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The Weekly Newspaper of Manhattan Beach Herald Publications - El Segundo, Manhattan Beach, Hawthorne, Lawndale, & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - Circulation 30,000 - Readership 60,000 (310) 322-1830 Vol. 8, No. 12 December 4, 2014 Waterleaf Interiors Reopens at Metlox Inside This Issue Certified and Licensed Professionals ..................6 Classifieds ...........................3 Community Briefs ..............2 Finance .................................6 Food ......................................5 Patrons mingle at Waterleaf Interiors’ grand re-opening, held November 6th at the Metlox complex in Manhattan Beach. For more photos, see page 2. Photo by Christina Murphy. Looking Up ..........................4 At Studio Antiques, You Find what You’re Looking for By Laura Sorensen The show expanded to other venues and it to the internet: besides the brick-and-mortar Pets .......................................7 In all of our lives there is an undercurrent became extremely popular, mostly outside store, they have a website with a catalog of things. Things you want; things you don’t the US. “It was an adventure everywhere and an enormous eBay store. They do free want; things you can’t get rid of; the one we went,” said Laurence. The Martins have appraisals and will sell merchandise for clients thing you can’t find that would make your traveled across the U.S., to London and other on eBay as well. They pride themselves on Politically Speaking ...........4 life complete. This current flows from upscale European venues, to Toronto, and lately even their honesty, and disdain stores that try to showrooms to garage sales, and through all to Johannesburg. “Like Beatlemania,” added cheat the customer by offering a false price of our own homes. Do we want more, or Laurence, reminiscing on the welcome he or not doing their homework. “The thing that do we want less? And who can tell us what got in South Africa. Then when the Martins we bring to the table that no one else does to do with the things that we have? Enter come back home, the fans return the favor is the research,” said Sally. Sally and Laurence Martin, owners of Studio with a visit of their own. The Martins can call on a vast network of Antiques, stage left, with a flourish. This “The thing is, people come to El Segundo experts to appraise any item, and they love to dynamic duo has the knowledge, the research, from all over the world,” said Sally. Laurence ferret out origins, maker’s marks, and whatever and the interest to appraise, in the words of added that people come almost every day to else can fetch the best price possible. Not that internet meme, “All the Things.” meet the two of them and see Studio Antiques. everything is worth a mint, of course, but I sat outside the store with the Martins, and A reader might be tempted not to believe the Martins will go the extra mile to make they seemed to know everyone that passed by this, but let me verify. During our interview, sure. Their eBay sales make up 80% of the Weekend Studio Antiques, which has been located at 337 a nice couple drove up with a big camera: store’s business, so the Martins are constantly Richmond Street in El Segundo since 1987. they were Anna and Tom, and they were on on the lookout for clients who may have a Forecast That’s the benefit of being in business for 26 a sightseeing trip from Norway. They had treasure on hand and need an expert eye. years, and the Martins are a gregarious couple visited San Francisco, then swung out to Las They also will appraise estate items and run who obviously enjoy saying hello. Laurence is Vegas and the Grand Canyon. Next stop? estate sales. Each revenue stream contributes British, originally from Bournemouth and still Studio Antiques. Anna and Tom were very to the overall business model, which is to Friday a fan of AFC Bournemouth, known locally as excited to see the Martins and many photos take in items, but also to get them out the Partly Cloudy the Cherries: kind of punk rock, artistically were taken on everyone’s phones. door in a fair manner. ripped shirt, tendency to break into his own The Martins were as friendly as could be. Small business owners have to worry about 67˚/56˚ language. Like if Keith Richards was in the Tom and Laurence discussed lutefisk, their everything, from travel to eBay re-listings to appraising business. Sally seems more of a common knowledge of German, and whether the parking outside, and just last week, the down-home girl, knowing the issues affecting Baggage Battles was dubbed or subtitled in city created new diagonal parking that goes the city, taking care of the