Vici Collection, an affordable fashion brand created as an online boutique, is opening a pop-up store Wednesday, Nov. 22 at Fashion Island in Newport Beach.
The Concord-based company offers a wide array of clothing, accessories and footwear.
The 1,800-square-foot store will be open until March 2024. Vici promises “fresh arrivals every week” for head-to-toe outfits.
The brand’s debut at Fashion Island comes just weeks after the company’s founder stepped down as chairwoman of the board. Sandra Sayegh Dudum allegedly made antisemitic remarks in an Instagram comment, which quickly went viral. The company apologized to its customers.
“VICI has zero tolerance for violence, hateful speech, and discrimination of any kind,” the company said on its official Instagram page. “We are deeply troubled by the comments made by our original founder from her personal social media account. Her statements do not align with the values of the company, our employees, current leadership team, and our CEO.”
Tustin dealership is one of first to test Amazon car sales
Tustin Hyundai is one of 18 dealerships chosen by the South Korean automaker to pilot vehicle sales at Amazon’s e-commerce platform next year.
In the partnership, which allows local car dealers to sell directly to customers on Amazon.com, Hyundai will use Amazon’s cloud computing unit (called AWS) as its preferred provider. The automaker also will add Alexa, Amazon’s popular voice assistant, to next-generation vehicles.
John Patterson, president and owner of Patterson’s OC Auto Group, confirmed the Tustin dealership would be among the first dealerships to test the sales platform.
“We are very interested to see how it goes,” Patterson said. “The next 6 months will be a very confined sample size … but we are hoping to work out the kinks.”
Details on other dealerships in the pilot were not revealed. An Amazon spokesperson told the Associated Press it would release more details as it builds the program.
OCCF tops $1 billion in grants, scholarships
The Orange County Community Foundation reached a historic milestone with $1 billion in grants and scholarships awarded since it was created in 1989. OCCF president and CEO Shelley Hoss announced the achievement to philanthropists, business leaders and nonprofit organizations at OCCF’s 2023 Annual Meeting at the Irvine Marriott on Nov. 9.
Day of Giving for Cell Dogs program
The nonprofit Cell Dogs program is looking to raise $100,000 in its annual fundraiser.
The program pulls at-risk dogs from local animal shelters and pet owners and rehabilitates them with the help of incarcerated men and women in Orange County’s jails. In its nearly 20-year run, Cell Dogs has saved 437 dogs with the help of 1,100 trainers. Twenty of those dogs were trained to be service animals for children with needs and military veterans suffering from PTSD.
Cell Dogs’ founder Janette Thomas, an Orange resident, says the bond that forms between the dogs and their handlers provides two benefits: it creates in the inmates a sense of empathy and responsibility while building a strong training foundation for the dogs, which ultimately are adopted by local families.
The nonprofit’s Tax ID number is 02-0536487. The program receives no government funding and operates solely on donations. To contribute, send a check to PO Box 23148, Santa Ana, CA 92711-3148.
OUSD foundation raffles its first car
Lucia Rodriguez from Garden Grove was the winner of the Orange Unified Public Schools Foundation’s first car raffle, made possible thanks to a partnership with Stadium Nissan in Orange.
Rodriguez won a 2024 Nissan Sentra, which was unveiled during the Oct. 27 Orange High varsity football game at Fred Kelly Stadium.
“Months of meticulous planning, ticket tracking, and volunteer coordination culminated in an exhilarating moment—handing over a brand-new car to a deserving individual,” said David Imboden, chairman of OUPSF raffle.
OUPSF raises money to fund key school district initiatives, such as teacher grants.
Good works
The nonprofit Legacy of Aloha Foundation raised $40,000 for 800 TS Restaurants and Maui Brewing Co. employees in Maui who lost their jobs, and for 300 of them, their homes in the devastating Lahaina fire. In Orange County, 20 local restaurants participated in the October fundraiser, which contributed 100% of the proceeds from mai tai cocktails sold at the restaurants.
Milestones
Orange County resident Melissa Lupercio is one of five Coors Light Liìderes winners, receiving a $10,000 grant to support Building Skills Partnership. The Líderes program honors exceptional Latino leaders who have shown “dedication to making a positive and lasting impact in their communities.”
“This recognition will help us expand our parent engagement and college access program for first-generation students which includes college trips and assistance with college applications,” said Lupercio, development and grants coordinator, BSP.
