On September 24, Gum Tree held a ribbon-cutting at 1140 Highland Avenue. For most of the past decade, that address meant newspapers. Current Events, which the Daily Breeze called the city's last newsstand, closed there on January 31. The same report said Gum Tree would take over the space. The move took most of the year. MB Weekly expected an early-April opening, and the Daily Breeze later confirmed the reopening at 1140 Highland, with the old storefront at 324 Manhattan Beach Boulevard left behind.
That one move explains how downtown has changed this year. One closure opened a space, a tenant moved into it, and the space that tenant left filled almost right away. Kelly Stroman, executive director of the Downtown Manhattan Beach Business and Professionals Association, described the pace to MB News in July: "The turnover in downtown Manhattan Beach is unprecedented right now and we are all talking about it."
Four months later, the turnover has not moved at the same speed everywhere. Manhattan Beach Boulevard has largely refilled. Highland Avenue and Metlox Plaza are still waiting on tenants. The Holiday Open House on Wednesday, November 18, covers all three areas in one evening.
How One Move Set Off the Others
Here is the Gum Tree sequence in order, because the Boulevard's new lineup depends on it:
- Current Events closed at 1140 Highland Avenue on January 31.
- Gum Tree left 324 Manhattan Beach Boulevard and reopened at 1140 Highland, with a ribbon-cutting on September 24.
- Beyond Yoga opened at 324 Manhattan Beach Boulevard. SGB reported the store open on August 18, which means Gum Tree's old storefront was filled before its new one had a ribbon-cutting.
Beyond Yoga taking over the old space before Gum Tree's new one formally opened shows how much demand there has been on the Boulevard. The whole stretch has turned over at that pace.
Manhattan Beach Boulevard Has Mostly Refilled
In July, MB News listed five changes along the Boulevard. As of mid-October, three of the incoming tenants are open, one has a signed lease, and one space had no announced tenant in the July report.
| Address | Former tenant | Status as of mid-October 2026 |
|---|---|---|
| 324 Manhattan Beach Blvd. | Gum Tree | Beyond Yoga, open |
| 308 Manhattan Beach Blvd. | Gelato & Angels | Velvet by Graham & Spencer, listed as an operating store |
| 401 Manhattan Beach Blvd. | Pitfire | Great White, open since summer |
| Former Peet's Coffee space | Peet's Coffee | Blank Street Coffee, lease signed per the July report |
| Former Pressed Juicery space | Pressed Juicery | No tenant named as of July |
Great White, a café from outside the South Bay, was in business in the old Pitfire space by the end of July. Velvet, the clothing label, now lists 308 Manhattan Beach Boulevard with regular hours on its own store locator. That leaves two Boulevard storefronts in transition, compared with five in July.
Manhattan Avenue has changed in the same way, with a few gaps left. Eater LA covered Coucou, the French bistro, moving into the former Nando Trattoria space this spring, and MB News listed it as open by July. Ounce of Salt, a jewelry store run by local designer Jen Baick, took the former Rolling Hills Flower Mart space. The store's own page says its gallery is open at 1016 Manhattan Avenue. At 1014 Manhattan Avenue, in the former Kate Lester Home space, Framebridge still lists its location as "coming soon," with no opening date. In July, MB News also reported that the former Bardot Salon and Corpo Bonito spaces had been combined into one renovated storefront, with no tenant announced.
Highland Avenue and Metlox Plaza Are Still Waiting on Tenants
Up the hill, the picture looks different. Gum Tree's reopening is the main change on Highland Avenue this year, and Sand Spa and Polish by Sand Spa opened earlier in 2026. The rest of the July list for Highland was mostly about tenants still to come:
- Alfred Coffee signed a lease for the Ocean View Cafe space. MB News gave no opening date.
- Parakeet Cafe, going into the former Cafe Altamura space, was described as delayed, with no opening date available.
- Harry's Cleaners closed, and no tenant had been announced as of July.
