“We have another new face at the Village!” was the announcement from Erin Willey, general manager of Lake Arrowhead Village.

Two weeks ago, two kiosks arrived in the Village, ready for entrepreneurs to sell their wares.

“We’re looking for entrepreneurs, selling something unique that adds to the Village flavor,” Willey said. The idea, she added, is for it to “feel like a festival with interesting things to discover.”

The first kiosk has been rented by Manny Monge who, Willey said, contacted the management office after seeing the kiosks and learning he could “be the first on board.” 

Monge’s business – Masks by Sepherina – is named after his mother, who has experience in the garment industry. The two are designing and manufacturing their unique face coverings. They have even designed one especially for the year 2020.

Masks by Sepherina will be open Friday through Sunday from noon to 5:30 p.m.

These kiosks started their lives in a park outside the Brooklyn Bridge. “That means they have been in weather and can handle snow load,” Willey said.

When that group decided to do something different there, the kiosks were returned to the manufacturer. U.S. Realty Partners, the owner of the Village, was able to purchase them and have them shipped to Lake Arrowhead.

Kiosk tenants, Willey noted, “will change frequently as we are asking for short-term commitments of 30, 60 or 90 days, due to the seasonal nature of an outdoor selling space.”

The day the kiosks arrived, Willey said, there was a buzz of excitement about them. “I got a list of seven prospects just from people coming out to see them,” she said. If demand warrants, Willey noted, the Village can obtain additional kiosks.

“We’re working hard to make sure the first ones are exciting and interesting,” Willey added. “Everyone in retail knew this would be a great idea.”