Tehachapi News

The Orchard center continues to blossom

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The City of Tehachapi confirmed Friday that Sobel Development has paid off more than $130,000 in mitigation fees for The Orchard shopping center on Tucker Road.

Brad Sobel, CEO of Sobel Development, said that although the council approved a 2-year payment agreement in January, his company decided that “full payment will help ease people’s mind.”

“The best thing to do to is to get matters squared away. They [the city] have the money and they’re happy. Now potential tenants don’t have to worry about paying mitigation fees at all. They can just move in — no fees associated,” Sobel said.

According to Sobel, the center is currently 75 percent leased, with new businesses set to open their doors in May.

Among the anticipated new arrivals is a 3,800 square foot national bank with a drive-through, Your Mattress Store, Moses Master Carpets, Carousel Dry Cleaners, The Orchard Pharmacy, Subway, Fire it Up fireplace accessories — and a long-awaited teen clothing store.

Sobel congratulated local business owners for “following their dream” adding that even the center’s franchisees, such as Subway and Del Taco are from Tehachapi or the Kern County area.

“We take pride in our center,” he said. “We also take pride in the fact that there are several businesses that are brand new retailers,” citing the early successes of shops like Little Bundles and The Wine and Cheese Cellar.

“It looks fantastic on the inside and they’re getting rave reviews. That’s very exciting; very entrepreneurial. We’re entrepreneurs as well,” he said.

In fact, Sobel Development is a family owned business with four employees.
“We’ve been family owned and operated for 35 years. We’re just as much a family business as our local tenants. In regards to city fees, it’s just as painful for us as a family business, as it would be for any store owner.”

Sobel said his company will address the city’s recently adopted “shopping center” fee structure sometime in 2009, when building permits are expected to be issued for a new retail center on N. Mill Street, just south of Highway 58.