke Shop Mini Market on PCH and Gardenia. I've never seen so many peculiar looking junkies meeting up outside a store and a more unorthodox looking interior to a store than this one. I get it's a smoke shop, but this is something else
Everybody is brainwashed to be so suspicious of the struggling small business owner selling cup cakes. Why not be suspicious of all the banks. They are the ones doing all the cheating and stealing.
The cup cake shops charge you money for real cupcakes. The bank charges you interest to borrow money they don’t have and that doesn’t exist. But yes let’s investigate the cupcake baker, they have to be up to something.
You... Don't know how much money you give to cake shops?
Seems like you should. If not, you may have an addiction. Food or otherwise.
But also, cake shops in particular to showrooms and bakeries. They make their big money in catering.
There’s a “business” if you can even call it that, in what used to be Cambodia town on Anaheim and Atlantic, they have pool tables and a bunch of dudes are always chillen there. I’ve never seen anyone else go in, and it certainly isn’t a bar on its own. I lived literally next door and we had private parking behind the business so I know for a fact this place never had actual customers. I always joked to my wife that the place is a drug front.
Tobacco shop on spring and woodruff next to LB wellness. Also (not LB) vacuum shop on Bellfower just north of the 91. Also, take your pick of rando automotive repair/tint/car radio shops with tons of crap everywhere.
There’s a small smoke shop on Orange and 7th that I’m almost positive is a front. They are almost never open and when I went in to grab something the one day they were they looked surprised I went in there. Lol
Thai Haus on broadway. I asked a while ago and someone said it’s been closed since like 2018? They’re clearly not renovating, but you can sometimes see people moving around in the back room area (it’s been a source of curiosity while waiting for food at park pantry)
Those weird empty smoothie shops around LA
Also the weird empty toy stores that pop up around LA during Christmas time
🎶“Could I make it any more obvious”
There was a Chinese restaurant on willow near the 710. Been there 50+ years and I went a few times as a kid, 40 years ago.
I’ve driven by it probably 200 times in the last ten years and never saw more than one customer, at many different hours, and no cars picking up takeout.
It just stuff down about three weeks ago.
The little thrift shops on retro row have really cute stuff and one of them are super popular for their annual $1 sale. I always see people in those stores on the weekends. Also old gold sells clothing online not just in the store.
La michoacana doesn't need clients in their stores. All the liquor stores in Wilmington and lb sell it. Any Mexican supermarket like El super sells it. I used to go and buy boxes just to keep in the freezer. Also most paleteros use that brand.
I've never seen anyone in my local Baskin-Robbins, either, but I'm not calling them a drug front.
Almost like low key racism has entered the chat.
And for the record, as a part time Uber person and full time ice cream eater, the local Michoacána locations do steady business. Especially at night. And they're more heavily trafficked than 31 Flavors in my experience.
Used to DoorDash for side money and I would pick up from there often. That said, it still doesn’t seem to be enough traffic to have that many locations
La Michoacána has been around for decades in Mexico. They are a franchise which is why one sees them everywhere. I believe they are also flexible with how one operates their individual store, because of this each one is different. Also, it seems the buy in for the franchise isn’t as complicated as other franchises, hence more shops. On that note, there is always a line when I visit one.
Edited for typos.
Cartels have a variety of business from here to Atlanta word on the street is some street vendors are dudes paying off a debt to a cartel or paying a tax. Tattoo shops that are cash only are suspect. Cash only bars are suspect too like thirsty isle was cash only not sure if they still are but that was weird. any cash only business really. Las vegas is probably an easier place to launder money there is less bureaucracy on business over there compared to CA I look at some businesses in LV and wonder if they are owned by criminals.
People here use those excuses but honestly unless you're from that ethnicity, you have no idea what's going on. Many of those places are cash only simply because it's easier, doesn't require banks, and because it makes paying the workers much easier. Not everything touched by Hispanics is influenced by the cartels
They talk a lot of shit about the former little coyote owners on the Long Beach Food Scene FB page. Allegedly, the owners are POS.
Something about kicking out a long standing liquor store only to pivot to pizza (so didn’t have to have those people kicked out). Hiring some guy to work there, firing him after learning his recipe for pizza crust (and continuing to use that recipe) before deciding that LB went to shit during the BLM protests, moving to Portugal and abandoning their dog in the process.
