South Coast Plaza is sending out “come shop here” vibes with a host of shops newly opened and more coming next year.
The Costa Mesa retail center recently welcomed Manolo Blahnik. The boutique — which features the brand’s luxury stilettos and classy mules — is a West Coast exclusive, reps said. (Find it at Level 1, between Jewel and Carousel courts.)
Also newly opened are Stone Island, Mango and Alo.
Los Angeles-based Alo sells studio-to-street apparel and “wellness essentials.” (Level 1, Macy’s Home store wing)
The Italian-born Stone Island carries “cult-favorite menswear,” SCP says. The boutique showcases the brand’s “textile innovation, garment dyeing and performance-driven design.” (Level 2, Din Tai Fung wing)
Mango sells contemporary apparel, shoes and accessories with a Mediterranean flair. (Level 1, Din Tai Fung wing)
Also at South Coast, the remodeled Harry Winston boutique is again open for customers.
In the weeks ahead, shoppers can also look for:
—Venchi: the Italian chocolatier features sweets, chocolates and gelato.
—Collegium Café: an Orange County footwear brand.
Coming next year:
—Heytea: A cult favorite Chinese tea house that features creamy concoctions.
—Pura Vida Miami: health-conscious meals with fruit, vegetables and proteins.
—Fueguia 1833 Patagonia: the West Coast’s first shop for the Argentinian fragrance house.
Last month, South Coast added Zara Man, which made its U.S. debut in Orange County, and Kim Kardashian’s shapewear and clothing brand, Skims.
Eichholtz opens at SoCo in Costa Mesa
European furniture and lighting store Eichholtz is open at South Coast Collection in Costa Mesa.
The retailer signed an 8,423-square-foot lease with property owner Continental Realty Corp.
Eichholtz Orange County considers the Costa Mesa store a flagship showroom, carrying a furniture for bedroom, living room and office spaces, as well as cabinetry, wall art and accessories.
Address: 3303-3323 Hyland Ave.
Cafe giving back to CHOC
The owners of LJ’s Lil’ Cafe in Orange are giving back to the hospital that helped save their infant son.
Lydia and John Clarke are setting aside $1 for every seasonal drink purchased in December at their cafe. Proceeds will go to Rady CHOC in Orange.
LJ’s Lil’ Cafe opened in late November at 3070 W. Chapman Ave., Suite C, in the small shopping center tucked against the 5 freeway and across the street from the Renaissance Uptown Orange apartment complex. The cafe got its start as a coffee stand in a shed outside a Home Depot in Cypress. The Clarkes now operate that coffee stand and the cafe in Orange.
The Clarkes said they wanted to give back to CHOC, where their son, Jack, spent the earliest months of his life, first in the neonatal intensive care unit and then with followup care for a rare liver disease.
The cafe serves scratch-made breakfast burritos and salsas, sandwiches and a variety of beverages.
For more information, email orange@ljslilcafe.com or call 657-282-0027.
Scholarship applications open at credit union
SchoolsFirst Federal Credit Union in Tustin has opened its annual Member Education Award scholarships program.
The applicant portal is open until Jan. 31, 2026.
SchoolsFirst FCU awards scholarships annually to eligible high school seniors, college freshmen and college sophomores to help offset the cost of books, tuition and other educational expenses.
Applicants must be SchoolsFirst FCU members and enrolled in an accredited college or university for the fall term and have completed no more than 60 college credits.
In 2025, SchoolsFirst FCU awarded $210,500 in scholarships to 248 students.
For more information or to apply, go to schoolsfirstfcu.org/about-us/member-education-award.
New HQ for AJSOCAL
Asian Americans Advancing Justice Southern California opened its Orange County headquarters and community space on Tuesday, Dec. 2 in Anaheim.
The new offices mark “a significant expansion of AJSOCAL’s footprint and services,” the organization said.
The facility will serve as a community hub for AJSOCAL’s ongoing immigration support, housing assistance, domestic violence resources, legal services and multilingual hotlines.
The hotlines are offered in eight languages: English (888-349-9695), Chinese (800-520-2356), Korean (800-867-3640), Khmer (800-867-3126), Tagalog (855-300-2552), Hindi (855-971-2552), Thai (800-914-9583) and Vietnamese (714-477-2958).
The organization said Orange County is home to 431,955 foreign-born Asian Americans with 70% of them speaking a non-English language at home.
For more information, call 213-977-7500 or go to ajsocal.org
Toy drive launches for kids
Nuvision Credit Union is nearly done with its annual NuvisionCares Holiday Toy Drive, which ends today, Dec. 15. The toy drive supports the annual Toys for Tots event, which serves families throughout Southern California. Nuvision is collecting toy donations at its 13 branch locations in Southern California. For more go to nuvisionfederal.com/event/nuvisioncares-toys-for-tots-drive-ca
Mentors sought
The Dragon Kim Fellowship is looking for experienced adult mentors from the community to work with high school students for its annual fellowship program.
Projects topics typically include musical and visual arts, academics, business, environment, mental and physical health, STEM and robotics.
Mentors will be asked to attend an orientation, three leadership trainings, participate in weekly check-in sessions and visit projects in action from March through August. The total time commitment is about 25 hours over six months.
In 2025, the foundation hosted a record 63 fellowship projects run by 138 high school students in three states. In 10 years, more than 300 adults have mentored 600 Dragon Kim fellows.
To apply, go to bit.ly/4qJw6Rk. The deadline to apply is Feb. 9.
On board
Larry D. Dick is the new board president for the Municipal Water District of Orange County. The board also re-elected Jeff Thomas to continue serving as vice president. Dick’s priorities include advancing regional water supply projects and enhancing emergency preparedness programs, according to a board statement. Their two-year terms started Dec. 11.
Good works
The second annual “No lunch” Lunch raised $303,402 for Second Harvest Food Bank of Orange County. The event, attended by nearly 400 guests, featured a simple meal of soup and bread provided by Antonella’s Ristorante. The money raised will go toward providing food to community members facing food insecurity in the county. To contribute to the cause, go to feedoc.org/donate
Orange County United Way and BMO employees worked together on Giving Tuesday to craft seven no-sew blankets and write encouragement cards. The blankets and cards will be shared with people in Orange County experiencing homelessness. According to the most recent Point in Time Count, more than 7,300 people are experiencing homelessness in Orange County.
Status Update is compiled and written by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items and high-resolution photos to sgowen@scng.com . Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.