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Come slash DoBois Media. dot-boys media. Elvis, Share, M&M, Caruso? These names are all trademarked, and if you don't recognize the outlier it's because it's

not Rick Caruso's talent that gave his name value it's his empire of so-cal malls.

Jump started by the financial patronage of his father, the founder of Dollar Rennecar, a young

Rick Caruso grew from being a mere multimillionaire into a billionaire via an ever-expanding

real estate portfolio.

In 2002, he opened his signature property,

outdoor shopping center the Grove,

a corporate dissimulacrum of a walkable neighborhood

with varied building architecture and a superfluous trolley,

redefining the idea of the American shopping mall.

The Grove was followed by a series of similar developments like the Americana at Brand and Palisades Village, targeted at

moneyed Angelino's willing to pay exorbitant parking fees to choose between multiple

yoga stores, and Caruso's money and influence made him something of a kingmaker in local politics.

And in his eyes, who better to be a king than Caruso, T.M. himself?

In February 2022, the lifelong Republican launched his quixotic mayoral run,

as a Democrat, using his own war chest to blanket the city with campaign ads advocating for more cops

and a small business bill of rights,

and heavily leaning on his backing

from celebrities.

...