Last month I noted that Studio Blue Digital Print and Copy was for lease, and now Mika Specialty Salon, located right next door on Locust St. has closed as well. According to their website, they had been in business there for 11 years.
Now that the entire building has vacated, I wonder what the owner has in store. It’s a prime location right in downtown Walnut Creek.
According to Jim Wyman from the Ming Quong store a few blocks away, the lease for Papyrus in downtown Walnut Creek at 1376 North Main Street may not be renewed in 2014 in order to combine the open storefront next to it for a new restaurant. Apparently the available storefront is only available for a one year lease while the landlord searches for an interested restaurant to take over bother storefronts in 2014.
Ming Quong, the quaint downtown Walnut Creek jewelry and gift shop run by Jim and Nona Wyman since 1969 may not be able to renew their lease in September if plans go through with The Pizza Place a couple of doors down getting sold and turned into an organic restaurant and store which would expand through to the Ming Quong store. Ming Quong is named after an orphanage in the East Bay where Nona grew up, and they have a lot of support from the community. Check out a couple of the many notes people have written for support:
This is one of my favorite stores in Walnut Creek. My parents have been comming here before they were married.
-from a childI have been coming to Ming Quong for almost twenty years, and it’s the most unique store in Walnut Creek. If it closes, it would be a great loss to the community.
If their lease is not renewed they would still like to remain in downtown Walnut Creek if they can find the right location. This was my first time visiting the store and it reminded me of something straight out of Berkeley. A nice change from the typical Walnut Creek shops. They are located at 1517 1/2 N. Main St. across from Prima Ristorante, so if you’re in the area stop by to show your support and check out the things they have to offer, it’s quite interesting.
Way back in October of last year, I posted about Hanna’s Bags moving to a different location, and now it’s all coming together with the uproar over Ming Quong potentially moving as well. If you look closely in the above photo you’ll notice an empty storefront, formerly Hanna’s Bags, between Dudum-owned The Pizza Place and Ming Quong (out of frame at left).
It turns out that the building is owned by Jack Dudum, the father, and according to the owner of Ming Quong, Jim Wyman, there may have been plans to sell The Pizza Place to an organic restaurant and store that would expand into Hanna’s Bags and Ming Quong. Eventually, people even stopped by to take measurements, confirming their suspicions. However, these people thought they were leaving in April even though their lease is not up until September, and so they don’t know whether the deal is going to go through or not.
Stay tuned… I wonder what the Dudums will say about this.
A 2br/2ba affordable multi-family rental apartment is available beginning April 3rd at Bonanza Oaks in downtown Walnut Creek at 1852 Bonanza St for $2400:
From the Craigslist ad:
Available April 3rd!
*Please allow 24 hrs notice before showing
This award-winning building offers gorgeous finishes and is located right in downtown Walnut Creek, steps to a huge selection of shoppping, dining and services!
Features include:
-Hardwood flooring and carpet
-2 bedrooms & 2 full bathrooms on opposite sides of unit for maximum privacy
-Quiet corner unit with large, private BBQ-friendly patio!
-Beautiful kitchen w/ granite countertops and stainless steel appliances (oven/glass-top range, dishwasher, fridge, microwave & disposal)
-Marble & limestone bathrooms
-Ample closet space & recessed lighting throughout
-Marble-enclosed gas fireplace
-Washer/dryer in unit
-Secure building w/ telephone entry
-2 car parking included!
-Storage locker and bike parking in garage
-Cats ok w/ additional deposit, dog under 10lbs $100/mo
-Ideal downtown Walnut Creek location- just steps to restaurants, coffee shops, grocery stores, Broadway Plaza, Whole Foods, Trader Joes and so much more!
-Easy access to freeways (24, 680, 580) and all modes of public transit (10 minute walk to Walnut Creek BART)
Although the city of Walnut Creek notes that the complex is “affordable”, at $2400, does this seem like a fair amount? It’s a couple of blocks from McCovey’s so the location is great. The kitchen looks quite new as well.
There is a proposed plan where Safeway would turn a 25 acre plot they own into a giant 55,000 Safeway store with a pharmacy. This plot currently houses Safeway offices and is next to the Shadelands Business Park at Ygnacio Valley Road and Oak Grove. To do so, the zoning would need to be converted from commercial to retail and some Walnut Creek residents would not like to see this project go forward. Some of the reasons given against building are:
You can read more about the latest committee hearing on this Safeway plan here. Check out the official Shadelands Gateway Plan here.
So should Safeway be allowed to build a giant Safeway at this location? Do any of these reasons hold water? Does that part of Walnut Creek even need another Safeway considering there is already a Safeway across the street? Maybe the Encina Grande Safeway is too small to remodel possibly.
Spotted at the intersection of Moraga Rd. and St. Marys Rd in Lafayette, these homes will be conveniently located a few blocks from downtown Lafayette right near Lafayette Circle. Judging by the sign the homes will be made by Ryder Homes. Anyone interested?
Studio Blue Digital Print and Copy, located at 1323 Locust Street next to LIFT Lounge in downtown Walnut Creek has closed and is available for lease according to a sign recently put up in the window.
All drawings copyright Robert Becker
Now that B.H. Development has been awarded the N. Main/Mt. Diablo parking lot project in downtown Walnut Creek, you’re probably wondering what it’ll look like. Brian Hirahara, the owner of B.H. Development sent over some conceptual renderings of the future restaurant. This is the same developer who brought the restaurant Sasa to Walnut Creek, as well as The Corners project across the street which features Tiffany’s and the upscale tapas-style restaurant Va de Vi.
With this background in mind, it looks like the bar component to this new restaurant will be more similar to the bar at Va de Vi, in other words more upscale compared to other bars/lounges in the city that have been having problems lately.
Anyway, take a look at the outdoor dining concept in this next rendering. Note the butterfly windows which is a cool concept. The diners sitting outside are facing Commercial Lane, which I imagine will be renamed to something more appropriate in due time.
This is the view at the corner looking down Mt. Diablo Blvd. Note the benches, glad those will be going in as well.
See more drawings including an aerial view after the jump
Has anyone else noticed these metal flaps on the Neiman Marcus building in Walnut Creek? Is this a design flourish or will it serve an actual purpose?