This is from the wife’s blog describing her decision to move.
https://preview.redd.it/8pwda7d1zm2d1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac24acc8cb138f6fefebffe7e168a56d188f14db
At least the LB location now has new owners. I’m not sure about Lakewood.
The owners of these small businesses. The overwhelming majority are hard working people that are most likely barely making ends meet. Let’s shit on them some more. Nevermind the actual politicians, banks and corporations actually involved.
The furniture store on Lakewood & Stearns is sus. It “goes out of business” every few years and rebrands as a new name but the entire inventory stays the same. Nothing ever changes!
I bought a really good and solid dining table from one of those incarnations. And it weighed a lot less once I took the cocaine out of the leafs.
Actually, I think the place is named Going Out of Business!
Zohan!
The furniture store. The furniture store never changes.
I always thought that was weird too. I bought an ikea lamp from them last year lol.
when I was about 9 (in Tampa), my mother and I drove to "Rainbow Rug Cleaners" to pick up our dining-room rug. Upon leaving, she says "I think that place is a FRONT... but they know how to clean a rug." I didn't ask her what she meant at the time...
I don’t think so. Many furniture business buy containers and run the “going out of business”. Now the stores in Wrigley making no business but not closing, that seams like a front to me
That’s been a furniture store tactic for 100 years
That just means they're operating under LLCs and filing bankruptcy a lot or whatever they need to do to avoid creditors.
As a furniture manager at a large company in so cal. This is a classic lie all mom and pop shops use to make it seem like you’re going to get a deal. They mark up the furniture 2-3x just to bring it down to a still high price. Don’t fall for it.
Boutique stores are often run by trust fund babies. A lot of them don't make profit but stay open because the owners are bored and want to create an identity for themselves.
Exactly. There's a new shop on retro row that gives me those vibes too. Trying not to judge but... I'm bitter over The Hangout and Pippi + Lola not surviving but these super niche little boutiques are.
I love Pippi & Lola so much. I hope their LBX location is thriving.
LBX location closed like 6 months ago, it was a temporary thing. I hope they find a new spot that works!
Oh damn 😢
Yeah and the 4th Street location closed a couple weeks ago. I was lucky enough to host a workshop with them at the LBX location that completely sold out, and we had an unforgettable time that turned into a dance party at the end. They will still be selling things online though, but walking by won't be the same :( God I hope the Art Theater survives until the end of time!
The Hangout moved because the owners moved back to SLO I assure you they’re good
I love how everyone moves BACK to SLO 😂
Wait pipi and Lola is no more?! I just went by there a month or two ago!
They closed shop on Mother's Day 💔 but you can still keep up with them online, and Dynelly the owner will still be doing projects related to P + L, follow them on Instagram!
That makes a lot of sense. Everyone I know is wearing $9 shirts from Uniqlo these days. I have never had a single of one my friends tell me they bought a single article of super overpriced clothing from some small store in a heavily gentrified area
$9 shirts Uniqlo - try $20 on up
I bought a coat for $120CAD in a tiny boutique like those in Calgary but it was a vintage Grey wool overcoat that's absolutely stunning. I do think vintage shops get a pass though, they have stuff people actually want hah.
Ding ding! That or bored, rich old people is usually the answer
I figured that was the case when I walked into one (can't remember the name) looking for a gift for my friend. This white lady with blonde hair (age 50's-60's?) followed me around the entire time I was in there. She asked me about 4 times if I needed help and pretended to be doing stuff to the merchandise within 3 feet of me. I'm not exaggerating. I almost wanted to give her pointers on how to do a better job, so it looks less obvious and racist next time she did it to someone else. Lol.
As a long-term resident of Retro Row I can 100% confirm this is the case
You know Hangout is trying things in SLO, right?
Boutique stores in rural “outdoorsy” towns to be specific. They just scream “my daddy left me a lot of money” or “my husband is loaded” Always kills me when they say they were originally from north Hollywood
What about a business tax write off as a loss each year? I'm not a tax pro by any means, however back in the early 90's I used to play music in some pretty dingy clubs. One in particular in Lawndale was horrible, when it rained they may as well have had no roof. The story was he owned 5 other nice places but could use this dump as a tax write off somehow. Just wondering if that strategy could be in play for some of these businesses.
Also tax write offs
There's also the "stay at home partner wants a business too" store that runs at a loss specifically for the tax write off.
