By Vanessa Meza
Residents of South Gate have newly acquired Azalea Shopping Center, which will contribute to the city and benefit its residents.
This new addition to the city has goals set to produce more than $165 million in the first year alone.
Azalea is located in the corner intersection of Atlantic Avenue and Firestone Boulevard. Its construction began in 2012 and is nearly finished.
The new shopping center will provide more than 20 different stores in which give many locals an opportunity for employment.
These new jobs will be generating employment, which will require a range of skills, and knowledge that many applicants will be able to provide.
This will not only benefit East Los Angeles College students who live in the South Gate area to possibly acquire employment, but also many other local residents.
“I’m a high school student who lives in the city of South Gate and luckily was hired to work for In-n-Out,” Jonathan Espinoza said.
The creation of new jobs has motivated younger people like Espinoza to become employed and help their parents with bills and rent.
“To be employed and be able to be working in an awesome new environment is great,” Espinoza said.
According to the shopping centers website, there are about 223,000 households within 5 miles from Azalea.
They also include information about 85% of the 5 mile population is Hispanic.
It allows locals to obtain a better shopping experience without having the hassle of traveling far from home.
Locals will have the resources they need within walking distance for most. Azalea has a variety of shopping options.
Stores like Wal-Mart have a market and pharmacy available under the same roof in which is convenient for many people. Having stores like Wal-Mart, Michaels, Petco, and Ross is much appreciated.
“I am a stay at home mother and there are many thing I have to buy on a daily basis, now that this plaza is almost done I can buy all the things I need in one place,” Juana Ferrera said.
If someone needs to buy food for their pet they can go to Petco, if a student needs supplies for a school project they can go into Michaels all in one shopping center.
This shopping center will benefit a range of people, from students to mothers who need to pick up some fresh vegetables for dinner.
Some might argue that with new shopping center will create more traffic in an intersection that is already busy as it is, but the city would not want to create a hazardous problem that would put others in danger.
“I pass through the intersection where Azalea is located around four o’clock to go home from work, and I have never encountered rough traffic which is surprising to me,” Harry Pereda, a local that had feared traffic would increase after the shopping center opened, said.
A shopping center can bring so much to a city that can benefit its residents.
Most people don’t think how positive a new Shopping center can be for a community, like how a great distraction it could be.
To be able to just walk around the outdoor shopping center and enjoy the variety of items there is to see and be able to go out with you family and appreciate time together.