If you’ve ever wanted to get a closer look at the creative culture of Long Beach’s Ranchos Neighborhood — you’ll finally have that chance with the inaugural Ranchos Art Crawl getting underway in May.
The Ranchos Art Crawl, organized by local real estate agent Ben Fisher, will kick off on Saturday, May 17 from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Attendees will be invited to tour the creative spaces of artisans living in the neighborhood, who will have their creations on display.
The Ranchos Estates is an east Long Beach neighborhood. Many of the 700 homes in the neighborhood were designed by Cliff May — described as the “Father of the California Ranch House” — in the early 1950s.
-
One of the open studios on May 17 during the inaugural Cliff May Rancho Neighborhood Art Crawl. (Photo courtesy of Ben Fisher)
1 of 6
One of the open studios on May 17 during the inaugural Cliff May Rancho Neighborhood Art Crawl. (Photo courtesy of Ben Fisher)
“(May) fused elements of the Spanish Revival style with Modernism to produce low-slung, horizontally oriented, pitched-roof ranch houses,” according to the Los Angeles Conservancy. “Their open, relaxed layout emphasized outdoor living, perfect for the casual lifestyle and temperate climate of Southern California.”
To this day, the Ranchos Neighborhood is considered among the most unique neighborhoods in Long Beach.
“The Ranchos are a magnate for attracting and inspiring creatives from design professionals to side gig eccentrics,” the events website said, “making it one of the most unique neighborhoods in Long Beach.”
To learn more about the Ranchos Neighborhood and the vision for the Art Crawl, I sat down with the event’s organizer, Ben Fisher.
Q: Originally, Rancho homes sold for about $12,000. How much are they selling for these days?
A: As of this year, we have the highest sale at $1.6 million. The Ranchos range from the low $1 million to roughly $1.6 million, depending on a multitude of factors and conditions
Q: Why do you think homes designed by Cliff May have extra appeal?
A: The homes in the Ranchos definitely appeal to a specific group of people who are enthusiastic about the mid-century aesthetic, which is now coupled with a very proud sense of community that is hard to find anywhere anymore.
It used to be about the uniqueness of the homes themselves — yet as time went on, the neighborhood really came together and helped create a vibe that’s so much more than just the houses now.
Q: Are Rancho buyers generally more interested in design and art? What attracts people there?
A: I think whenever you have something unique and interesting, it will tend to draw people to match that energy. The Ranchos are unlike any other neighborhood in Long Beach and that’s pretty spot on when it comes to the uniqueness of the owners who love them so much.
There’s such a wide range of talented people who live in there with their own creative lanes, but one thing that brings them all together is the architecture and now, events like the Art Crawl to connect the neighbors even more.
Q: How did you first discover that the neighborhood was a hidden gem of private studios, backyard craftsmen, and artists?
A: Over many years spent learning the need-to-knows of the Ranchos for my real estate career, I became friends with a handful of neighbors who are now very close to me.
Aside from all being friends I hold in high regards, they all seemed to have their own creative outlets that the Cliff May homes seemingly ran parallel with.
It was like their individual expressions were complimented so perfectly with the idea of the homes that I now can’t picture some of them anywhere else. The homes are extensions of themselves, something I can’t recall ever seeing in any other specific neighborhood of Long Beach since I was a kid.
Q: There was a time when homeowners were remodeling and tossing original doors and other items. When do you think that started to turn around?
A: I think this really picked up in the early 2000s when early neighborhood pioneers recognized this was something special. Prior to that, they were “the lower priced odd-looking houses across Studebaker.” Not my quote by the way — just what I’ve been told countless times.
Any Rancho neighbor who reads this will know, if you see anyone put out any piece of the original Cliff May on the curb (original windows and doors, even ovens), it won’t be there more than a few hours before someone snags it.
Original parts for these homes are like gold in the Ranchos. The best way to describe it is like a classic car. If you take out the original parts of a 1950s Cadillac and put rims on it and swap the interior, you’re only hurting the value.
You keep what’s meant to be and if you change anything, you better consult the neighbors first.
For more information about the Art Crawl, visit ranchoartcrawl.com.
Take tea
Belmont Shore news — the former Dave’s Hot Chicken storefront is being transformed into Chagee, known by some as the Starbucks of tea.
Chagee was founded with a mission to “bring traditional tea culture into the modern world,” according to its website.
China’s biggest tea shop, Chagee, is opening U.S. locations, including one in Los Angeles’ Westfield Century City Mall and another on Second Street in Belmont Shore. Both shops are planned to open in the spring.
Founded just eight years ago in 2017 in Yunnan, Chagee has grown to more than 6,400 locations worldwide, including across China and throughout Asia.
The shop is best known for its fresh-brewed milk teas with fancy cups decorated with flower designs and images of horses, hence their slogan — “elegance in every sip.”
Entrepreneur of the Year
The Long Beach Area Chamber of Commerce will host its 2025 City National Bank Entrepreneur of the Year luncheon on Thursday, April 24.
The luncheon will get underway at Hyatt Regency Long Beach, where several business leaders will be recognized, according to a recent news release.
This year’s honorees are:
- Entrepreneur of the Year: Mike Brascia, Brascia Builders
- Don Temple Storage Philanthropic Pioneer Award: Crystal Rogers, Lucy’s Boudoir,
- Chick-fil-A Community Spirit Award: Duke Givens, Care Closet and Long Beach City College
- Shaun R. Lumachi Rising Star Award: Kym Estrada and Arvin Torres, San & Wolves Bakeshop
“This event is a highlight of our year and a true celebration of Long Beach’s entrepreneurial spirit,” Jeremy Harris, the Chamber’s president and CEO said in the release. “We’re proud to recognize Mike Brascia and our other honorees for the vision, leadership, and commitment they bring to our business community
The luncheon is open to the public, but advance registration is required. Visit lbchamber.com for more information.
Originally Published:
This post was originally published on this site be sure to check out more of their content