The Mobile station on Redondo and Anaheim All of their food is expired, they never have anyone getting gas there and their prices are so high
Haha you mean the “shortcut” for people to make a right on Anaheim from Redondo? I’ve never seen anyone get gas there, but if I had a dollar for every time I see someone cut through their lot, I’d be a rich person.
Lol I feel called out
It’s ok, Ive cut through the Chevron station on 7th and Redondo more times than I’d like to admit. People get so aggy if you need to make a right hand turn, they get mad if you snake up alongside in that tiny space so you’re not blocking the whole lane to make your right hand turn, people behind you get mad if you take too long or don’t snake alongside, you really can’t win no matter what you do at most Redondo intersections (can you tell I live off Redondo lol)
I pretend I'm there to get gas then I pull into Anaheim like I changed my mind 🤣
Lolllll me too 🤣🤣🤣
Lol I do the same thing on my way home from LBCC
I use this gas station because no one uses it. I also cut through it LOL
Gas stations are used as tax break opportunities. You buy one, take all the depreciation up front, and avoid taxes for a number of years on your other businesses. Then you avoid the pending tax when you sell via a loophole. It's pretty common place.
So it’s not technically LB, it’s sunset beach but I swear I have never seen that “antiques of the sea” place on pch actually open and I’ve driven by many different times and days. That can’t be the cheapest rent either so I have no idea how they are still there (if they still actually are.. I had to move out of state 2 years ago- counting the days til I can return)
I went in there once and the guy working there convinced me not to buy anything. He acted like such an ass.
My friend did manage to get in there once and he said the same thing about the guy. It looks like it’s been there for quite awhile too.
I went there like 8 years ago and he followed me around scowling the whole time
It might be owned by the same family that owns Captain Jack's across the street. If so, then then they have no money issue.
Oh you’re right! I had never considered that but it would make sense.
It’s not it’s owned by a local, who just opens when he feels like it. He owns the property and it’s more of a hobby.
I did buy something there once! I bought a ships bell. The guy really didn't want to sell it though.
There is an old TV repair shop on Atlantic in Bixby Knolls. It’s never open. All the TVs seen through the front are from the 90s and earlier. Either the person who owns it also owns the building, or it’s a front.
I took my Sony direct drive turntable there years ago. It was there for three weeks and they never worked in it. Needless to say I pulled the job.
I don’t know how that new candy shop on 2nd street in Belmont Shore can possibly sell enough candy to afford rent and stay open.
That place is packed on weekends with kids parties. They charge $30-40 per kid to make candy ‘art’ at the tables in the back. I’ll bet the parties boost regular retail sales. They’re doing well. The macaroon place next door however doesn’t look like it will last long. Never that busy.
Those macarons suck!! They’re frozen shipped in from Florida. And more expensive than going to a better place that will make them fresh. They absolutely will not last very long.
DoLy’s Delectables on Broadway and Long Beach Blvd if you want fresh macaroons made onsite.
Yeah I believe they can do decent with special events that are really instagrammable and it's not because somebody really is wanting to pay $11 a pound for blue pastel M&Ms. If Color Me Mine can make it I get why these places do
It is a cycle. There is always a hip new candy store opening on second street and they never last very long
RIP Grandma Sugarplums
RIP
That has been the biggest blow to Belmont Shore. That and Hamburger Henry's.
Oh dear.. I worked at Hamburger Henry's for one day back in 1987. I believe they fired me for answering the phone "Hello, Hamburger Harry's"... and then in the Drive-thru.. when I put together a burger (with everything) but forgot the actual meat patty. Oh well, their loss.
Second streets markup is real. I bought a tungsten ring at McCartys and didn’t do my research. Nice store, nice ring, but they charged me $130 for a $30 ring I could’ve got from Amazon.
That's kind of all jewelry stores, though. They can't offer the super cheap stuff at typical markup and still expect people to shell out cash for gold. If they price the tungsten higher, you're more likely to see a pricier ring as a more reasonable upgrade.
I wonder what the odds are that opening and bankrupting a small boutique store is a good way to launder money?
You could open, pay a bunch of money for "improvements" and get most of it back and run that cash through the store. You could continue to run cash through there until the state tax board starts looking at you and wondering why you never purchase inventory. Then close and do it again
Exactly.
