Tag Archives: Shop Talk
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
WHAT’S IN A NAME? A sign declaring “Berserkeley” announces Gilman District, being developed just south of Gilman on 10th, adjacent to the relocated Office Depot and across from the proposed Whole Foods Market. [Update: the developer clarifies that the marketing sign with Berserkeley is not the name of the development. It will be Gilman District.] Berserkeley Gilman District has two parcels, a divisible 10,735-square-foot lot facing 10th Street for retail, and a 5,376-square-foot lot facing Ninth Street for specialty food outlets. “We are gearing all prospective tenancies to make sure they all are aligned with community, and have dual purpose of retail and customer experience that address active lifestyles,” Michael Fogelman, the developer, said in a press statement. According to Matt Holmes, principal of Retail West, which is marketing the development, ideal tenants would be “a highly specialized bike store like Velo cult in Portland that offers expertise, service in the cycling world and a brew pub in one store experience, or a specialty soccer or running shoe store that can start weekend group runs or activities from our project.” The specialty food annex along Ninth will have a large outdoor deck and feature a mix of restaurants, cafes and specialty food purveyors. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
CAFE LA RENAISSANCE Christina Sun, who owns 3045 Shattuck Ave., a building that has been a neighborhood flashpoint for years, has opened up a cozy cafe on the ground floor. Called Café La Renaissance (pictured top), the eatery two blocks south of Ashby Avenue opened its doors May 6 selling coffee and other beverages. Now it has introduced sandwiches, salads, pastries from The Bread Workshop, as well as gluten-free sandwiches from Sista Sandwich in Oakland. The interior is inviting, with couches, posters, a Renaissance-style oil painting, and a fireplace mantle. “Renaissance means rebirth,” said manager Dani Stewart. Sun “wanted to set up an environment where people could come and leave all their worries behind. It’s a play on words.” The building, once known as “the flying cottage,” was declared a public nuisance by the City Council in 2003. It was heavily damaged in a 2006 arson fire and then rebuilt. The hours are 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
RISING FROM THE ASHES Good news for fans of Breads of India. The restaurant at 2448 Sacramento St., which was seriously damaged by a fire in September, plans to reopen sometime in mid-June, according to the owner Rohit Singh. Construction to repair the building started in late April after many months navigating insurance issues and city permits, he said. When the restaurant reopens it will feature the same menu with changing daily specials, but the space will be updated and ADA compliant. The Sacramento Street location was the first Breads of India location – it opened in 1997 – and it’s been tough having it closed, said Singh. There are two other branches, one in Oakland and one in Walnut Creek. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
TELEGRAPH EVOLVES Naan ‘N’ Curry, a longtime fixture at 2366 Telegraph Ave. and a student favorite, shut its doors last week. Sales had gone down 30% over the last three years as more and more “quick serve” restaurants opened on Telegraph, finally forcing the Indian restaurant to close, according to a press release put out by the new Telegraph Restaurant Association. There is no sign on the door announcing the closure, but all the tables and chairs have been moved out.
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
EAST BAY SPICE COMPANY A new restaurant and bar, the East Bay Spice Company (above), has opened at 2134 Oxford Street opposite Cal’s main entrance in downtown Berkeley (sandwiched between the Sunny Side Café and Cinnaholic). The eatery is serving Indian street-food-inspired dishes and artisanal cocktails with an Indian twist, as well as craft beers and wines. East Bay Spice Company is owned by Deepak Aggarwal who also owns Mint Leaf in the Gourmet Ghetto’s Epicurious Garden. The new spot takes over the shuttered Punjabi buffet restaurant.
