The Veranda Shopping Center Opens in Concord

October 31, 2017 8:30 am

The Veranda, Concord

The shopping center The Veranda is now open in Concord with TJ Maxx having opened over the weekend and Lunchbox Wax opening today. As you can see in the above photo, Toys “R” Us / Babies “R” Us will be having a grand opening party on November 4th. In addition to stores and restaurants that we previously learned would be opening such as Super Duper Burgers, MOD Pizza (opening Nov. 14th), an IMAX movie theater, and Whole Foods 365, Peet’s (big corner spot), Puesto (San Diego-based Mexican), Residual Sugar Wine Bar and Coffee Shop will also be opening here. On top of that, while visiting there I learned that Popbar (gelato on a stick), a ramen spot (possibly Concord Ramen) and a boba cafe will also be opening. There will be 20 Tesla super chargers and Volta chargers. For children there will be a play area (including a Lucky Climber, see photo below) that will turn into an ice skating rink in December. Stay tuned for more stores to open in the coming weeks as well as a party to celebrate the ice skate rink in late November.

Check out more photos after the jump…

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Men’s Wearhouse to Include New Joseph Abboud Section with Separate Entrance

October 27, 2017 11:30 am

1101 Locust St, Walnut Creek

Men’s Wearhouse in Plaza Escuela in downtown Walnut Creek is planning on building a separate entrance on Locust St. to their new Joseph Abboud storefront according to a Design Review agenda scheduled next month. Check out this Fortune article from a couple of years ago to see how Men’s Wearhouse incorporated Joseph Abboud into their store.

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Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us Opening Nov 4th at Veranda Shopping Center in Concord

October 26, 2017 8:30 am

Veranda Shopping Center, Concord

Lots of activity going on at the soon-to-open Veranda shopping center in Concord. Located right next to the Willows shopping center, there’s going to be a 365 by Whole Foods supermarket, an IMAX movie theater, and plenty of shopping and dining options. As you can see in the above photo, bankruptcy has not stopped Toys “R” Us and Babies “R” Us from opening here on November 4th. There will be a DJ, giveaways, raffles, food trucks, a special appearance by Geoffrey the Giraffe, and other activities from 10 a.m. to noon.

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Amazon Books Opening Soon in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek

October 23, 2017 8:30 am

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek

The brick facade is now up at the soon-to-be-opening Amazon Books shop in Broadway Plaza in downtown Walnut Creek. They are still looking for seasonal associates here, which will also feature a cafe. I can’t wait to check this place out, although considering their recent purchase of Whole Foods, I do wonder about the increasing power they have in the marketplace and how it will affect long-term prices.

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Amazon Locker Spotted in Lafayette Whole Foods

October 20, 2017 11:30 am

While we wait for Amazon Books to open in Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek check out these Amazon lockers in the Lafayette Whole Foods. Are these in all Whole Foods locations? Looks super convenient.

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UpTempo Tech Closes in Danville Livery

October 17, 2017 8:30 am

Danville Livery

The tech education center UpTempo Tech that focused on programming and 3D printing recently closed in Danville Livery on Sycamore Valley Rd.

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TJ Maxx Opening Nov 19th in Walnut Creek

October 11, 2017 8:30 am

Ygnacio Plaza, Walnut Creek

Earlier this year we learned that the discount department store TJ Maxx would be opening in Ygnacio Plaza in Walnut Creek where the supermarket Fresh & Easy used to be and the signage is now up with a grand opening on November 19th from 8am to 8pm.

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Leonidas Chocolates Rebrands as Love + Chocolate in Downtown Walnut Creek

October 5, 2017 11:30 am

1397 N. Main St., Walnut Creek

Leonidas Chocolates, located in downtown Walnut Creek, has recently been renamed Love + Chocolate. They still have Belgian Leonidas chocolates for sale, in addition to German Marzipan, Weaver’s coffee, hot chocolate and more. Check out their online selection here and check for updates on their Facebook page here.

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Frame Up Bikes Opens in Walnut Creek

October 4, 2017 8:30 am

181 Mayhew Way, Walnut Creek

A cool, new full-service bike shop called Frame Up Bikes recently opened in Walnut Creek. In addition to tune-ups, repairs and other services, they carry bicycles from LOOK, Pivot and more and also offer weekly rides and workshops. They even have free espresso from their coffee bar in back. Check for updates on their Facebook page here. Although I’m a runner the sweet looking bikes on display made me want to take up cycling again. 🙂 One of these days…

From an email:

One kind of cool thing is that we built everything — including the fixtures — ourselves. Literally the STORE was built from the frame up.

So, one thing we really want to do at Frame-Up is emphasize community. We have a weekly Thursday night mountain bike ride, and a weekend road ride that we’ll be adding. We’ll also be offering workshops (how to change a tire, etc), a coffee bar, and volunteer opportunities such as trail maintenance.

The owners are Tom Crenshaw, Chris Reardon and Ron Ocampo, who all share a passion for bicycles that extends beyond the normal “tribes” (mountain bikers, road bikers, commuters). Tom and Chris have worked in bicycle shops for years, and they have competed at all levels of cycling. In 2017, they decided to make their passion into a business, catering both to the novice and the advanced rider seeking the best possible cycling experience.

The “frame up” idea is that you can’t always afford a new bike, but you can make tweaks to your bike (a new seat, a different stem, electronic shifting, tubeless tires) that can improve your saddle time.

More photos of the inside after the jump…

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XCVI Relocates within Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek

October 3, 2017 9:15 am

Broadway Plaza, Walnut Creek

The women’s clothing boutique XCVI recently relocated within Broadway Plaza in Walnut Creek to their fourth location where ivivva used to be. Check out their online store here.

More photos after the jump…

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