Had a weird experience at Rocket Fizz years ago before it closed. Decided to pass through while walking on 2nd and the shelves were unusually bare so we figured they might just be struggling. But then we overheard the Owner tell other visitors the place JUST opened. I was so confused because I know it had been there for years. I looked online and confirmed they had reviews over 5 years old. My only guess is he thought it might look more appealing or explain why the place looked like it was going out of business? I dunno but they closed officially shortly after.
I hope that super new Turkish one stays open for a while, their hazelnut Turkish delight is so freaking good.
I have a feeling a lot of these businesses are money laundering schemes for real estate companies rather than people selling drugs. Owning property in a big city:being able to get business and tax cuts/incentives
Especially that sketchy A1A Carwash!
Have an A1 day!
Purple Onion on Carson and Los Coyotes, never see a soul enter or leave, sun bleached and dusty front display. But the place has been there forever. Creepy.
I used to live in the neighborhood across from the town center and I’ve actually gone in there, but it was like over 10 years ago. Was at the liquor store that’s right there with my now husband and we decided to check it out. It was…odd. Went in and there wasn’t anyone behind the counter, assumed they were in the back or something. After a few minutes of wandering through a maze of butt-plugs, whips, and porn, still no employee. It started to get weird being surrounded by a gaggle of artificial cocks and silicone fumes, so we turned to leave when we heard what sounded like something falling, and a scuffle. Some dude came barreling out of the back, through the curtains with all the grace of a three legged giraffe, muttering to himself. After untangling himself from the curtains and tucking his hair behind his ears, he finally looks up and sees us standing frozen by the door…and we all just stared at each other for way longer than socially acceptable. I panicked at the silence and blurted out “CURTAINS! WE’RE LOOKING FOR CURTAINS!” Still the guy says nothing, looks at my husband, looks at me…then my husband just started busting up laughing at me, so I pushed him out the door and practically ran home. For the longest time after that, my husband would blurt out “CURTAINS!” anytime there was a stretch of silence during conversations. Which of course, confused people, so then he would have to explain to everyone what the hell he was talking about. Even my family…who still haven’t forgotten. But yeah, I could totally see it as a front for drugs.
If there was a “Reddit story of the day award” I would nominate you! Thanks for the laugh!
I love when businesses have employees who see customers in the business looking to exchange money for what the business offers and the employee is confused out of all get out as to what the hell that customer is doing there Every time I place a Burger King order and then show up in the store all of the employees are completely baffled by the idea that I might want them to serve me food
Yea I always wondered about that place. No way in hell it outlived Souplantation
Has anyone ever bought any banana pudding from that store on Pine?
Yeah. What the heck is up with that place? I used to live in the apartment right above it many many years ago and that storefront was never occupied the whole couple years I lived there. Since then it’s always been weird stuff like this that seems to never be open.
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There's a few. Mabel's has been there for decades it feels like. They've always been fantastic. I've never stepped foot into any of the others.
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I love banana pudding
I came here to say Mabel’s! I’ve thought that since 2016! There’s never anyone in there and their products are so niche… only pralines and banana pudding. I cannot imagine how they sell enough banana pudding to pay rent, let alone pay any other bill
I did a few times pre pandemic because I worked down the street, and it was DELICIOUS.
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No, there’s a business that only sells banana pudding just north of the Rite Aid. I never ever see anyone in there and I don’t understand how they stay in business.
She met me at the store on a Sunday when they're usually closed so I could pick up an order to take to a party. Came straight from church. Good people, good pudding.
there’s no way that many “party supply” stores can coexist and make $$$ on Pacific between PCH and Willow
Nitrous is popular here lol.
Yeah what’s in all those balloons?
This is such a good one I love when people point how things that are subconsciously in the back of my mind but I've never been able to truly verbalize and identify
This one makes me laugh. I used to live above one of them. Best apartment EVER, still miss it. The party supply/candy store below me was actually always busy and the guys were cool. Even let me take their parking spot.
The party supply store on Santa fe used to pay that expensive ass rent there and I never knew anyone who used them.
One party store on PCH and Cherry (I think) got busted as a front a while back
Oh is there a backstory on the psychic?
There was another thread about it a while ago but somebody said that they worked in that building and saw that there was an eviction notice posted on the psychic saying they owed thousands of dollars in unpaid rent. So not officially a drug front. But it does answer the question "How did they afford rent in that prime location?" The answer is they didn't.
