New 'bells, whistles and thrills' promised at shopping center in Newbury Park
By Nancy Needham nancy@theacorn.com

IRIS SMOOT/Acorn Newspapers EMPTY CENTER- The shopping center at the corner of Wendy Drive and Old Conejo Road was once full of bustling businesses, but it now sits nearly empty, with only three remaining shops.

Rumors are flying as residents try to guess what is going on with the shopping center reconstruction at 701 N. Wendy Drive and Old Conejo Road in Newbury Park.

According to Don Kinder, executive vice president of property manager Toibb Enterprises, all the activity at the site is expected to be completed by the beginning of next year.

"When it is done it will be an upscale area with all the bells, whistles and thrills a prominent corner of Thousand Oaks is expected to have," he said. "It will be patron-friendly, with a warm atmosphere."

There will be a courtyard seating area for various food venues that includes a sitdown Italian restaurant.

There will also be a new Coffee Bean and Tea Leaf, the Los Angeles-based specialty coffee and tea retailer best known for its nonfat blended drinks. According to the company website, they have 389 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada, Hawaii, Singapore, Malaysia, Korea, Brunei, Indonesia, Israel, Australia, China, Kuwait, Egypt, Qatar and the Philippines.

"I personally think their coffee tastes better than Starbucks," Kinder said.

Smoothies will be available at a juice bar called Booster Juice. The company provides an alternative to fast food, whipping up drinks made with 100 percent pure juice, all natural sorbet, nonfat freshmade yogurt and herbal additives.

There is also expected to be a nail salon, a beauty salon and a cleaners, Kinder said.

Before everyone gets their hair and nails done and fills up on Italian food, coffee, tea or juice smoothies, they might want to work out at 24 Hour Fitness, which will also take a spot at the shopping center.

The family fitness center has exercise equipment, personal trainers and a variety of classes. And, as the name suggests, it is open 24 hours a day.

A Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, an English market that is expanding worldwide, will open at the center.

"I've heard it compared to Trader Joe's, but I don't know for sure," Kinder said.

The store will offer fresh fruits, vegetables and flowers along with packaged specialty foods and standard foods such as cereal and canned goods. It also sells clothes, exercise equipment, linens and other items that look like they could be found at a Target or Wal-Mart, but Fresh & Easy will be much smaller than those giant retailers.

"I would hope the residents will be pleased with the mix we're supplying," Kinder said.