Arnold Goldstein, 90, a prominent Manhattan Beach real estate broker, passed away on January 23, 2024. (Courtesy of Homeira Goldstein)
A prominent couple in Beach City lost their half.
Arnold Goldstein, a Manhattan Beach real estate broker and husband of longtime Manhattan Beach arts patron Homeira Goldstein, has died. He was 90 years old.
The wife of Arnold Goldstein, who died last week, said he suffered a fall over Thanksgiving weekend. He broke her hip and wrist, and she never fully recovered from her injuries, she added.
A memorial service was held on Monday, January 29th at Hillside Memorial Park in Los Angeles. A reception followed, with 500 people attending the day's event to pay their final respects to the local magnate.
Arnold Goldstein was born on February 27, 1933 in Detroit. He was the eldest of four children.
His life was defined by an unwavering dedication to excellence, a deep love of family and an entrepreneurial spirit, according to his family's obituary. An icon in the real estate industry, Goldstein leaves behind a rich tapestry of accomplishments, memories, and impact on all who knew him.
Goldstein's surviving spouse said she wants people to know her husband's love and constant, unyielding drive for excellence.
Homeira Goldstein said he was a “legend” and “an icon, a leader and a man with a love for people and success.”
Arnold Goldstein, who passed away on January 23, founded Shorewood Realtors in 1969 and led the business until he sold it in 2014. However, working as a real estate broker for almost his entire life was far from his original life goal.
According to his obituary, he grew up with a talent for drawing and wanted to become a fashion designer. In fact, he only started selling shoes when he was 24 years old. Goldstein moved to California with his mother and siblings in 1953 after his parents separated.
He served in the U.S. Army and then studied fashion design at Woodbury University in Los Angeles.
Goldstein also worked with famous designer William Travilla, the creator of Marilyn Monroe's famous white dress that was blown up by a steam grate in “The Seven Year Itch.”
But in the early 1960s, Mr. Goldstein was living in West Los Angeles and knew of a small real estate office owned by a friend in Redondo Beach, he said in a 2013 article.
He got his real estate license and joined a friend's brokerage firm. Goldstein got off to a strong start in 1964, selling his 60 homes.
Five years later, he opened his first Shorewood Realtors office in Hermosa Beach, and shortly thereafter opened a second office in Manhattan Beach. The company was the first of its kind to have multiple offices in the beach city.
That effort continued for decades, and Shorewood had combined sales of $2.25 billion in 2003 and 2004, making it the largest independent brokerage firm in Los Angeles County at the time, according to Shorewood's obituary. Ta.
But Goldstein still had a passion for fashion, his obituary said. In the early 1990s, Goldstein and his eldest son Mark opened a shoe store called “Madison” on his Avenue of Melrose.
Arnold and Homeira Goldstein, who were together for 37 years, were also founding members of the American Wine and Food Association. Homeira Golstein said the couple developed a passion for collecting art together. Before giving birth to her son Joshua and devoting her time to patronizing the arts, she ran an investment banking and consulting firm in Century City.
Meanwhile, the family's patriarch also loved horses and bred German Hanoverian performance horses at Rancho Mirage.
According to his obituary, Mr. Goldstein viewed his employees as family when it came to work and created a work environment that fostered friendship and love.
After Goldstein sold Shorewood Realtors in 2014, he served as chairman emeritus, consulting with the new owner and overseeing two other affiliated companies, his wife said.
But Homeira Goldstein said her husband had been “lovestruck” about leaving Shorewood's leadership for years and missed the involvement and interactions with people in the industry.
But on Monday, family and friends who knew him will be joining in to celebrate Mr. Goldstein's “full life defined by passion, perseverance, and unwavering dedication to his craft,” as his obituary put it. And a larger community came together.
Arnold Goldstein is survived by his wife Homeira, son Joshua, and grandson Cyrus. He also has a son, Mark, from his first marriage to ex-wife Eileen, and granddaughters, Jordan and Mia. His daughter Suzanne preceded him in death at the age of 28.