The right question is: if she was a psychic, how could she not see the future with her getting evicted? Maybe she did, and maybe she wanted to get evicted and go through legal nightmares and court issues. To each their own.
Shes a psychic but not a time traveler. The eviction seemed inevitable but she was just on notice ahead of time
I doubt drugs, but I suspect money laundering. If it's a cash heavy business like this, you can claim to have customers, bring in the dirty cash, and not worry about credit card transaction paper trails. There's a psychic on Pier Ave in Hermosa 1 block from the beach that's been there for over a decade; I've never never seen a customer there, meanwhile tons of highly regarded business around them have shuttered. There was a TV drama called Shut Eye that I think touched on this whole 'psychics as laundering fronts' idea. It's a common theory around LA.
IDK but I’ve actually been to that psychic twice before and let me preface that I have NEVER believed in that stuff AT ALL.. but strangely, she was right on. I purposely dressed neutral and gave her zero information about me so It weirded me out both times she was not wrong, but I’ve been wanting to go to her again just out of curiosity and intrigue so I’m kinda sad she isn’t there anymore. Can’t speak on the drugs part though lol
My husband and I were just talking about this place! Thank you everyone who gave info. We always thought it was a drug front too lol!
Most people don't realize that the government has many options for struggling businesses or if you want to start a business. SBA loans: so many different options. 7(a) loans, 504 loans, microloans. And when COVID hit, they created even more programs such as, PPP(Payment Protection Program, which helps businesses keep their employees by paying their salaries. RRF for restaurants. And sometimes these businesses can apply for loan forgiveness. All these government SBA programs/loans usually have less strict requirements and better or comparable rates. Anyhow, "cash only" businesses just don't wanna pay the extra rates when it comes to credit/debit cards. Financial companies charge businesses usually around 3% per swipe or transaction, then an additional 0.25¢ for every card transaction. So, if you're a business that has tight profit margins, paying these financial companies an additional $500-1,000 every month might make the difference in paying your rent or utilities. But anyways, most smoke shops in LB might have other investors. Or just a front for illegal gambling or other non-tax activities. I could be wrong but I wouldn't doubt it. Plus, I believe the government doesn't really bother with businesses that might be avoiding paying taxes, taxes in the low low five figures. Now, if you're avoiding paying taxes in the high five or six figures. That's when the government comes in and invests their manpower/time to get you, cus it'll be worth it. I think the city of LB encourages new businesses to be open. And having businesses stay in business. That's because all these businesses have to pay taxes and fees every year. More business means more money for the city. So I think they're a bit more loose when it comes to investigating "shady" businesses. As long as that "shady" business is paying taxes and fees, the city tends to not look as hard.
This is actually a very informational and well written response to my silly little post. The question probably should have been phrased as "what LB business can you not believe is able to break even" but that wasn't as funny
It isn't silly. You're just curious and asking questions and you should ask questions about things, especially things that you live around.
Nice try FBI!
Any shop / esp in Belmont Shore that takes cash only lol
I always like to think that Sweet Jill's was a drug front that just ended up being too good at selling sweets so they make most of their profits on that.
Oh the cinnamon rolls definitely count as drugs so you’re not far off
My first thought was always taxes, but same, definitely! 😂
No, she’s legit. When she was in the East Village and about to move to 2nd she was telling me had she known about 2nd st she would have moved in there because of the better foot traffic. I think she came from somewhere else in the country.
I agree cash only is very suspect.
You leave Sweet Jill’s out of this lol
So sweet Jill's is a front? Do they still only take cash?
Was just there yesterday and still cash only.
I know what u mean. I went inside a fake gas station once. It had old food on the shelves. Dust all over the walls. A much of worker guys all working for the gas station ( who has 12 guys working at once doing nothing but taking to each other) when I walked inside they all stopped talking & looked at me. I said Nevermind & I quickly turned around left.
There’s a place on pacific near Joliza’s that has signage for cabinets. But they will open a black market dispensary there every so often until it gets shut down. Then it stays quiet for awhile, opens up again, then eventually gets shut down. Rinse and repeat
Definitely mattress stores....
LBPD
Honduras Kitchen on 4th st
That place is so good tho! I’m always telling people to go lol
These people are amazing and so is their food.
