GlobeSt.com: Describe your demographic – who is your customer?

Jones: The center attracts shoppers of all ages, with our core customer living within a three-mile radius and median age of 31. They are affluent, with an average household income of nearly $108,000 annually, and over 33% are college educated. Over 300,000 people live within a 10-minute drive of The Shoppes.

GlobeSt.com: What retailers have joined the center lately?

Jones: Over the past year, The Shoppes at Chino Hills has welcomed a variety of merchants. Bruxie opened its first Inland Empire restaurant at The Shoppes. Icy-Licious is an iced dessert concept offering Asian-inspired shaved ice selections. Other retail additions throughout the past 12 months include Charming Charlie, Crazy 8, Daniel's Jewelers, Dillon's Irish Pub and Grill, Sleep Number, What Lola Wants and Windsor. In addition to these new merchants, The Shoppes second-level office space is 100% leased.

GlobeSt.com: What is the appeal to local entrepreneurs?

Jones: Local entrepreneurs know that The Shoppes is the town center of Chino Hills, and the place where people always gather for shopping and dining. National franchises have confirmed that the demographics make Chino Hills a premiere destination in the Inland Empire in which to expand. A significant increase in foot traffic and 30 months of positive sales growth has drawn entrepreneurs and national tenants alike. Dripp is a unique coffee lounge conceptualized, developed and launched by a long-time Chino Hills resident. Crème de la Crème is a new popular local dessert and catering establishment. Local businesses that have also opened within the last year include new health & beauty offerings such as European Wax Center, Facelogic, and Massage Heights.

GlobeSt.com: How are you engaging the local community?

Jones: Direct consumer marketing, value-driven promotions and an ongoing branding campaign keeps us top-of-mind with our customers. This effort combined with strategic local non-profit and community organization partnerships is the key to success at The Shoppes at Chino Hills. As the town center for Chino Hills, it makes sense to create opportunities for synergies with such groups, as it emotionally connects our consumers to the center, which translates into sales for our merchants. Some of the events over the past year have included a 5,000-participant walk to raise awareness for breast cancer, center-wide fashion events featuring local residents to raise funds for local schools / organizations, an annual summer concert series featuring sought-after tribute bands that attract over 2,000 attendees every Friday night, a wine walk in partnership with the City of Chino Hills Community Foundation that draws traffic from Los Angeles and Orange County, a teen fashion council comprised of outstanding students from surrounding high schools and the holiday tree lighting event featuring local school bands and choirs that drew more than 4,000 guests to the center. Every Shoppes promotion and event links our merchants to the community to garner customer loyalty and their dollars.

GlobeSt.com: How are you encouraging your shoppers to stay longer?

Jones: Branded as “Your GO2 Place for fun and fashion”, The Shoppes at Chino Hills features a unique outdoor setting and village atmosphere with ambient, in-center music. Soft seating, free Wi-Fi and voluminous stationary umbrellas provide an oasis for moments between shopping and dining. Our weekend entertainment program brings the best musicians from Los Angeles and the surrounding areas to The Shoppes, and highlights qualifying students and up-and-coming artists from the local community. We also have a fire fountain and interactive fountain, where music is programmed to match the water's rhythm. Our dining selections and merchandising mix appeal to a wide consumer base. All told, the atmosphere has garnered a 35% increase in foot traffic over the past year.

GlobeSt.com: What attracted the current owner to The Shoppes at Chino Hills?

Jones: The owner was attracted to the opportunity to purchase a quality retail center that was well positioned, with a strong foundation of national credit tenants, in an area with strong demographics. The center opened in May 2008 as the new town center for the City of Chino Hills. Although the initial occupancy did decrease by 10% during the recession, the center was still well positioned for new ownership to take the reins in 2010, increase occupancy and develop community partnerships. The center is now 96% leased, with positive sales increases for 30 consecutive months and strategic partnerships in both the business and non-profit sectors.

GlobeSt.com: What would you tell an investor/developer/retailer considering the Chino Hills area as an investment or expansion location?

Jones: Chino Hills was a Money magazine 2012 “100 Best Places to Live.” The demographics of Chino Hills and the surrounding area are superior, rivaling many areas in Orange and Los Angeles counties. The City of Chino Hills is business friendly and dedicates itself to the success of businesses that select its community as their next location. The quality of development within this area continues to attract merchants and companies, investors and developers who are committed to stay and grow their business. Positive signs of growth include three new apartment complexes totaling approximately 1000 units now in City planning and the Standard Pacific Homes' purchase of a site for potential development of 600 new homes. A new Fletcher Jones Mercedes Benz dealership in San Bernardino County is testament to the County's strong demographic. High-profile projects such as Guasti that are now coming back to market demonstrate the County's improving economics.