Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek
The women’s clothing boutique The Reset opened a popup shop in Broadway Plaza where the Art of Shaving used to be. Check out their online store here and find out more about the owner Maria Peevey and their story here. They will be open through January 15th, after which a Forevermark jewelry store is planning to open in this spot.
1513 Cypress St, Walnut Creek
A new boutique called JBJ Curated Goods For Life opened recently in downtown Walnut Creek that features jewelry, accessories, home decor, and other curated goods. They used to be located inside the Elisa Wen boutique in Danville but have relocated to their own shop since the owner is from Walnut Creek and wanted to expand. Check out their Instagram page here. There will be a sip & shop pop-up with Beautycounter from 11am – 3pm this Thursday, October 25th.
The Veranda, Concord
Thanks to a reader for pointing out that according to the latest directory map Barnes & Noble is coming to the Veranda shopping center next to Banana Republic in Concord. You may remember that Barnes & Noble closed over two years ago in downtown Walnut Creek and almost five years ago in Pleasant Hill. I wonder whether they’ll change anything up to compete with Amazon as they plot their return or will they continue to push the NOOK and hope for their loyal shoppers to return.
Invisible desserts, what will they think of next at Lafayette Whole Foods?! Bring one of those empty containers to your next party and be sure to let everyone know it contains no artificial sweeteners or hydrogenated fats!
The Abrothacary, an Oakland-based, woman-run company that features herbal bone broth and cleanses recently started offering their goods at the Moraga farmers market. I’ve passed by this booth several times and have been intrigued by what’s being offered, has anyone tried this stuff? Do you make soup with it or mix it in other ways? I make broth from the leftover turkey carcass on Thanksgiving and agree with Ina Garten that it’s like liquid gold, it makes soups so much tastier!
From their website:
The abrothacary is a woman run business committed to bringing forth nutrient dense deliciousness. We specialize in Deeply Nourishing Herbal Broth.
We also offer 5-day nourishing Broth & Soup cleanses. We believe in the importance of a healthy digestive system. Check out the link below to find out more!
1507 Locust St, Walnut Creek
Last month we learned that Joe & the Juice will be coming to downtown Walnut Creek and according to an email from the owner, D. Delucchi Fine Jewelry will close at the end of October and relocate a few blocks away to 1372 N. Main St, Suite 106 in the same building where CREAM is, in back. As you can see in the above photo, the sunglasses store next door will also be closing to make room for a new building so Joe & the Juice will be able to offer their juice in a sleek new storefront!
This broken sign outside Sears at the Sunvalley Valley shopping center in Concord is representative of the decline of one of the most dominant retailers of the 20th century as Sears declared bankruptcy yesterday. Although the Concord Sears is not on the list to close it’s probably only a matter of time before the hammer drops there as well. And it won’t be a Craftsman either as that iconic brand was sold last year to Stanley Black & Decker. Do you think the Concord Sears will survive? If not, how long do you expect them to last? If you’re interested to see how far they’ve fallen I encourage you to check them out and walk around a while before it’s too late. I did that over the summer and was shocked at what happened, especially to the electronics section, where TVs are no longer sold, and it looks dreary throughout.
From a reader:
Someone on the NextDoor app posted a notice that Jade Garden, located next to the ‘new’ Whole Foods on Ygnacio in Walnut Creek was being forced to close.
When WF negotiated their lease, they have a clause that states all other restaurants in the complex cannot renew their lease. Jade Garden, a part of our neighborhood for over 30 years, is being forced to move/close because Whole Foods does not want the competition. This also means the other long-term restaurants in the complex will need to close over time. These are businesses run by families that live in our community. Our neighborhood has always been good about embracing these businesses and supporting them with our patronage.To say our neighborhood is mad and getting more upset is a vast understatement.
To my eye, this flies in the face of how WF presents itself to the public. They come across as this good neighbor, supporting local farmers/food producers and the community…but here they are putting clauses in to shut out competition and essentially ruin local businesses. It’s disgusting.There is a WC Planning Commission meeting tomorrow to review this change (and the pending new AAA office taking the space)…Regency Partners and WF may be shocked at the turn out
554 Ygnacio Valley Rd, Walnut Creek
In the spring we learned about a new wine shop coming to Walnut Creek called Vinous Reverie and they have now opened. They feature a selection of hand picked, reasonably priced wines from around the world and have a wine tasting area (Friday evenings and Saturdays) in front. With free parking in back this is definitely a place you should check out if you’re looking for something new to try. To celebrate their grand opening all wine is 10% off through October. Look for wine tasting events on their Facebook page here.
From their website:
While the store has many classic wines (there are plenty of Napa Cabernets, Bordeaux, and Burgundies), its true gems are to be found among its many international selections. The store boasts a variety of highly rated Rieslings – German, Alsatian, Australian and even a Spanish Riesling. There’s also an eclectic selection of Indigenous Italian varieties as well as sparkling wines from England, Austria and Tasmania. The store offers a highly curated experience within a large space, including many “value” selections, acclaimed wines at very competitive price points.
More photos of the inside after the jump…
Danville Hotel Town Center
The skincare company Bluemercury recently opened at the Danville Hotel Town Center on Hartz Ave. Check out their online shop here.