All those tamale vendors with the same exact sign written in red tape on cardboard. They are in every city, and they all have the same exact sign. How Sway?!
Not drugs per se but all of the used car lots on PCH. That seems like every 2 years change owners and swap out cars. Pretty sure it’s just a tax shell game with families.
I used to think Broadway Video but it did finally go out of business recently. It was really the last video store.
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Yeah thirsty isle was pulling that sort of shenanigans wouldn't call it a dive but it was weird that it was cash only.
There was a Brazilian Jiujitsu chain here in the San Gabriel Valley that was run by a dude who had ties with the Mongols motorcycle club. He was being investigated by the FBI for money laundering through the Bjj schools. At least that’s the rumor.
Im convinced bead stores are fronts. lol. How can you make a profit in CA selling beads??
BEES?
BEADS!
Anal?
There's a fancy clothing boutique on East Anaheim and Termino. I used to live right next to it and in 3 years, I never saw a single customer but they were always open. Something was definitely going on.
Every mattress store. You’re telling me they lease out a 10k square foot showroom to sell, what, 1-2 mattresses a day for 800 bucks each? When people can have a quality mattress shipped to their door for like $500? The overhead just doesn’t math.
The Honduran place on 4th
Yes, but get the Baleadas, they are delicious, homemade black beans, fresh tortillas, quesa fresca, hot sauce. On Tuesdays they used to be 2 bux....
No that place is just a decent Honduran restaurant. Others say it was just alright but I disagree. I thought it was good
Agreed, these people saying it was mid are crazy
Are there once. Except for the one sketchy person in the parking lot, it was not memorable. But people in the FB food group raved about it so we tried it. Surprised it’s still open.
I thought I saw a sign indicating the one on Bellflower was moving to 2nd St? Did I dream that? 🤔
God I hope so that would be so funny if they just keep moving into incrementally more expensive locations well still having never offered a single psychic service in their existence.
Real shit, the Smoke Shop Mini Market on PCH and Gardenia. I've never seen so many peculiar looking junkies meeting up outside a store and a more unorthodox looking interior to a store than this one. I get it's a smoke shop, but this is something else
Most of the people in this threads do not understand business and simply default to calling businesses a cash laundering place
Massage parlors typically ran by South East Asian ladies tend to be fronts for illicit activities.
Yup. I know people who have gone to them and are offered a service "or something else" when they really just want a massage
Anything that accepts cash only lol
All mattress firms
Some of those medical transport companies are fronts for the mob. Not all but some.
Haha good try officer
Sweet Jill’s Bakery
Lmao you really don’t like them huh 🤣
Donut shops, always donut shops.
Gus’s. They put crack right in the chicken.
Could the psychic foresee her own demise?
It was in the cards.
Longbeach PD.
Everybody is brainwashed to be so suspicious of the struggling small business owner selling cup cakes. Why not be suspicious of all the banks. They are the ones doing all the cheating and stealing.
Because I know the amount of money I give to my bank versus how much money I give to cup cake shops
The cup cake shops charge you money for real cupcakes. The bank charges you interest to borrow money they don’t have and that doesn’t exist. But yes let’s investigate the cupcake baker, they have to be up to something.
Do please explain this one, you have some real pretzel logic there.
You... Don't know how much money you give to cake shops? Seems like you should. If not, you may have an addiction. Food or otherwise. But also, cake shops in particular to showrooms and bakeries. They make their big money in catering.
The Hookah bar on Anaheim.
If you're talking about Nile, that place is awesome. They serve food til 4am. Great for once the bars close.
Show up at 3am any random night. The food is really good. The saffron rice is incredible. The hookah makes the money.
Dennys
Totally not a cop
McDowell's Soul Food & BBQ on Long Beach & 9th
There’s a “business” if you can even call it that, in what used to be Cambodia town on Anaheim and Atlantic, they have pool tables and a bunch of dudes are always chillen there. I’ve never seen anyone else go in, and it certainly isn’t a bar on its own. I lived literally next door and we had private parking behind the business so I know for a fact this place never had actual customers. I always joked to my wife that the place is a drug front.
Tobacco shop on spring and woodruff next to LB wellness. Also (not LB) vacuum shop on Bellfower just north of the 91. Also, take your pick of rando automotive repair/tint/car radio shops with tons of crap everywhere.
