Americana

Apple is scheduled to debut its new store at the Americana at Brand on Saturday, the latest in what will be series of major changes to the outdoor mall. Billionaire developer Rick Caruso, who own the Americana, has also announced plans to bring Nordstrom into a new section of the mall that will take over the recently acquired Golden Key Hotel on Colorado Street. In an email to customers today, Apple announced that the store would open its doors at 10 a.m., with the first 1,000 customers getting a free commemorative T-shirt.

CITY HALL — The City Council and Redevelopment Agency approved amendments Tuesday to a development agreement that regulates a two-acre open space that will sit within the Americana at Brand project. The park space is slated to be used for community events as well as Americana-sponsored events. The amendments confirmed that a master schedule will be used to regulate what events will go on and who will be allowed to use the facility. "In order to have a park for everybody to enjoy, we need to have reasonable rules," developer Rick Caruso said.

With Black Friday looming on the calendar, Americana at Brand representatives this week announced that they will be bringing back a fundraiser for local schools that last year generated $100,000. Now through Dec. 31, shoppers at The Grove in Los Angeles the Americana can take their receipts to the concierge desk and designate a local school of their choice as a recipient. Caruso Affiliated, which owns the two outdoor malls, will donate 5% of purchases to the program, up to $100,000 for schools in Los Angeles and Ventura counties, according to the announcement.

The Americana at Brand generated about $1.16 million in sales tax revenue in 2010, 19% below expectations, but the mega-retail development has far exceeded property value projections, city officials reported Tuesday. The Americana's assessed value in fiscal year 2011-12 was $479.9 million, more than double what had been projected, according to staff report presented to the Redevelopment Agency. The higher-than-expected valuation generated about $3.67 million in tax revenue for the agency.

Taylor Swift fans could get a chance to meet and get their picture taken with the country music star Tuesday at the Americana at Brand -- for $106.50. Swift will be at Sephora at the Americana promoting her new fragrance, Wonderstruck, at 5:30 p.m., but only those who buy the limited edition package of her perfume will get to meet her, according to an announcement from the mall. Fans will be able to buy the Wonderstruck pack for $106.50 starting at 10 a.m., after which they'll receive a wristband guaranteeing the meet-and-greet.

Scenes of jubilation and excitement like that at the Americana at Brand played out at Apple stores across the nation today as fans waited in lines for hours to buy the latest iteration of the iPhone. Hundreds of people waited in line at the Americana this morning to be among the first owners of the new iPhone 4S. Even Steve Wozniak, who co-founded Apple with the late Steve Jobs, waited in line waiting for hours to buy the latest iPhone at an Apple Store in Los Gatos. Millions of the iPhone 4s were expected to fly off shelves today after Apple announced earlier this month that pre-orders had topped 1 million within 24 hours.

Singer Katy Perry is scheduled to appear at the Americana at Brand next week to promote her new line of false eyelashes. Perry, who was nominated this year for two Grammys, will be at the ULTA Beauty store to show off a new line of fake eyelashes she created in association with Eylure. For a chance to meet Perry personally, fans must first visit the ULTA Beauty store in the Burbank Empire Center at 10 a.m. Saturday, where the first 90 people to purchase a Katy Perry false lash will win a "lash pack" and a meet-and-greet with the singer in Glendale on Wednesday.

L.A. Creamery, known for its skyrocketing success by opening three locations in just a few years, closed its third and final store Monday in the Americana at Brand, reported Eater L.A . "We were so sad to leave The Americana," L.A. Creamery owner Brad Saltzman told the News-Press in an email.  "Rick Caruso was amazing and tried to help us stay, but we had a horrible landlord who we sub-leased from that wanted us out and refused to work...

Just as the sun started to make its presence felt Saturday, tan and black umbrellas popped open at the front of a long line of people. The line snaked east to Brand Boulevard from the Americana at Brand fountain. A DJ was bobbing to the tunes he was spinning atop an orange trolley as the crowd chatted, took photos and waited patiently. The roughly 400 people who were in line, some since 4 a.m., were awaiting the 10 a.m. opening of the Apple Store at the Americana.

Taylor Swift's list of "green room" demands for her appearance Tuesday at Sephora read a little, well, granola -- literally. According to an itinerary for her appearance at the Americana at Brand, Sephora had to provide "chewy granola bars -- assorted flavors," low-fat Fig Newtons, large plastic cups and "clean ice," one case of room-temperature Smart water, a grande skinny caramel latte from Starbucks with one Sweet 'N Low, fresh fruit and...