This post was contributed by a community member. The views expressed here are the author's own.

Business & Tech

McDonald's Takes Shape, Chick-Pita Closes and More Local Biz Briefs

Some stores are coming while others have packed up their bags and left Laguna Niguel. Read on to see who they are.

Lots going on in business news this week, including a fast-food chain's remodeling progress, another restaurant closure and two new business additions to our city.

First, the construction and major remodeling at the that began in September is moving along at a record pace. The old signage is gone, the exterior façade is taking shape and new furniture has been installed. The store that once had an '80s vibe is starting to take on a new appearance inside and out.

Up the street at The Center at Rancho Niguel, Chick-Pita, a Mediterranean fast-casual restaurant has closed. According to Ann Forella, director of asset management for Buie Stoddard Properties that manages the center, the store closed about a week ago. Chick-Pita had been in the center since August 2007 and may have closed due to the economic climate, she said. The square footage is 1,504 and Forella said several other fast-casual restaurants have expressed interest in the space.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Also in the center, a new women's boutique called Luna Boutique, dubbed Luna B, has signed a lease and will take over the former Pinkywear store. Forella said the shop is owned by family including two sisters, who also have another location in Huntington Beach. "They are very nice and the shop has trendy merchandise sort of like a Forever 21." Forella expects the store will open sometime in November.

There is also a new boutique photography studio called Cindy Carter Photography that opened a few months ago at 31341 Niguel Rd. in the Clubhouse Shopping Center. The shop will host a ribbon-cutting on Wednesday, Nov. 2. at 11 a.m.  Carter says she expects between 10-12 local government officials and various chamber of commerce members to attend.

Interested in local real estate?Subscribe to Patch's new newsletter to be the first to know about open houses, new listings and more.

Carter has been a portrait photographer for five years, but took an interest in photography early on her in her life. 

"In my early teens, I started capturing vacation and special occasion snapshots and caught the 'photography bug,'" she says. "My passion and talent have evolved over the years through self-discovery, as well as formal training in the art of photography. My photography career began as a fine art photographer. I enjoy capturing and creating unique images with an artistic style then creatively processing the images to produce beautiful wall art.

"As a photographic artist, focusing on fine portrait photography was a natural progression for my career."

Her style of portrait photography is clean, simple, uncluttered and connected, she says. Carter's images, she says, focus on capturing the beauty and essence of each person she photographs.

"Portraits taken at my studio become fine pieces of art hung in distinguished homes throughout Orange County. I am a portrait photographer that captures images of families; maternity, babies, children, tweens and teens, and their pets," she says.

Carter is a member of the Professional Photographers of America and Professional Photographers of California.

Please send short business briefs to Debbie.Sklar@Patch.com

We’ve removed the ability to reply as we work to make improvements. Learn more here

The views expressed in this post are the author's own. Want to post on Patch?