Huntington Beach’s The Strand is getting a new brand

In an effort to revitalize a quieter part of downtown Huntington Beach, The Strand is getting a new brand — 5th and PCH.

The commercial center’s transition will be celebrated with a block party from 1 to 8 p.m. Saturday at 155 Fifth St. The free event will feature food samples, fashion shows, music and prizes.

The rebranding is part of a plan to reintroduce locals and visitors to an area that can sometimes be overshadowed by Main Street.

As part of the effort, the Kimpton Shorebreak Hotel at 500 Pacific Coast Highway has been undergoing a $3-million remodeling.

The hotel, which opened in 2008, also has replaced the Zimzala restaurant with Pacific Hideaway, which features American cuisine fused with Asian and Latin touches, said Patricia Rogers, who is marketing the rebranding effort.

The area has been called The Strand since its inception, but its property manager, Stream Realty Partners, felt the name needed to be changed to better identify its location, senior property manager Kate Leigh said.

The center’s 14 businesses on Fifth Street and Pacific Coast Highway include Active Ride Shop, Bruxie Gourmet Waffle Sandwiches and Johnny Rockets.

New businesses are filtering onto the property.

The Pizza Press opened April 20 at 150 Fifth St. with an early-1900s newspaper theme, with walls adorned with old clippings.

The HQ Gastropub was recently approved by the City Council and is expected to move in at the end of August, Rogers said.

The establishment, which is replacing RA Sushi, toes the line between a pub and a restaurant, serving specialty cocktails and an array of food, including burgers and sushi, while mixing Prohibition-era decor with “cutting-edge audio/video technology.”

Rogers said part of The Strand rebranding is to make the area a “complement” to downtown.

As a way to attract more people and better associate with downtown, events will be offered throughout the year, Rogers said.

In the near future, concerts will be featured on the second Tuesday of every month and do-it-yourself activities on the fourth Tuesday. The events are meant to coincide with Surf City Nights, a street fair held every Tuesday by the Huntington Beach Downtown Business Improvement District.

The area also will feature events to correspond with large affairs such as the Fourth of July celebration and the Breitling Huntington Beach Airshow at the end of September.

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