Photos courtesy of LB4D Blog.

After speculation following the purchase by CVS of two properties which housed auto dealers in 2008, the last of the two, Hooman Toyota, has officially vacated its location near Long Beach’s traffic circle in favor of a more freeway-adjacent location on Willow St. and Redondo Ave.

According to the LB4D Blog, the dealership, situated at 4401 Pacific Coast Highway, also operated a service and parts building slightly east at Atherton and Ximeno. The departure marks the second leaving of an auto dealership from the area, with Mitsubishi—the other CVS-owned lot—having moved to Cerritos in March of last year.

“Due to the growth and success of Hooman Toyota, the dealership must move from its current location to a larger facility to accommodate his sales volume and service operations,” said 4th District Councilmemer Patrick O’Donnell. “It is my understanding that he has secured the former Boulevard Cadillac site, which has sat vacant for a number of years… While we very much appreciate his presence on the traffic circle, it makes business sense that the new site would better accommodate his large sales volume operation, jobs, and desire to be next to a major freeway.”

Auto dealers and massive retailers such as department stores bring in significant sales tax revenues, which provide monies directly to the City’s general fund. Given this, it is clear why O’Donnell was pleased to announce that Hooman will remain in Long Beach and occupy the former Boulevard site at 3399 East Willow.

“Change is not always easy to accept,” O’Donnell said, “however, this is the trend in the automotive business and his current site did not match his expanded needs. The good news is that we have worked to ensure he stays in Long Beach. He could have easily have moved to another city. We were rather aggressive in our efforts to ensure he stays in our city. From my perspective, it is the role of government to support business operations and help them be successful as they grow. It makes our jobs, sales tax base, and ultimately our city stronger.”

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