Familiar faces in new spaces

When you’re alone and life is making you lonely

You can always go downtown

When you’ve got worries, all the noise and the hurry

Seems to help, I know, downtown

-Petula Clark, “Downtown”

As of this winter, two longstanding Village at Mammoth businesses have picked up their roots and headed downtown. Lingerie Lounge was the first to close its doors on July 27 after 10 years of business in the Village. Last week, Lingerie Lounge opened its doors again on the first floor of the Sierra Center Mall on Old Mammoth Road.

Meanwhile, Tonik has set up shop across the street at The Plaza.

Marlene Rheault, owner of Lingerie Lounge, explained her departure from the Village as the result of Village landlord CNL attempting to coerce her into signing a new lease. Rheault had been working with CNL to renew her existing lease, and was awaiting an extension on that lease during negotiations when CNL abruptly sent her a “brand new lease and said sign it or get out,” she said (see “Lingerie Lounge exits Village at Mammoth”).

At the time, Rheault noted that CNL was looking to sell the Village and may have been hoping to wrap up all the tenants in the same lease to look better for potential buyers.

She described the terms of that  lease as very advantageous to the landlord.

Fed up, Rheault decided to “get out.” She considered moving the Lingerie Lounge to Tahoe, she said, but changed her mind after the space at Sierra Center Mall opened up. “I was just done with commercial landlords at the time,” she said. But her current landlord, Paul Rudder, “is not your typical landlord.”

Thus far, the change in locale has been a blessing for Rheault. She pointed out the many benefits of the new space, including free and plentiful parking. In addition to parking, the new space is bigger and brighter, she said. “I think we transformed the place,” she added.

The shop is filled with new merchandise, and Rheault plans to continue replenishing basics, as well as clothing, pajamas, and other items requested by customers, over the next month.

Everything on the floor is currently 20 percent off, or 30 percent off if you like the store on Facebook. Rheault is also offering 40-60 percent off sales merchandise, and 50 percent off costumes, which she stores on site now that she has more spacious accommodations.

As for the local reception, “I’ve been surprised at the response I got,” she said. “People were pretty excited, because there isn’t much in town like this.” What’s more, those who have already stopped in to Lingerie Lounge tell Rheault that they like the new space better. “They say it’s not as dark; not as cramped,” she said. “We’ll see how everything goes,” she concluded.

Kristi Rowley, owner of Tonik, shared her similar experience. Like Lingerie Lounge, Tonik was a Village mainstay for 10 years. Rowley departed the Village in November of last year after fighting CNL over its lease coercion, and losing. She opened Tonik’s doors at a new location at The Plaza on Old Mammoth Road in December.

Rowley’s relationship to her Village landlord “wasn’t mutually beneficial,” she said. “It was, sign your life away to the point where you have very little control over how you run your business.”

A case in point: Rowley’s Village lease was 80 pages on legal paper, she said. Her current lease with landlord John Vereuck is 6 pages on letter paper.

When it comes to the change in venue, “I don’t have any regrets at all,” she said; “I would do the same thing all over again. Only time will tell for me, but so far, it’s been a blessing in disguise.”

Advantages to the new location include parking; the store space, which Rowley said both she and patrons love; and surprisingly enough, for those who think Mammoth’s downtown isn’t thriving, location. “The locals are stoked that we’re here, because it’s so much easier than going to the Village,” she said.

Rowley added that she enjoys being in the company of a diverse range of businesses, citing Mammoth Tavern, Thai’d Up, Salsa’s, Mimi’s Cookies, Garden of Eatin, Mammoth Gallery, The Oak Tree, and the soon-to-be-completed Rock ‘N Bowl.

“Another really cool thing is what a huge bed base there is down here,” she said. “People drive by this area every day on their way to and from home and work.”

To entice long-time and new customers, Tonik is currently offering Tonik Tuesdays, with special sales on everything from footwear to Free People to intimate apparel. All outwear and technical apparel is currently 40 percent off, Rowley said, and the sale racks are 50-70 percent off.

While Rowley said she’s happy to be free “from the bad politics of the Village,” she remains hopeful about the future of the Village. “The Village is a part of our community, and I want it to succeed,” she said.

But both businesses are finding that a new life downtown isn’t a bad thing. As the Sheet wrapped up its interview with Marlene Rheault at the Lingerie Lounge, four patrons stopped in for a look. “Is this the store that was in the Village?” they asked. Rheault was pleased to give the affirmative.