details with a Norway (turns out it’s subtitled). Sally and up the west side of Richmond Street. The kind smile and a bucket of chitchat at the Anna hugged one another. “It’s so nice,” said spaces are narrow and a little hard to park Saturday ready. They have been married 21 years; they Sally, to see these friendly faces and hear in, especially coming from Grand (says this work together, they travel together, and they their stories. Some fans bring the Martins reporter from experience). Sally, though she Sunny are on TV together. Just a bit of that kind gifts or mementos, and the Martins treat is reserving judgment until the spaces have of togetherness is enough for some people, them with kindness and show them around been here a few more weeks, was worried 68˚55˚ but the Martins have been making it work the shop. “They go to Disneyland,” said that people might drive on by if they can’t for decades. Laurence, “and then they come here.” It’s figure out how to get into one of the spaces. Their first very successful TV job together quite an accomplishment, to be recognizably Each person who parks might come away was on the A&E reality show Storage Wars, famous but also accessible enough that the with something from Studio Antiques, and about bidding on abandoned storage lockers fans feel comfortable showing up at Studio each person who drives on by is a loss. As Sunday and hoping to find something saleable. The Antiques just to say hello. we spoke about parking, a woman came Martins were part of the expert appraisal team, The store has something for everyone: it’s out of the depths of the store with a flat, Partly Cloudy and then were offered roles in a show with crammed from floor to ceiling with items of iron-grate looking thing. She wanted to buy 68˚/55˚ a similar premise called Baggage Battles. At all kinds and shapes, from records to light it to put a plant on; Sally told her it was a first,Baggage Battles went to airports and the fixtures to casseroles to jewelry. Next door boot-scraper. The lady bought it anyway, and Martins got to buy suitcases and bags sight is the “World Gallery,” where Laurence now it has a second life. unseen, plastic bags full of jewelry, or whatever showcases larger items he’s found overseas. Studio Antiques enjoys making old things unclaimed items the airports had lying around. The Martins have many avenues for sale, thanks See Studio Antiques, page 2 Page 2 December 4, 2014 Community Briefs Neptunian December Activities Waterleaf Interior Hosts Grand Reopening Waterleaf Interiors and Waterleaf Home and Gift hosted Grand Re-Opening events Thursday November 6th with an open house Neptunians wrapping packages for a satisfied customer. Photo by Lynne S. Gross. for the public in the afternoon and private The Neptunian Woman’s Club of and a good cause. events in the evening. Manhattan Beach will be undertaking In addition, the women will be available Specializing in California & Coastal Dora Seiffer, Jennifer Berlinger, Cathy Brooks and Deirdre Gurney. Photo by Wendy Finster. two important fundraising events during at the Manhattan Beach Village Shopping Chic interiors, Manhattan Beach residents December. One will be a bake sale Sunday, Center (3200 North Sepulveda Boulevard) to Jill Johnson and Suzanne Ascher launched December 14, just prior to the annual make your Christmas presents look special. Waterleaf eight years ago in the historic Metlox Christmas fireworks on the Manhattan Beach Just come by the booth near the middle Center. With their success, the company has pier, The proceeds from the sale will go to of the mall, select your box size and the expanded its space to over 2000 square feet, the local Roundhouse Aquarium so that it wrapping paper you prefer, and they will do housing a design center, furniture retailer as can continue its programs related to teaching the rest—adding ribbons, bows, and other well as a home and gift store. people about the oceans, marine life, and elements to make your Christmas giving the environment. The women will have a festive. The booth will be open most days table at the corner of Manhattan Avenue from 9 a.m. to 9 p.m. from December 6 and Manhattan Beach Boulevard where, through December 24. The cost for the from 5:00 to 7:00 p.m., they will be selling wrapping is dependent on the size of the sweets such as cookies, brownies, cupcakes, package. All the women are donating their and hot chocolate. Coffee and water will time, with the proceeds from the wrapping Above: Petros Benekos and Rick Ascher. Photo by Christina Murphy. also be available. Drop by for a sweet taste going to scholarships for Mira Costa seniors. Left: Andy Johnson, Fred Sohegian, Fred Sohegian, Sr.