Our Vision
The Motto
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Our motto captures a mindset that many people in Long Beach share. There’s something wonderful about this city: the longer you live here, the more places you discover, the more people you talk to, the more you realize Long Beach is just about the perfect place to live. A unique, big city, small town, gorgeous place full of neighborliness, community, things to do and quirks... Life is Great in the 908!
The Mission
Connect local residents to local businesses
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Our primary mission has always been simple: Help connect Long Beach residents to the wonderful small businesses and organizations in their area through affordable and effective advertising. Our secondary mission is to showcase the best of real life in Long Beach. We highlight the real people, places, businesses, and teams that make our community special.
Have questions, want to meet with us in person, or story submissions? Please email our editor at office@lb908.com!
Meet the Team
John
Grossi
Publisher & Owner
Growing up in Long Beach exposed John to opportunities and experience that made him feel like he could be anything he wanted to be. While in college at CSULB in 2011 he started a community magazine that highlighted the local businesses, events, and people he thought "made Life Great in the 908." Ever since, he's never stopped working at making LB908 a community staple for community stories and a resource for local businesses.
Kathleen
Mest
Managing Editor
Kathleen started her 908 life in Alamitos Beach before settling down in The Plaza with her husband where they are raising two teens. As a small business enthusiast who loves checking out local stores and restaurants, Kathleen enjoys sharing these passions through LB908.
Gina
Valencia
Head Writer
As a teenager growing up in nearby Paramount, Gina Valencia loved visiting Long Beach with her friends. Some weekends, they'd pile into her Mercury Topaz, drive to Pine Avenue to have milkshakes and fries at Johnny Rockets, or walk around Shoreline Village and share a funnel cake. Later as a Long Beach City College student, Gina wrote for the campus paper the Viking News and had a blast at Ice Dogs games. Eventually, she would call Long Beach home and raise 3 kids through the school district. The diverse neighborhoods, the abundance of activities, and the gorgeous weather, are just a few reasons why for Gina, life is great in the 908!
Marina
Hernandez
Contributor
Marina Hernández is a true explorer and enjoyer of 908 life, especially enjoying the many “complimentary” locales and events. Marina strongly feels that the most fun way to interact with this city is by volunteering. Volunteer to coach for a season, volunteer to clean up the beach for a morning, or join a committee and volunteer to plan social events for the school year. Marina has been a part of the LB908 team since 2017.
Sarah
Teran
Contributor
Sarah Teran is a gal from NorCal who fell in love with a guy from Long Beach, and the rest is history. (She might even be more of a “local” than her husband now!) Sarah loves everything about life in the 908 and getting involved in the community. Long Beach is stuck with her now—she’s never leaving!
Monique
Garcia
Contributor
Monique Garcia is a recent CSULB graduate who majored in Public Relations. Her passion is supporting small businesses and highlighting local people. In her free time, this 20-something enjoys cooking, devouring books, and meticulously creating music playlists for every occasion. You can usually find her in one of Long Beach's many coffee shops. Approach with caution or compliments.
Monique
Kuhlman
Photographer
Monique is a wife and mother of two boys who has a love for Long Beach ever since she moved here 20 years ago. Her passion for photography has helped fuel that love for the city as well. Monique feels lucky to be able to explore Long Beach’s vibrant and diverse community from behind the lens and create snapshots that showcase that there is always something new to discover and savor in the 908!
Clay
Owen
Graphic Design
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Clay lives in neighboring Orange County, but never misses a chance to visit friends and family in Long Beach. He loves the vibrant communities, cultural diversity, and that there is always something fun to do. Passionate about visual design, he always has an eye out for interesting art, typography, and logos.
