The business sector slowly improved in Huntington Beach in 2013, and some in the community are optimistic about the opportunities the new year will bring.
Chamber of Commerce President Jerry Wheeler categorized last year as a "mild success" because despite new businesses coming into the city, he hasn't seen residents spending much money.
"To me, it was an OK year, but it certainly could have been a whole lot worse," he said, adding that the economic conferences he's been to indicate a slow improvement. "We're not growing as fast as Wall Street says the economy should be growing."
Kelly Miller, president of the Huntington Beach Marketing and Visitors Bureau, said he's expecting that growth to kick in this year.
"A part of this growth is being driven by boomers," he said. "About 10,000 new baby boomers a day are being crowned, and they drive a tremendous percentage of consumer spending."