Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif., David Allen column [Inland Valley Daily Bulletin, Calif.]

Aug. 19--IF YOU want to buy a ticket to an event at Ontario's Citizens Business Bank Arena, you may have to time travel into the past. According to the venue's website:

"Tickets may be purchased at Robinson's May, Tower Records, The Wherehouse, Ritmo Latino, and other participating locations."

Most of these chains closed before the arena even opened!

I would suggest the arena update its website. For instance, it could add that other "participating locations" include Fedco, Zody's and White Front.

IN CASE you're wondering, newspaper deadlines don't permit any comment here today about Thursday's Bob Dylan-John Mellencamp concert at the Ontario arena, which began about five hours after this column's 2 p.m. deadline. But look for my writeup in Sunday's column.

RICH FOODS, a frozen dessert-topping maker on the edge of downtown Claremont, was a small island of industry increasingly surrounded by gentrification.

Rich's occupied almost 2 acres on West First Street, one block west of Indian Hill Boulevard. Its neighbors used to be an abandoned citrus packing house, an abandoned ice house, a few homes, a public works yard and a lot of empty land once filled with more packing houses.

Now there are clothing stores, condominiums, restaurants, day spas, wine shops, coffee houses, a parking garage and a movie theater.

The remaining packing house has been converted into art shops and lofts; from its high-end

steakhouse, patio diners could observe forklifts and a loading dock across the street at Rich's. The former ice house, also in view of Rich's, is now a Belgian pub with a $13 hamburger.

As the vacant land around Rich's filled in, City Hall tried to coax Rich's to decamp for another, less valuable site, to no avail. So everyone shrugged and the uses co-existed.

That's no longer an issue, as Rich's closed the plant in April. It was only a few days ago that the signs were taken down, which is when I noticed.

The industrial use was grandfathered in and won't be permitted again. The current zoning is for mixed use.

"It could be developed as commercial or residential, or both," said Brian Desatnik, interim community development director. "It's really up to the owner now to decide what they want to do with it."

I suspect we'll hear a lot in the next few years about how best to use the site. In the meantime: Farewell, Rich's.

"WILLY WONKA and the Chocolate Factory," the 1971 version, screens at 2 p.m. Sunday at the Pomona Fox Theater as part of its monthly movie series. In a treat, "Wonka" director Mel Stuart will be in attendance.

Speaking of treats, Wonka Bars will be on sale at the concession stand and five winners will receive a Wonka-style "Golden Ticket" redeemable for a prize, organizers say.

Admission is $5, or $3 for children 12 and under.

I saw "Wonka" as a boy and it made quite an impact. I still recall my childhood gasp at the scene when we first see the reclusive Wonka, limping toward the gate of his factory, head down, and then -- well, never mind.

ON MY blog this week: a Pomona councilman's wedding in photos, a business vacancy in Claremont, a homeless sign in Upland and a visit to Dolce Cafe and Bakery in Montclair. We cover the valley! The address is below.

THE KILLER himself, Jerry Lee Lewis, is booked to perform at the Pomona Fox Theater on Sept. 25, four days before his 75th birthday.

Good thing the building is earthquake-safe, just in case there's a whole lotta shakin' goin' on.

Fox co-owner Jerry Tessier said the show could be an important test for the venue, which has focused on indie rock bands popular among a younger crowd.

Lewis, who is in the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, clearly isn't catering to the youth market.

"People are always saying, 'Why don't you get someone more mature?' Well, this is it," Tessier told me. "This is my challenge: Buy a ticket."

Take him up on his challenge by buying a ticket for $30, $44 or $77 online or at the Glass House Record Store, 248 W. Second St., Pomona.

Or I suppose you could try Robinsons-May, Tower Records, The Wherehouse...

David Allen, who puts the funk in defunct, writes Friday, Sunday and Wednesday. E-mail [email protected], call 909-483-9339 or write 2041 E. Fourth St., Ontario 91764. Read his blog at www.dailybulletin.com/davidallenblog

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