Reopening of Macy's enough to jump start South Lake Avenue?

The revamped Macy's re-opened on Nov. 22, after seven months and more than $15 million worth of restoration and retrofitting.

But the closing didn't come without concern on Lake Avenue, where several businesses rely on the foot traffic that Macy's attracts to the area.

Many thought the vintage store, with its 61-year-old building, was closing for good. And others nearby were concerned that the closure, even if temporary, would affect business.

It was enough to have business leaders in the area getting the word out - even knocking on doors - to let merchants know that the closing was only temporary.

Gary Hindoyan, owner of Burger Continental, a restaurant in the 500 block of South Lake, is glad to see the revamped Macy's open.

"We saw a drop (in business) of about 10 percent," he said.

But now that it's re-opened, he's seen a gradual uptick.

"Now that it's open again, we hope that more people will come to Pasadena and South Lake," he said.

The walk-in customer traffic is good for businesses such as Borders bookstore and Cold Stone Creamery.

They draw from shoppers who might have purchased something at Macy's, but slide over to Lake Avenue for a book or a snack, said Paul Little, president and CEO of the Pasadena Chamber of Commerce.

Merchants who rely on that impulse traffic, particularly in a down economy, are breathing a sigh of relief after the opening, he said.

"That relieved several people," he said. "Macy's being the anchor tenant and a tremendous draw for customers on the street ... there was anxiety and concern among retailers and restaurants that in the interim that there would be some big changes. I think they saw some of that. They saw less foot traffic."