Posts by Mark McDermott

Dick’s Sporting Goods – It’s hard to fathom when you walk into any Dick’s Sporting Goods store – including the gleaming new store in El Segundo Plaza – that this expanding empire of big box stores began with the thwarted dream of an 18-year-old clerk at an Army/Navy store in a small New York town…

Billiards and Bar Stools of South Bay – South Bay residents like to eat, drink, make merry and play pool in their homes, and voted Billiards and Barstools of South Bay to tie for best furniture store. Billiards and Barstools prides itself in the largest selection of game room furniture in the South Bay with…

Maison Luxe – Maison Luxe, located at the corner of Highland and 15th Street, has been a gateway business to downtown Manhattan Beach for 15 years. And though the furniture shop will soon move to the former Re:Style and Either/Or bookstore site Hermosa’s Pier Avenue, the shop long ago transcended it’s physical location. There are…

Nutrishop – Our readers gave the nod to the sports nutrition and weight loss superstore that carries everything from protein powders to muscle optimizers, multi-vitamins, items for before the workout and the recovery afterward, testosterone boosters and weight gain as well as weight loss. The wide variety of products includes: Detox for weight loss, both…

Saint Rocke – “At Saint Rocke, the music is our focus, and the presentation of that music is our job,” says owner Allen Sanford. “We try to think outside of the box when it comes to this – by offering comfort instead of traditional venue seating, great food instead of typical venue food, craft wine…

     Russell Samuels  Russ Samuels became interested in athletics after moving to California at the age of 12, competing on high-level track teams throughout high school and college.  Samuels began his personal training career at the age of 20 and, over the past 15 years, has acquired certifications in personal training, nutrition, balance and…

Harold J. Kaplan, MD, FACS – Those in the South Bay suffering from droopy jowls, turkey neck and the like most prefer Dr. Harold Kaplan to iron out their problems. Known as “The Doctor For Faces,” Kaplan has practiced in Torrance for 25 years, specializing exclusively in cosmetic surgery of the face and neck. He…

Bikram Yoga – Devotees of hot and sweaty Bikram yoga flock from all over L.A. and beyond to the Hermosa studio of Leyla Assadi and Kay Ostrenko, where they practice a sequence of 26 postures developed by Yogiraj Bikram Choudhury, the founder of the worldwide Yoga College of India, in 105-degree heat and 40-degree humidity.…