1360 Mount Diablo Blvd, Walnut Creek
Thanks to a reader for sending word that Wells Fargo has closed at the corner of Mt. Diablo Blvd. and N. Broadway located diagonally across from Nordstrom in downtown Walnut Creek.
1499 N. Main St. is the closest location:
Back in August I noted that Victoria’s Secret was moving a few stores down in Broadway Plaza and the move is complete. They are now open in the former Bath & Body Works location. This location is significantly smaller than their previous location but keep in mind this side of Broadway Plaza will eventually be demolished in a couple of years so they may reopen in a larger store after the Broadway Plaza remodel has finished.
Old location:
This Macy’s Christmas window display in Broadway Plaza has been up well before Halloween and a reader writes in:
It is all Christmas and has been like that for two weeks now. Can you get a photo of it and do a poll to see how many folks think it is too early seeing that it is before Halloween AND Thanksgiving?
So do you think it’s too early for Christmas window displays? If so, what’s the best time to start displaying?
Anyone remember when Odwalla sold unpasteurized juice back in the nineties? I do, and I also remember when Odwalla started pasteurizing all their juices due to an E. coli infection contamination of their apple juice that caused the death of a child and serious illness in others.
From a Food Safety News article:
When the outbreak was over, one child was dead from complications arising from her E. coli O157:H7 infection, and more than 65 individuals were confirmed infected with the bacteria in the western U.S. and British Columbia. Of these reported cases, more than a dozen developed hemolytic uremic syndrome (HUS), a life-threatening condition that causes the body’s major organs – particularly the kidneys – to fail.
It’s with this memory that I asked around at Whole Foods in Lafayette about the safety of their new fresh, unpasteurized juices they seem to be heavily promoting lately. Apparently the Odwalla scare of the nineties was before their time as one of the responses I got was in effect, “of course it’s safe, why wouldn’t it be?” Another Whole Foods employee looked at me like I was joking. So I smiled back and thanked her for letting me know. However I noticed this warning on the back of an apple juice container:
This product has not been pasteurized and, therefore, may contain harmful bacteria that can cause serious illness in children, the elderly, and persons with weakened immune systems.
Now, I’m not a lawyer, but I see two potential issues with this notice. One, they forgot to add “and death” after the ’cause serious illness’ part, and secondly, they didn’t mention that even healthy adults could potentially become seriously ill.
Will you give your children Whole Foods tasty, fresh squeezed, unpasteurized juices? Or is it better to be safe than sorry?
3420 Mt. Diablo Blvd, Lafayette
Back in August I noted that the Lafayette Art Gallery sculpture garden was removed due to the expanded parking lot for the new Cooperage restaurant and a few weeks ago noted that the Klein Gallery was replacing the Lafayette Art Gallery. Now, the Lafayette Art Gallery is open in a more spacious building on Mt. Diablo Blvd next to Bo’s Barbecue. I stopped by and it looks great. The outside area in back is really nice as well although it won’t be used for their sculptures. However, I’ve been told that sculptures will be placed outside near the building itself.
From their website:
After 14 years on Lafayette Circle, the Lafayette Art Gallery will open it’s doors on October 8, 2013 at a new, and greatly expanded location, in the historic Forge complex of Lafayette.
The new space was formerly occupied by the Pacific Wildlife Galleries, and has been designed expressly for displaying art, photography, ceramics and jewelry. The new Gallery space is next door to the well-known Bo’s Barbecue, and adjacent to The Artisan Bistro. With nearly double the square footage, the new space will accommodate additional artists, sculptors and ceramicists.With the newly available space, the Lafayette Art Gallery has added a new focus on ceramic art: the gallery will now be featuring an award-winning group of ceramic artists whose work includes sag- gar fire, rake-pit fired, wood-fired and low- and high- fires work. The new ceramicists include James Aarons, Coreen Abbot, Steve Allen, Michael Berkeley, Lauri and Kurt Fehlberg, Lesley Jensen, Olga Jusidman, Judy Bolef Miller, Virginia Rigley, and Cheryl Wolff – all are well-known artists who have their own stable of collectors.
The grand opening reception will take place on Saturday, November 9th.
Check out part of the inside:
Back in April I noted that the florist Anahid Designs opened in Orinda Theatre Square but they moved to 100 Hartz Ave in Danville in September according to their Facebook page here.
1601 N. Main St, Walnut Creek
Last week I posted a preview of an eclectic new bike store called Rivendell Bike, Book & Hatchet and they are now open on N. Main St. in downtown Walnut Creek. In addition to bikes they sell books, hatchets, clothing and various accessories such as pinetar soap, bamboo banks and more. You’ll just have to drop by and check it out for yourself. It’s quite cool.
I don’t know much about bicycles but they look amazing. Take a look at one of their models in the photo below.
A selection of books are on the other side with clothing and accessories in the middle:
Check out photos of the hatchet wall, record player and pinetar soap after the jump…
The luxury British fashion store Burberry is closing its doors permanently in Broadway Plaza. Unlike other stores that are temporarily relocating within Broadway Plaza or elsewhere in downtown Walnut Creek, Burberry won’t be back according to an employee I spoke with.
1403 N. Main St, Walnut Creek
Back in April I noted that the baby store Day One was closing at the corner of N. Main St. and Cypress St. in downtown Walnut Creek and now the men’s clothing store Jos. A. Bank will be opening in this location according to a city planner I spoke with. Currently downtown Walnut Creek has four men’s clothing stores: Men’s Wearhouse, Atlas, Pelican Rock, and Daskalos in Broadway Plaza.
The gourmet popcorn store Cornology is leaving Broadway Plaza for good in January when all stores on that side close while the big Broadway Plaza remodel takes place. Some stores will be relocating within Broadway Plaza but Cornology is not big enough so they are looking for help to relocate within Walnut Creek if possible. Visit this page to find out more and vote for Cornology to receive one of the grants so they can relocate.