Celebrating our independents

Take any long freeway trip into the heart of America and you’ll see some familiar places — over and over and over again. Would you believe there are more McDonald’s restaurants in the world (31,000-plus!) than there are students in the Pasadena Unified School District? Still think your hoodie / jeans combo is unique with more than 3,000 Gap stores out there?

Put down that $5 foot-long and try picturing the mountain of shipping containers it takes to fill the world’s 8,000 Wal-Marts and the 1,700 Targets in the US alone. Or, wrap your mind around 2,200 Home Depots in 50 states.

Now think about your favorite shops in and around Pasadena.

We’re fortunate to have a myriad of unique and independent stores, restaurants and service providers to not only meet our many different needs, but also preserve the enviable character of our communities. Several of them have spent valuable advertising dollars to list a few of their best qualities, so take a minute to glance over the listings below.

What kind of place would this be without our independents? One that looks a little bit more like everywhere else.

Green inside
Maid Brigade brings home the need for environmentally conscious house cleaning

The air inside today’s average home, says the US Environmental Protection Agency, is two to five times more polluted than outdoor air, largely due to cleaners and pesticides homeowners use.

Most people, a recent poll shows, would use an environmentally friendly cleaning service if they could. That’s where Atlanta-based Maid Brigade, its Pasadena franchise possessing a 20-member crew that travels from home to home, comes in.

With the help of author and green living expert Annie B. Bond, Maid Brigade is educating people about the benefits of green cleaning. “Many consumers do not realize what to look for when selecting green products or services and are unaware of the potential toxins in their home,” says Bond — named one of the nation’s Top 20 Environmental Leaders by Body & Soul Magazine.

In the same survey, researchers found that more than 70 percent of participants believed — falsely! — that green cleaning is more expensive and less efficient than traditional products. Nothing could be further from the truth, says Pasadena Maid Brigade franchise owner Peter Lowin.

Using the company’s Green Clean Certified System, Maid Brigade workers don’t use harsh, toxic chemicals that can cause pollution in the home and damage to the environment.

“Our customers as well as our cleaning teams have noticed a remarkable difference in not only the cleanliness, but how they feel after a Maid Brigade green cleaning,” Lowin says.

For more information, visit http://www.pasadena.maidbrigade.com or call 888.79GREEN.

‘Eat, drink, play and have fun’
Villa SORRISO and Bar Celona owner offers a simple formula for a great time

Located in the heart of Old Pasadena’s shopping and dining district, Villa SORRISO has been a longtime favorite well known for its delicious Italian food and warm and sophisticated ambiance.

The creation of local entrepreneur Jack Huang and wife Karen 15 years ago, Villa SORRISO, formerly known simply as SORRISO, is now joined by Bar Celona, a popular nearby Spanish tapas bar and nightclub with handcrafted murals of the running of the bulls, a Spanish-oriented wine list, house-made sangrias and signature small plates of delicious morsels.

Huang, a graduate of UCLA in engineering who is president and CEO of Villa SORRISO, employs some 150 people at both establishments. He formerly owned Wok N Roll restaurant locally.

Huang notes that his restaurants have won many accolades. “As a team we have been fortunate to have received many culinary awards, as well as many ‘Best of Pasadena’ awards” [based on Pasadena Weekly’s annual reader’s poll].

But it hasn’t been all fun and games. There has been a serious side, including Huang’s altruistic work with the Hillsides Children’s Home, Huntington Hospital and other charities. “We are dedicated to our community, so we support as many community fundraising and charity efforts as possible,” he says.

But through it all, Huang — as the nightly throngs at both clubs attest — has not lost sight of his company’s motto: “Eat, drink, play and have fun,” he says.

Villa SORRISO is at 168 W. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 793-2233. Bar Celona is at 46 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 405-1000.

Clean and easy
Integrity and innovation pay off for owners of cutting-edge Pasadena Laundry

Peter Lowin had specific goals when he and his ex-banker wife, Mary, started their businesses: “I wanted something giving flexibility to be there for our daughter, Sara,” says Lowin, owner of Pasadena Laundry on Arroyo Parkway for five years and a Maid Brigade franchise for three. “I want to be at all of her games and practices.”

Equally important, “I never wanted anyone else to tell me that my position was being ‘eliminated,’” says the Seattle native, a SoCal resident since 1992.

According to its Web site, the dual-service laundry was designed with customer comfort and convenience in mind. “No one likes doing laundry. That’s why it’s important to make the experience as enjoyable and efficient as possible,” states the laundry’s site.

And to that end, full- and self-service Pasadena Laundry has some unique, unheard-of amenities, including the latest environmentally friendly cleansers and washing machines, a coinless touch-screen card system and free wireless Internet service. Three large-screen TVs with satellite programming make waiting enjoyable. Just as important is the bilingual staff’s personal touch.

With both the Pasadena Laundry and Maid Brigade, currently with 20 employees roving around town taking the worry out of housework, “we are very client-focused, treating our employees fairly and creating a healthy working environment,” Lowin says. “Both Mary and I were involved our whole corporate careers in customer service. We run our small businesses with high integrity.” 

Pasadena Laundry is at 2585 E. Colorado Blvd., Pasadena. Call (626) 744-2948 or visit pasadenalaundry.com. Visit Maid Brigade at maidbrigade.com.

The third place
First home, then work, now Women’s World Fitness Center

Frank Matranga and Arlene de Guzman-Alpuerto know well that regular exercise can significantly improve people’s health and general outlook on life. Yet the gym isn’t for everyone.

Co-owners of Women’s World Fitness Center in San Marino, Matranga and de Guzman-Alpuerto long ago recognized the need to create an active but comfortable and socially welcoming community environment for women to achieve maximum satisfaction from their workouts.

“Our main goal is to get people healthier and to exercise, but we also want to include the spiritual and the emotional part of it, so we do create a safe haven,” says de Guzman-Alpuerto. Women’s World was started in 1998 by Matranga, who grew up in San Marino, and two other partners. De Guzman-Alpuerto joined the team in 2000 as a trainer and operations manager, becoming a managing partner in 2004.

“For many women,” she says, “going to a women’s-only gym is more convenient and less stressful. They don’t have to worry about people staring, or how they look while working out. Their workout can be a fun experience.”

Women’s World offers everything from aerobics and dance classes to yoga to strength training, even facials and massages. “I try to create more benefits than just a gym membership,” says Arlene.

Beyond classes and fitness, WWFC also organizes special events and programs for members and nonmembers. “It’s really like your third place: you have your home, your work, and where else do you go? Women’s World,” de Guzman-Alpuerto beams.

Women’s World Fitness Center, 2000 Huntington Drive, San Marino. Call (626) 284-7741 or visit womensworldfitnesscenter.com.