Category Archives: Retail
Changes afoot for Solano Ave after community survey
District 5 councilmember Laurie Capitelli has a new action plan for Solano Avenue after a survey of the community shed light on what local residents would like to see changed in the neighborhood.
“We now have a number of short- and medium-term goals,” Capitelli told Berkeleyside. “We are working on a mini-economic stimulus package which we will send to the City Council in December.”
Capitelli’s to-do list includes suggesting that the quota system on food businesses … Continue reading »
Tonight in Berkeley (drum roll, please)
When this book trailer, purporting to be a video promoting Gary Shteyngart’s new novel, Super Sad True Love Story, hit the Internet, it immediately went viral.
With cameos by actor James Franco, writers Mary Gaitskill, Jeffrey Eugenides, Edmund White and Jay McInerney, and bevy of beautiful blondes, the trailer is a hilarious send up of Shteyngart’s inadequacies.
He can’t read, thinks teaching writing at Columbia includes a lecture on how to behave at a Paris Review party, and doesn’t … Continue reading »
Hitch ’em up (dogs that is)
Berkeleysider Michael Schaller writes in with what he reckons is a tiny bit of behavioral economics, as popularized in Richard Thaler and Cass Sunstein’s book Nudge:
I’m interested in creative ways to solve social problems (à la the book Nudge). As a dog owner living near Ashby and Telegraph, I noticed the Whole Foods there now has a “dog hitching post”. I assume this is in response to complaints about people tying dogs to the bike rack and walkway.
Anyway, a … Continue reading »
West Berkeley Walgreens seeks beer/wine approval
A Berkeleyside reader writes in to spread the word about a meeting at the Shattuck Hotel tonight at 7pm between lawyers representing Walgreens and residents local to the Walgreens on San Pablo and Ashby Gilman, Telegraph and Adeline. Walgreens wants to sell beer and wine at the stores, and is required to notify residents living within 1,000 feet of their intentions.
The Berkeleysider who lives near the Adeline store notes:
I know there are many neighbors in … Continue reading »
The Berkeley Wire: 5.6.10
Senate Republicans delay appellate court decision on Berkeley’s Goodwin Liu [The Hill]
Chile’s Michelle Bachelet gives “extraordinary” speech at Cal [Santiago Times]
Biotech incubator opens up at UC Berkeley [SF Business Times]
Venture capital firm Claremont Creek sets up shop near UC [SF Chronicle]
City looks at rezoning Telegraph to allow some 3am closures [Berkeley]
Berkeley considers cutting 77 city positions to save money [Daily Cal]
Photo by Alex Rez/Berkeleyside Flickr pool.
Buy Local Berkeley gears up for new initiatives
Last month Buy Local Berkeley signed up its 400th member. Comic Relief, a comic bookstore on Shattuck, took the honor and the news was broadcast on Buy Local Berkeley’s twitter stream (@buylocalberk).
If you live in Berkeley, you will have seen the Buy Local Berkeley logo around — in shop windows and on websites. The organization has been going for two years and is gearing up for a new phase of activity with a beefed-up executive board and … Continue reading »
Paper or plastic? Or no real choice at all
The gentleman at the check-out (you know the one I mean — he’s distinguished-looking, always works the “15 items or fewer” register), was probably taken aback at how excited I was to see paper bags with handles this morning when I ran in to the Claremont Safeway to grab some groceries.
It niggles me the way that store pushes shoppers to use plastic bags — often a ridiculous over-abundance when they bag for you — by only offering as … Continue reading »
The Berkeley Bowl effect
Ever since Berkeley Bowl West opened last June, it’s been my supermarket of choice. What’s not to like? The fruits and vegetables are beyond compare, the prices are reasonable (if I don’t get tempted by some of the French cheeses or some of the more expensive fish), the layout is intelligent, and the parking is generally easy.
Yesterday, however, I thought I’d save a bit of time and dropped into Whole Foods Market on Telegraph. It … Continue reading »
Summer Kitchen: A slow/fast food destination
If you’ve been patronizing the Elmwood’s Summer Kitchen & Bake Shop since it opened last Fall, you’ll probably know that it’s already gained a loyal following.
The lunch-time line attests to its popularity — and unscientific observation suggests people are coming from far afield to order up its pulled-pork and slaw sandwiches, wood-fired broccoli and green garlic pizzas and lemon meringue cupcakes.
The Kitchen is a beautiful spot with top-notch foodie credentials — run by husband and wife … Continue reading »
Sufficient grounds for Sufficient Grounds to close
Sufficient Grounds, the fabulously named sandwich and coffee shop on Durant Avenue at Sather Lane will serve its last latte on April 20, reports the Daily Californian, after nearly 30 years in business.
Owner Anthony Tasoulinh cites a poor relationship with his landlord, what he terms the “unreasonable” $7,500 monthly rent and a drop in the number of student customers.
“The rent is ridiculously high,” he said. “I can’t put myself personally in debt.” The shop, … Continue reading »
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