Metlox Plaza has had a similar year. Bacio di Latte, the gelato shop, was open there by July. Sogna Toscana, planned for the former Lemonade space, has Planning Commission approval for its buildout, including a small patio facing Manhattan Beach Boulevard. MB News gave no opening date. Drift Beach Club closed in June, and as of July no tenant had been identified for the former Beehive/Forma pop-up space.
So, going into the holidays, the Boulevard has mostly settled and the plaza and Highland have not. Sogna Toscana and the two Highland cafés are the openings still to come.
Walking the November 18 Route Past the New Storefronts
The Holiday Open House starts in Metlox Plaza, one of the areas still in transition, and spreads from there along every downtown street that changed this year. The schedule below comes from the Downtown Manhattan Beach association.
5 p.m., Metlox Plaza. Santa and Mrs. Claus arrive, and Karl Meyer Photography takes the photos. Mychal's Cafe serves hot cocoa and cookies, Frontier Kettle Corn sets up, and Nicole Face Paints and Balloon Art Entertainment works the crowd. Michael Holmes plays and the Strolling Harmony Carolers sing. Bacio di Latte is a few steps away, and so is Sogna Toscana's future storefront.
6 to 9 p.m., Manhattan Avenue. Real reindeer arrive near {pages} a bookstore. The Lucky Ones Band plays at 10th Street. Jazz saxophonist Matt Kalin is in front of SLAY at 12th Street, and Larry the Taco Guy sets up at 13th and Manhattan. Ounce of Salt at 1016 Manhattan Avenue and the Framebridge storefront at 1014 sit along this stretch, and Coucou is farther up the avenue.
6 to 9 p.m., Highland Avenue. Dallas Green sings at 12th and Highland, strolling carolers move up and down the street, and Danger Dogs sets up at MB Watch at 13th and Highland. Gum Tree's new storefront at 1140 Highland is open in time for its first holiday season at that address.
6 to 9 p.m., Manhattan Beach Boulevard. Strolling carolers, some in Dickens-style costume, and a wandering Buddy the Elf cover the stretch from Velvet and Beyond Yoga at 308 and 324 down toward Great White at 401.
At the Pier. The Manhattan Beach Middle School choir sings at 6 p.m. and the Mira Costa High School choir at 6:30 p.m. The Pier lights up at 7 p.m. with 80 living Christmas trees along its length. The city's event listing lists the evening as 6 to 9 p.m. downtown and at the Pier. The association's 5 p.m. Metlox start is the earlier of the two published times.
The Rest of the Season on the City Calendar
The Open House is one of several downtown dates through mid-December. The city's special events calendar and the organizers' own pages list these:
- November 11, 11 a.m.: Veterans Day Ceremony on Veterans Parkway.
- November 14: Light Gate Sunset at 14th Street and Highland Avenue, one block from the new Gum Tree.
- November 27 to 29, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.: Pickleball Turkey Tournament, open to all skill levels.
- December 5 and 6: The Gingerbread House Decorating Workshop runs December 5 from 9 to 11 a.m. The 40th Annual Holiday Crafts with Santa runs December 5 from 4 to 5:30 p.m. and December 6 from 9 to 10:30 a.m. Both are at Manhattan Heights Park Community Center, 1600 Manhattan Beach Boulevard, and require registration.
- December 6: The North Manhattan Beach Holiday Stroll appears on the MB News 2026 events calendar.
- December 13: The 38th Annual Skechers Manhattan Beach Holiday Fireworks at the Pier, with a festival from 3 to 8 p.m. and fireworks at 7 p.m.
Heading into the holiday season, Sogna Toscana, Alfred Coffee, Parakeet Cafe, Blank Street Coffee and Framebridge are the announced downtown tenants that still have no published opening date.
Changes in storefronts can affect a block over time, and Lisa follows them as closely as she follows sales. If you own near downtown and want a clear, CPA-informed read on what your home is worth today, Lisa Bourque can prepare a confidential valuation. Get My Valuation.
