EXPERIENCE COUNTS CHAMBER PRESIDENT FIXES EYES ON AIDING PACOIMA BUSINESSES.Byline: Rick Coca Valley News Writer Isaac Luna has worked in the family business, Luna's Radiators and Mufflers automotive service center in Pacoima, since he was 9 years old. Four years ago Luna, 44, decided he wanted to become more involved in community matters, so he joined the local chamber of commerce and later the neighborhood council. ``I service all the community vehicles and I said, 'I'll go beyond the service,''' Luna said. Due to a couple of resignations, Luna has now found himself the president of the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce. Far from being passive about the appointment, Luna has concrete plans and goals, forged out of years of first-hand experience running a successful business. Luna's father, Eduardo, opened the service center on San Fernando Road San Fernando Road is a major street in the city and county of Los Angeles. It starts off in Castaic as The Old Road, passing through Santa Clarita and the Newhall Pass, where upon its intersection with Sierra Highway near the junction of the Golden State (I-5) and the in 1972. The elder Luna has since retired but he can still be found at the shop most days, along with Luna's mother, Eugina. Luna's sister, Elizabeth Monreal, also works at the business. About seven years ago, Luna remodeled and expanded the shop and ran into a series of problems, from financing to permits. As chamber president, Luna wants to help local merchants avoid the pitfalls that he encountered by creating an open dialogue. ``I ask business owners, I want to know their problems because business owners, we lock ourselves in with our problems,'' Luna said. ``Little do we know, networking with other businesses, that other business can have the door to our success.'' Recent chamber highlights include the 38th Annual Pacoima Christmas Parade, which Luna proudly points out included a guest appearance by Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa Antonio Ramon Villaraigosa (born Antonio (Tony) Ramon Villar, Jr. on January 23, 1953) is the mayor of Los Angeles, California. He is the first Latino mayor of Los Angeles since Cristobal Aguilar in 1872. . An estimated 12,000 people attended the parade, which was followed by a chamber-sponsored carnival carnival, communal celebration, especially the religious celebration in Catholic countries that takes place just before Lent. Since early times carnivals have been accompanied by parades, masquerades, pageants, and other forms of revelry that had their origins in held at David Gonzales Park. Like others in the San Fernando Valley San Fernando Valley Valley, southern California, U.S. Northwest of central Los Angeles, the valley is bounded by the San Gabriel, Santa Susana, and Santa Monica mountains and the Simi Hills. , many Pacoima residents travel outside of the area to shop at malls and big-box stores This article has multiple issues: * Its factual accuracy is disputed. * It does not cite any references or sources. Please help improve this article by citing reliable sources. in surrounding sur·round tr.v. sur·round·ed, sur·round·ing, sur·rounds 1. To extend on all sides of simultaneously; encircle. 2. To enclose or confine on all sides so as to bar escape or outside communication. n. communities. Keeping those shoppers in Pacoima is a major goal for the chamber. Believing that first and foremost people want to feel safe, the chamber has hired a security firm to patrol Van Nuys Boulevard. With the help of the Los Angeles Police Department "LAPD" and "L.A.P.D." redirect here. For other uses, see LAPD (disambiguation).  This article or section is written like an . , the chamber is starting
``Business Watch,'' an offshoot of ``Neighborhood
Watch,'' a program designed for concerned merchants to report
any suspicious activity to police.
Luna said the chamber currently has about 50 members and maintains an office in the Pacoima Employment Development Department facility. The chamber is currently developing a Web site and sponsors periodic business mixers. ``That's where everybody finds out (who's) who in Pacoima, and what's what, from manufacturing to mom and pop Mom and Pop An adjective denoting a small-scale and family-like atmosphere, often used to describe these types of businesses and investors. Notes: A mom-and-pop business is typically a small family-run business. stores,'' Luna said. Luna said, as a longtime long·time adj. Having existed or persisted for a long time: a longtime friend; a longtime resident of Detroit. longtime Adjective resident and business owner, it gives him great satisfaction to help his community. He hopes the chamber can be instrumental in fixing some of the area's problems. ``Our goal through the chamber is to revitalize re·vi·tal·ize tr.v. re·vi·tal·ized, re·vi·tal·iz·ing, re·vi·tal·iz·es To impart new life or vigor to: plans to revitalize inner-city neighborhoods; tried to revitalize a flagging economy. and rebuild businesses that are broken,'' Luna said. Working in a family operation nearly all his life, Luna knows the value of good business. ``Better jobs, better opportunities, better families,'' Luna said. To reach the Pacoima Chamber of Commerce, call Isaac Luna at (818) 899-0812. CAPTION(S): photo Photo: Pacoima Chamber of Commerce President Isaac Luna says he has learned it really is better to serve than be served. Rick Coca/Valley News |
|
||||||||||||||||
Printer friendly
Cite/link
Email
Feedback
Reader Opinion