About
-

History

When 333 East first opened on 17th Street in 1962, Newport Beach had yet to become the "OC," and Newport Boulevard was one lane each way with a passing lane in the middle. Fashion Island didn't even exist. In 1964, the Irvine Company introduced Eastbluff, its first residential village.  333 East naturally benefitted from the completion of Eastbluff and the eventual continuation of 17th Street through to Dover Drive, which provided a connection to Pacific Coast Highway and all of the new local residents.

Newport remained a small town, and most businesses were locally owned. Located in the heart of Costa Mesa, the center behind the blue-roofed IHOP, the second in Southern California, was built by the local partnership Lehman-Fisher Co. Except for the IHOP, all of the center's original stores were locally owned. Many remember Sea Schwinn and Hart's Sporting Goods, where so many young Newporters bought their first bike, baseball gloves, or had their tennis rackets strung. Over the years, numerous shops have called our center home, and many have remained tenants for decades, including Kona Cleaners, Paramount Tennis, The Washing Well, and Baycrest Liquors (now Caps & Corks & Bottle Shop). Lehman-Fisher  Co. loved the concept of a retail center that highlighted locally owned entrepreneurs, and the center has continued to embrace the idea ever since.

333 East has loyally maintained a sense of family and local pride from the very beginning. Owned and managed by the same families for the past 60 years, our center remains a haven for local business owners to develop their businesses within our close-knit community.  Through our support of local companies, we strive to continue serving Newport-Mesa, supporting families, and creating a better community for all.