Port City Tattoo

After apprenticing at a shop in Sunset Beach, working at a couple of shops in Orange County, and opening (then selling) his own shop in Costa Mesa, Tom Moser opened Port City Tattoo off Long Beach’s Traffic Circle in April 2011. “I just always liked the outsider culture – kind of similar to someone who might listen to punk rock music or heavy metal music,” Moser said. “Just seeing the images kind of have this powerful effect on me, I was just kind of drawn to it.” Located at 4290 E. Pacific Coast Hwy., the tattoo shop currently has around 11 artists who work as subcontractors. After three years of success in Long Beach, Moser decided to open a second Port City location in Costa Mesa. He explained that he adheres to an old school mentality: he doesn’t promote tattoos on the face and neck and often cautions against them on hands, unless the client already has several tattoos. Moser said that while society has become more accepting of body art, there is still the risk of an employer not hiring someone with these sorts of in-your-face tattoos. “I don’t really care what it is, as long as the customer leaves happy. That’s a rewarding feeling for me,” Moser said. “It’s going to be on them for the rest of their life, and I don’t take that lightly.” For more information, call 562/494-6800 or visit www.portcitytattoo.com.

J&L Fine Jewelry

As a child, Janis Krantz collected rocks and was interested in things that came from the earth, which included jewelry. In 1991, Krantz opened J&L Fine Jewelry at 1823 Ximeno Ave. after around 24 years of working for others in the industry. “I love jewelry. I enjoy the customers. To me, they are like friends,” Krantz said. “You get attached to people and their families. I think I’m on the third generation of families buying jewelry from me.” She has four part-time employees, and her son, Josh, works full time at the store. Aside from sales, J&L offers jewelry, watch and clock repair; custom jewelry design; watch batteries; appraisals; gold recycling; and complimentary cleanings. One of the most enjoyed aspects of the store is the two estate cases where customers can sell their unwanted jewelry rather than scrap it. Krantz helps them set a price and then works to sell the pieces, keeping only 25% for the store. “I like helping young kids get engaged because it seems like it’s scary for the guys and I become their mother and try to help them spend what they can and not go into debt over an engagement ring and make sure they got the right girl,” Krantz said. “I love everything about the jewelry business.” For more information, call 562/986-4380 or visit www.jnljewelry.com.

Tomlin Eye Care

Dr. Luelinda Tomlin decided to go back to school to fulfill her dream of helping people by playing a role in the medical community. She started at the California College of Optometry in 1980 and graduated in 1984. “It helped me to be able to achieve my dream of being able to do something one on one on a daily basis and have that satisfaction going home at the end of the evening knowing I helped somebody’s life to be better,” Tomlin said. In 1990, she began working at Dr. Dominic Belletti’s practice located at 4409 E. Los Coyotes Diag. When Belletti retired in 1991, Tomlin purchased the practice, transforming it into Tomlin Eye Care. The practice has four employees and focuses on providing high-quality and personalized optometric care, sometimes referring patients to specialized or primary care practitioners. As a Long Beach resident, Tomlin explained that she enjoys being able to work within her own community and that she often sees patients when she is out around town. “We try to do what we do with a cheerful smile and friendly communication and try to create an atmosphere of health and well-being,” Tomlin said. “Getting your eyes checked on a regular basis is really important because it’s a part of [your] overall health.” For more information, call 562/437-1276 or visit www.tomlineyecare.com.

HD Orthodontics

In September 2015, Dr. Heather Desh opened HD Orthodontics after previously working for a corporate company in Los Angeles and a private practice in Orange County. “I became interested in orthodontics as a young child. I was always super self-conscious of my smile, and in all our home videos growing up, I was in the background. I didn’t want to smile,” Desh said. “So for me, orthodontic treatment was such a positive experience. My orthodontist was a cool guy. I actually enjoyed going to the visits because I saw the progress and my smile improving.” Located at 4714 E. Los Coyotes Diag., Desh’s practice is currently open three days per week, with days varying each week, and she sees between 20 and 30 patients each day. She explained that the three days are not at capacity but that when they are, the practice will open more frequently and she will hire more staff to assist the four she currently has working for her. Desh said she loves seeing a patient’s face light up when they see progress and feel more confident. “Once you join the practice as a patient, you become part of our family. We like to have fun, so we keep it a light environment,” Desh said. “We don’t want fear of the orthodontist or dentist coming into play.” For more information, call 562/283-6590 or visit www.hdorthodontics.com.