Daxon: Raise the flag for Flag Day — and new Brea businesses

Did you know that a declaration to proclaim June 14 as Flag Day started with President Woodrow Wilson in 1916?

Again in 1927, President Calvin Coolidge’s Flag Day proclamation went nowhere. Finally, in 1949, under President Harry Truman, Congress finally gave approval for June 14 to be observed nationally as Flag Day. But it is not a legal holiday, except in Pennsylvania, but we proudly honor our flag on that day.

Flag Day is also a good time to replace that flag that’s faded or a bit tattered. When you do replace it, the old one doesn’t go in the trash. The proper disposal of our flag is by burning it in a retirement ceremony usually done by scouts and veterans’ organizations.

In 2018, Danielle Eby chose to create flag disposal boxes out of wood and painted in red, white and blue for her Girl Scout Gold Award project, equal to Boy Scouts’ Eagle Award. With help from other scouts, her parents and others, the boxes were built and ready for old flags.

Today, as in the beginning, the disposable boxes are conveniently located around town at the Brea Lions Scout Center, Brea Museum, Brea Senior Center, Brea Community Center, Brea Fire Administration offices in the Civic Center and at Birch Hills Golf Course.

Danielle’s parents, Denise and Dale Eby, currently maintain the boxes. Yes, Denise Eby is also Brea’s treasurer and Danielle is a senior at Northern Arizona University.

“Last October,” said Denise, “I took a large quantity to the Orange County Fire Authority when they did their annual retirement.”

She added that Boy Scout Troop 707 plans to take over the project.

Just remember when your flag is ready for retirement, place it in one of flag retirement boxes all around Brea.

Something not retiring in Brea are new places to shop and eat.

Just recently, l discovered the J. Crew Factory store in the Brea Union Plaza center. It took over the former Hallmark Shop and is next to Ultra Beauty Store & Hair Salon, located in the former Pier One store.

A lot of us remember the cool J. Crew Store that was at Brea Mall.  J. Crew Factory is looking good and so are its reduced prices.

A surprise to me is that its manager, Hector, told me it’s been there for three months. It has cool clothing for women, men and kids, plus accessories and even shoes. Hard to believe that was once a card shop.

And there are even more big changes to the Brea Union Plaza.

The former Sears Outlet, next to Nordstrom Rack, is being transformed into a Mor Furniture Store. According to Mike Zeller of Mor, it expects to open in August.

In Brea Downtown, the former Ruby’s Diner is being transformed into a Finney’s Craft House & Kitchen. According to Brad Finney it is family owned, family friendly and was started eight years ago by his twin brother, Greg.

There are currently 14 Finney’s and the Brea location and a couple more are in the works.

Finney’s features an array of craft beers and a varied menu that includes everything from tacos and flatbread pizza to gourmet sandwiches and burgers.

He expects the Ruby’s signage to be gone in about 30 days. Then we’ll see Finney’s “coming soon” signs, but they are making major changes to the property and Finney doesn’t expect them to open until February or March of 2025. I bet it will be worth the wait.

Terri Daxon is a freelance writer and the owner of Daxon Marketing Communications. She gives her perspective on Brea issues twice a month. Contact her at  daxoncomm@gmail.com.