Larchmont Village in LA
TOP NEWS: LARCHMONT BUNGALOW LOSES CIVIL CASE AGAINST CITY. Next hearing in criminal case: June 19th, 2013.
Chipotle and Lemonade opened in March. Flywheel Bike Shop and Pinches Tacos opened in April. Chocoholics closed May 1st.

Gone Plaid Bandit the U.S. Bank Larchmont Robber?

As we tweeted last Saturday, the U.S. Bank on Larchmont was robbed with little fanfare at 9:43 that morning. The FBI now believes that the robber may be the notorious "Gone Plaid Bandit" who has been responsible for numerous bank robberies in Orange County.

The physical description and M.O. are the same. The suspect is a thin white male in his 20′s or 30′s who weighs about 160 pounds and stands at about 5’6″ to 5’8″. He has brown hair and has a soul patch on his chin. (He has also  been seen in other robberies wearing a long-sleeved shirt, a baseball cap, and sunglasses.)

Gone Plaid Bandit at Larchmont Village US Bank Robbery?



The bandit reportedly enters the bank and presents a note on which is written this demand: “Just the $50′s and $100′s, no dye packs.”

No vehicle has been spotted and no weapon has been displayed, though it at least a few recent robberies, the suspect has used a skateboard to approach and leave the victim bank.

Anyone with information is being asked to contact the FBI Bank Robbery Apprehension Team at (714) 939-8699 or the 24-hour line at (310) 477-6565, or email SA Christopher Gicking at This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it .
   

Larchmont Bungalow Guilty of Fire-Code Violations: Pleads No Contest, Sentenced to Three Years' Probation

April 3, 2013

Wednesday was a hectic day for Larchmont Bungalow's criminal defense team. In the morning, they were at the Criminal Courts Building on Temple Street in downtown Los Angeles for a pre-trial hearing on the three charges stemming from the restaurant's illegal operation. In the afternoon, there was another hearing at the Central Arraignment Court on Bauchet concerning the regular overcrowding conditions that the L.A. Fire Department discovered were endangering the lives of incognizant individuals entering the building.

Larchmont Bungalow pleaded no-contest to the case presented by the fire department, and was sentenced to three years' probation. The primary criminal case against Bungalow's illegal operation is still ongoing and has been continued to June 19, 2013.

- - -

September 2nd (Sunday), 2012

The Los Angeles Fire Department, accompanied by Los Angeles Police Department resources, appeared at 107 North Larchmont Boulevard at midday Sunday and shut the establishment down for operating beyond the stated occupancy on their legal papers.

For those unfamiliar with the most galling issue confronting our community, Bungalow has been operating without the most basic city permit required of restaurants or any kind of food-service business. The last permit issued for that space (formerly an office building) was for food-retail and it was declared void in October 2009. After several administrative appeals and hearings, that food-retail permit, which is in the same category as the one used by Starbucks and other coffee takeout places, was revoked for good in December 2009.

There is no record of any other food facility in the City of Los Angeles that has been able to get away with such blatant disregard of the law for such a long time and with the patronage of high-ranking government officials. Whether they can reopen will depend on their continued willingness to pour money into extending the processes of lobbying, litigation, and PR.

NOTE: Without a Certificate of Occupancy, the building occupied by Bungalow can accommodate only 49 people according to LAFD calculations specified in the Municipal Code. The fire marshal counted a total of 98 people on September 2nd, thus requiring the closure.

For more background, you may search this site. We will add more information and links to this entry soon.
   

Flywheel on Larchmont a Retail / Bike Shop, Not a Gym?

TLDR: Flywheel currently has a permit to operate as a bike shop. Unlike SoulCycle and other such establishments, Flywheel on Larchmont does NOT have a permit to operate as a health club.


The Flywheel Sports franchise is known for spin classes, and a gym for stadium cycling was what the locals assumed was going into the former Blockbuster shop at 147 North Larchmont... Except it's not a gym or health club that Flywheel said it was going to be when it applied to the city for a permit.

City files show no application for change of use (the space remains for "retail" as it was during Blockbuster's operations) though a supplemental permit has been issued clarifying that the space is to be a "retail / bike shop" with 16 parking spaces.   

On its website and in response to community members who have asked, Flywheel describes its location on Larchmont as "a retail store and equipment testing room."

Despite Flywheel on Larchmont not being a gym in the eyes of its company, its PR firm has been announcing registration for spin classes that start as early as 8:15 am on Saturday (April 13, 2013) with instructor Emily Celli-Recht. There appear to be 46 spots for students... presumably each with his or her own spin bike. Or they could just be 46 customers testing the sports equipment all at the same time. 

Flywheel on Larchmont Retail Bike Shop Not Gym


Screenshot from Flywheel Website


 

Flywheel Larchmont Cycling Class Schedule



Flywheel Larchmont Stadium Cycling Instructor Emily C


Address: 147 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004-3704
Location: north of 1st Street, south of Beverly, west side of street
   

Pressed Juicery on Larchmont?

Pressed Juicery is planning on opening its 13th (?) storefront in the former Larchmont space of Chocoholics, which is closing by May 1st, 2013.

That will make it three juice places in the village proper, just south of Beverly.



Address: 201 N Larchmont Blvd, Los Angeles, CA 90004
Location: north of 1st Street, south of Beverly Boulevard. West side of street.

   

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