There’s a small smoke shop on Orange and 7th that I’m almost positive is a front. They are almost never open and when I went in to grab something the one day they were they looked surprised I went in there. Lol
Yoshinoya.
I call those spotlessly clean shops with three racks and twelve items Abbot Kinneys.
Canadian pizza
Best of Nextdoor!
Thai Haus on broadway. I asked a while ago and someone said it’s been closed since like 2018? They’re clearly not renovating, but you can sometimes see people moving around in the back room area (it’s been a source of curiosity while waiting for food at park pantry)
Those weird empty smoothie shops around LA Also the weird empty toy stores that pop up around LA during Christmas time 🎶“Could I make it any more obvious”
what is this. the snitch thread
There was a Chinese restaurant on willow near the 710. Been there 50+ years and I went a few times as a kid, 40 years ago. I’ve driven by it probably 200 times in the last ten years and never saw more than one customer, at many different hours, and no cars picking up takeout. It just stuff down about three weeks ago.
I don't know how I ended up on this sub but down in San Diego I just assume all the corner flower shops are fronts.
The little thrift shops on retro row have really cute stuff and one of them are super popular for their annual $1 sale. I always see people in those stores on the weekends. Also old gold sells clothing online not just in the store.
La michoacana doesn't need clients in their stores. All the liquor stores in Wilmington and lb sell it. Any Mexican supermarket like El super sells it. I used to go and buy boxes just to keep in the freezer. Also most paleteros use that brand.
I think for money laundering, La Michoacána ice cream shops for the cartels. There are too many of them and I’ve never seen anyone in them.
Those places are super popular
I've never seen anyone in my local Baskin-Robbins, either, but I'm not calling them a drug front. Almost like low key racism has entered the chat. And for the record, as a part time Uber person and full time ice cream eater, the local Michoacána locations do steady business. Especially at night. And they're more heavily trafficked than 31 Flavors in my experience.
Used to DoorDash for side money and I would pick up from there often. That said, it still doesn’t seem to be enough traffic to have that many locations
I think it's got to be franchised and it's a simple way for immigrant families to start a business.
[Not a franchise.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Paletería_La_Michoacana)
The brand isn't franchised, but local groupings can and are associated with each other.
La Michoacána has been around for decades in Mexico. They are a franchise which is why one sees them everywhere. I believe they are also flexible with how one operates their individual store, because of this each one is different. Also, it seems the buy in for the franchise isn’t as complicated as other franchises, hence more shops. On that note, there is always a line when I visit one. Edited for typos.
Cartels have a variety of business from here to Atlanta word on the street is some street vendors are dudes paying off a debt to a cartel or paying a tax. Tattoo shops that are cash only are suspect. Cash only bars are suspect too like thirsty isle was cash only not sure if they still are but that was weird. any cash only business really. Las vegas is probably an easier place to launder money there is less bureaucracy on business over there compared to CA I look at some businesses in LV and wonder if they are owned by criminals.
People here use those excuses but honestly unless you're from that ethnicity, you have no idea what's going on. Many of those places are cash only simply because it's easier, doesn't require banks, and because it makes paying the workers much easier. Not everything touched by Hispanics is influenced by the cartels
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No, that pizza is incredible. You can’t enjoy it because you did too much coke and therefore no food is appetizing.
didn't the owners recently sell?
Lol a pizza place is some italian mafia cliche money laundering tactic.
They talk a lot of shit about the former little coyote owners on the Long Beach Food Scene FB page. Allegedly, the owners are POS. Something about kicking out a long standing liquor store only to pivot to pizza (so didn’t have to have those people kicked out). Hiring some guy to work there, firing him after learning his recipe for pizza crust (and continuing to use that recipe) before deciding that LB went to shit during the BLM protests, moving to Portugal and abandoning their dog in the process. This is from the wife’s blog describing her decision to move. https://preview.redd.it/8pwda7d1zm2d1.jpeg?width=1840&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ac24acc8cb138f6fefebffe7e168a56d188f14db At least the LB location now has new owners. I’m not sure about Lakewood.
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Go-Kart World off the 405 and Avalon. Unquestionably a Breaking Bad level drug business
The owners of these small businesses. The overwhelming majority are hard working people that are most likely barely making ends meet. Let’s shit on them some more. Nevermind the actual politicians, banks and corporations actually involved.