TOMO’S JAPANESE CUISINE Tomo’s Japanese Cuisine plans to open next week at 2026 San Pablo Ave., a space which used to be Chinese restaurant Lee Wah. Details are thin, but Chef Tomo Owada says on the restaurant’s website that his eatery will provide traditional Japanese food with an emphasis on local and sustainable ingredients. (Hat tip: Lawrence Grown.) … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
LINDGREN’S Lindgren’s Coffee and Café (above) in downtown Berkeley opened for business in February. Now it’s having its grand opening celebration — on Thursday, April 18, at 5 p.m. and all are welcome. There will be the chance to feast on house-made delicacies, enjoy a sparkling beverage and get a free chair massage — as well as the requisite ribbon cutting. Lindgren’s, 2120 Dwight Way (at Shattuck). … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
TRACKERS BAY Outdoor education organization Trackers Bay has taken over the distinctive building formerly occupied by Marmot Mountain Works at 3049 Adeline St. in Berkeley. Trackers’ regional director, Jess Liotta, describes the company as offering training in old-school skills and story-based immersive experiences for kids and adults. She tells Berkeleyside: “Think archery, foraging, wilderness survival, zombie apocalypse training, blacksmithing, etc!” The Adeline space is going to serve as Trackers’ central headquarters, office, and meeting space for its workshops and classes. Community gatherings and events will also be held there. Trackers Bay parent company Trackers Earth was founded in 2004 by Tony and Molly Deis. Tony based Trackers on his personal work in outdoor education since 1992. Marmot Mountain Works closed at the beginning of this year, after 36 years operating in Berkeley. Visit the Trackers Bay website for more information. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
CLAYPOT AND NEIGHBORS The southeast corner of Dwight and San Pablo is seeing a lot of new business activity. Vietnamese restaurant Claypot opened on Monday in the old Bacheeso’s space. A Yelp reviewer was quick off the mark, noting the food was “good and spicy”, although he wanted more noodles in his pho. The very cool Cruz skate shop (already reported on Berkeleyside) is next door, and vintage clothing store Liz Vintage Mix has the third retail space (hat-tip: Michael Fox). … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
GREAT CHINA RESTAURANT Fourteen months after a grease fire ripped through Great China restaurant on Kittredge, forcing it to close, construction is set to begin on a larger, more modern restaurant in a new location. Work should start in the next two weeks at Great China’s new space at 2190 Bancroft Ave. near Fulton, said the architect Tai Yu, whose family owns the restaurant. (His father Michael Yu and brother James Yu run the actual restaurant.) The new space (former site of Old Looney’s) will be 4,600 square feet — much larger than the old space — and will have a more modern look, recycled finishes, and sprinklers. 
“The food will remain the same,” said Yu, as the former chef and line cooks will return. The new restaurant, however, will place more emphasis on improving service. “We are going to try and provide a better ambiance for our patrons,” he said. Yu said the family hopes the new Great China will open in August. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
CRUZ SKATE SHOP The world of female roller derby competition is flourishing, and California’s first brick-and-mortar derby shop has relocated to Berkeley. Sandy “Motley” Cruz and Marci Daniels decided to move Cruz Skate Shop from the San Francisco’s Mission District to 2505 San Pablo Ave. (near Dwight) to be closer to customers in the East Bay and in Sacramento, Chico, Stockton and other Central Valley cities. Cruz Skate Shop is the only place where people can come to try on a variety of roller skates, said Daniels. “We specialize in outfitting roller derby girls, but we serve recreational roller skaters, too.” The store had a soft opening March 2 and will hold a grand opening celebration Saturday, March 16.
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
NEXT DOOR RESTAURANT Looks like the old Addie’s Pizza Pie space at 3290 Adeline St. has a new tenant and a new eatery called Next Door Restaurant should be opening there soon. Addie’s, a New York-style pizzeria, was run by Jennifer Millar, who owns Sweet Adeline Bakeshop a block down the street, and Thomas Schnetz of Doña Tomás, Flora and Tacubaya fame. It closed in May last year after barely two years in business. Interestingly, one of the two names on the ABC application (pictured left) is Henry August Alvarez III. Could this be one and the same as the director of the San Francisco Housing Authority? More details to follow. … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
GORGEOUS AND GREEN Gorgeous and Green, which specializes in local flowers and local, sustainably made gifts, cards and jewelry, has moved from San Pablo Avenue to 2946 College Avenue in the Elmwood. Owner Pilar Zuniga says her vision “is to provide thoughtful gifts, floral designs and events that illustrate love, happiness and joy while allowing those feelings to permeate the environment and people they touch.”
STELLA NONNA Stella Nonna, which has focused on catering and company lunches since its founding in 1997, is opening a full-service restaurant at 1407 San Pablo Avenue, just south of Camelia. A Berkeleyside reader reports that the construction has “nice wood, brushed stainless, etc.” Chef/owners Tim Carlon and Sarah Nasgovitz plan a neighborhood restaurant “with unique regionally accented cuisine at high-value prices, encouraging repeat visits.” … Continue reading »
Shop Talk: The ins and outs of Berkeley businesses
LINDGREN’S COFFEE & CAFE We tipped you off in September that a new coffee shop was coming to downtown Berkeley, and now it’s here (hat-tip to David Sanger for the alert). Lindgren’s Coffee and Café, which has opened at 2120 Dwight Way just off Shattuck, roasts its own coffee, and offers fresh pastries (baked in-house), sandwiches, beer and wine, as well as coffee of course. There’s also free wifi.
MVMNT STUDIO A new urban dance space has opened at 2973 Sacramento St. near Ashby. MVMNT Studio describes itself as a creative space that provides training, facilities and encouragement in urban art forms such as capoeira, breaking, house dancing and street art. MVMNT or “Movement” began as a dancer/artist based night in the Capitol Hill neighborhood of Seattle, WA. The studio’s 1,800 sq ft open floor space is also available to rent. Check out MVMNT’s Facebook page for the latest schedule of classes and events. [Hat-tip: Sofia Zander] … Continue reading »
