By Mary O’KEEFE

The building that held Faye’s Intimate Apparel at 2295 Honolulu Ave. for 73 years has been sold but will stay in the hands of a Montrose family business.

For nearly 39 years Executive Jewelers (2289 Honolulu Ave.), owned by the Anserlian family, has been next door to Faye’s. They were renting their location but now they not only own Faye’s building at the corner of Ocean View Boulevard and Honolulu Avenue but several sites including their own.

“It’s been my father’s dream [to own his building] since he came to the [Montrose] unit. He loves Montrose and loves serving the community,” said David Anserlian about his father Garo.

Montrose has seen a lot of changes over the years, including the purchase of buildings by owners who raised the rents so high it was nearly impossible for small businesses to continue having a location in the shopping park. Faye’s was owned by a family that was invested not only in the property but also in the community of small business people.

Pat Grant inherited Faye’s and other properties from her aunt. When Grant died she left the business and buildings to her children. Daughter Linda Hattick had worked at Faye’s for 47 years and, although it was a bittersweet decision, she decided to close Faye’s doors and sell the properties.

“It’s time,” she told CVW in an interview as the “Going Out of Business” signs went up.

During that interview she spoke of concerns for tenants that occupied the buildings her family owned. Those buildings included Executive Jewelers as well as businesses in the 3800 block of Ocean View Boulevard. Hattick said that she had hoped to sell them to someone who understood the Montrose community and, with the sale to the Anserlian family, it appears she has done that.

Executive Jewelers has been part of Montrose for almost four decades so it is a well-known business; however, it is also known for being the jeweler of the Mars watch.

Garo is the inventor of the Mars watch that not only gives the wearer the time on Earth but also the time on Mars. There is perhaps no better place than Montrose for the Mars watch given its proximity to the Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL) and all its Red Planet contacts.

David said his father had worried about losing his location due to a new owner purchasing the property, which drove him to buy the sites.

He added that Executive Jewelers is rooted in and happy with the building it is in presently so there are no plans to move into the larger Faye’s location next door.

“We want to preserve the whole building,” David said. “It’s an iconic [location] in Montrose.”

The Anserlian family wants whoever ends up renting the Faye’s location to understand and appreciate the community. For those tenants who are now in the buildings David said they are working with them.

“Everyone who wants to stay is going to stay,” he said.

David said he is still waiting for some businesses to let him know if they want to continue renting their locations but has signed a lease with Montrose Barber Shop and Twigs and Things.

He said the family plans to keep rent prices “down to Earth” but the reality is the building sold at a very high price, which means the rents will have to be raised.

Grant had rented the businesses at a rate lower than market but she and her aunt had owned the buildings for a very long time and had lower overhead.

David knew Grant since he was born.

“She was like a grandmother,” he said. “She was a lovely lady.”

He added the family did not buy the buildings to make money but to maintain their stable business and to remain in the community they love and have called home for so long.