Norbert Olberz

The memorial service for Sport Chalet founder Norbert Olberz scheduled for noon Friday has been moved to the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 Godbey Drive. Olberz died July 15 at age 86.

The memorial service for Sport Chalet founder Norbert Olberz scheduled for noon Friday has been moved to the La Cañada Flintridge Country Club, 5500 Godbey Drive. Olberz died July 15 at age 86.

Norbert Olberz, founder of the Southern California-based Sport Chalet chain of outdoor recreational equipment stores, died of natural causes Friday at his home in La Cañada Flintridge, the company announced. He was 86. As chief executive for four decades, Olberz transformed Sport Chalet from a small local business into a large public company that operates 55 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Born in the village of Niederhoevels, Germany, in 1925, Olberz arrived in the United States in 1955.

Norbert Olberz, founder of the Southern California-based Sport Chalet chain of outdoor recreational equipment stores, died of natural causes Friday at his home in La Cañada Flintridge, the company announced. He was 86. As chief executive for four decades, Olberz transformed Sport Chalet from a small local business into a large public company that operates 55 stores in California, Arizona, Nevada and Utah. Born in the village of Niederhoevels, Germany, in 1925, Olberz arrived in the United States in 1955.

On "Given a sporting chance: Sport Chalet's founder is seeing his dream come true" (Aug. 20): My family moved to La Canada Flintridge last year. Despite the inflated housing costs, we saw the area as a great place to raise our small children, with good schools, low crime and a sense that one lived in a real small-town community. Unfortunately, deep pockets of the likes of Sport Chalet founder Norbert Olberz and his developer buddies -- and an absolute lack of foresight by City Hall -- have pretty much destroyed this small-town feeling and are replacing it with the overdeveloped ugliness that comprises most of Los Angeles County.

Members of an advisory committee who will study commercial development on Foothill Boulevard, particularly the proposed expansion of the two Sport Chalet sporting goods stores, were named this week by the La Canada Flintridge City Council. Called the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Foothill Boulevard, the 20-member group represents a cross section of the city's residents and includes civic activists, business leaders, preservationists and developers, officials said.

The gig: Chief executive and chairman of sporting goods chain Sport Chalet Inc. Founded 50 years ago, the La Canada Flintridge company today operates 55 stores in four states, with most locations in California. For fiscal 2009, Sport Chalet posted sales of $372.7 million, a 7.4% drop from a year earlier, and a net loss of $52.2 million. Education: Bachelor's and MBA degrees from the University of Kansas.

Decades have passed since Sport Chalet Inc. founder Norbert Olberz, 83, began pressing to develop a shopping plaza in the heart of La Canada Flintridge. Sometimes he wondered if it would ever happen. "I just hope I don't die first," he said eight years ago. He didn't. On Thursday, the tenacious German immigrant will celebrate the opening of a 45,000-square-foot Sport Chalet that is the centerpiece of the La Canada Flintridge Town Center development. The $60-million project stretches over about 11 acres at the northeast corner of Angeles Crest Highway and Foothill Boulevard, and ultimately will be home to 15 stores and restaurants.

With three years left to serve in his term, Mayor Thomas Curtis announced Monday that he will resign from the La Canada Flintridge City Council in April. The announcement, made at a City Council meeting, caught council members, city staff and the small audience by surprise. "Does someone see my teeth on the floor? I think I just dropped them," Councilwoman Barbara Pieper said after hearing Curtis' decision. "I'm speechless," Councilman J. Bixby Smith said.

Talk about a succession plan. Sporting goods retailer Sport Chalet Inc. proposed Tuesday a recapitalization plan that would shift most of founder Norbert Olberz's 65% stake to the company's top two officers -- for free. Based on Tuesday's closing price, the value of the shares given to Chairman and Chief Executive Craig Levra and Chief Financial Officer Howard Kaminsky would be more than $60 million. "It was my idea. Nobody talked me into it," Olberz said.

The gig: Chief executive and chairman of sporting goods chain Sport Chalet Inc. Founded 50 years ago, the La Canada Flintridge company today operates 55 stores in four states, with most locations in California. For fiscal 2009, Sport Chalet posted sales of $372.7 million, a 7.4% drop from a year earlier, and a net loss of $52.2 million. Education: Bachelor's and MBA degrees from the University of Kansas.

On "Given a sporting chance: Sport Chalet's founder is seeing his dream come true" (Aug. 20): My family moved to La Canada Flintridge last year. Despite the inflated housing costs, we saw the area as a great place to raise our small children, with good schools, low crime and a sense that one lived in a real small-town community. Unfortunately, deep pockets of the likes of Sport Chalet founder Norbert Olberz and his developer buddies -- and an absolute lack of foresight by City Hall -- have pretty much destroyed this small-town feeling and are replacing it with the overdeveloped ugliness that comprises most of Los Angeles County.

Decades have passed since Sport Chalet Inc. founder Norbert Olberz, 83, began pressing to develop a shopping plaza in the heart of La Canada Flintridge. Sometimes he wondered if it would ever happen. "I just hope I don't die first," he said eight years ago. He didn't. On Thursday, the tenacious German immigrant will celebrate the opening of a 45,000-square-foot Sport Chalet that is the centerpiece of the La Canada Flintridge Town Center development. The $60-million project stretches over about 11 acres at the northeast corner of Angeles Crest Highway and Foothill Boulevard, and ultimately will be home to 15 stores and restaurants.

Talk about a succession plan. Sporting goods retailer Sport Chalet Inc. proposed Tuesday a recapitalization plan that would shift most of founder Norbert Olberz's 65% stake to the company's top two officers -- for free. Based on Tuesday's closing price, the value of the shares given to Chairman and Chief Executive Craig Levra and Chief Financial Officer Howard Kaminsky would be more than $60 million. "It was my idea. Nobody talked me into it," Olberz said.

Members of an advisory committee who will study commercial development on Foothill Boulevard, particularly the proposed expansion of the two Sport Chalet sporting goods stores, were named this week by the La Canada Flintridge City Council. Called the Mayor's Advisory Committee on Foothill Boulevard, the 20-member group represents a cross section of the city's residents and includes civic activists, business leaders, preservationists and developers, officials said.

With three years left to serve in his term, Mayor Thomas Curtis announced Monday that he will resign from the La Canada Flintridge City Council in April. The announcement, made at a City Council meeting, caught council members, city staff and the small audience by surprise. "Does someone see my teeth on the floor? I think I just dropped them," Councilwoman Barbara Pieper said after hearing Curtis' decision. "I'm speechless," Councilman J. Bixby Smith said.

Trader Joe's Founder Quits Sport Chalet Post: Joe Coulombe, the colorful founder of the gourmet food chain, resigned as interim president and chief executive of La Canada-based Sport Chalet after less than two months on the job. Coulombe had replaced Sam Allen, who resigned after 11 years with the company. Coulombe was brought in to help rebuild the 17-store chain, which expanded rapidly during the last few years but posted a small loss in fiscal 1994.

* Sport Chalet founder and Chairman Norbert Olberz turned over executive control of the company Thursday to Craig Levra, president and chief operating officer since 1997. Olberz had acted as interim CEO after the departure of Sam Allen in 1995. At the company's annual shareholder meeting, Olberz passed the title to Levra, who has helped lead Sport Chalet to eight straight quarters of record sales and profits. Sport Chalet, based in La Canada Flintridge, operates 21 sporting goods stores.