Mailbag: Americana keeps drawing people in

As for Rick Caruso’s trolley going up and down Brand Boulevard on his dime — thank you, Caruso, for your imagination and the workings of your marketing department (“Trolley to roll in April,” March 19). You have not failed me and the many supporters of your project, the Americana at Brand.

The same critics of the past still go before the City Council today criticizing and speaking ill of your “Dream for Glendale.” One critic gets upset when told to keep off the “public grass” for lawn maintenance and also criticizes the new special “signage” for our two premier malls.

It seems every week or month something special is happening at the Americana at Brand. Santa Claus arrived in November 2008 with fireworks and about 20,000 spectators. About a month later came the USC Marching Band, with music from the movie “Mama Mia” weeks later.

The Petersen Museum with their classic cars arrived last June to great fanfare. Nowadays, we have Gigi’s Farmers Market every Saturday morning. The other day the mall hosted a “street feast” featuring nine food vendors and thousands of food lovers. Coming shortly there will be pop and classical music concerts on the green.

Oh, let us not forget all the charity hosting the Americana has been involved with these past many months.

Sure, things have not always been good at the Americana — just the worst recession to hit this country and city since the Great Depression. Yes, the condos and rentals did not go flying off the shelves as hoped. But, Caruso has been resolute with his marketing department, doing everything to entice the public to visit the Americana and the surrounding businesses.

Even his nemesis, the Glendale Galleria, has benefited from being next to the Americana.

General Growth, the owner of the Galleria, looking back with hindsight would probably say today they made a poor business decision not trying to work with Caruso.

The new sign ordinance has brought the two shopping malls together for a common cause. Furthermore, once General Growth emerges from bankruptcy protection with new stockholders and a remodeled mall, I am sure the Galleria will be more updated to meet today’s needs.