Tag: small business
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Under New Owner, The Millhouse Café Reworks Its Menu for the First Time in Years
New owner Felix Amara unveiled the first significant menu overhaul at The Millhouse Café in more than a decade, testing how much a Vale Avenue institution can change without losing its longtime regulars.
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To Survive, Ledger & Leaf Books Bets on Espresso Alongside Its Books
Ledger & Leaf Books added a small café counter to shore up revenue as book margins thin, with owner Corinne Vasseur saying the addition already accounts for nearly a fifth of total sales.
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Vale Avenue Landlords Push Back on Proposed Vacancy Tax
Council Member Patricia Yoon’s proposed vacancy-tax ordinance for empty Vale Avenue storefronts drew both merchant support and landlord opposition at a packed City Hall hearing, with a final vote still weeks away.
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Council Passes Vacancy-Tax Ordinance for Vale Avenue Storefronts
The city council voted 6-1 to adopt a vacancy fee for long-empty Vale Avenue storefronts, adding protections against landlords passing the cost on to future tenants after weeks of debate.
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String of Vandalism Incidents Rattles Vale Avenue Merchants
At least six Vale Avenue businesses have reported vandalism in the past month, rattling downtown merchants and prompting calls for more police patrols.
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Three New Restaurants Open Within Blocks of Each Other in Foundry Row
Three restaurants opened within blocks of each other in Foundry Row this month, as commercial rents on the block climbed roughly 40 percent amid the neighborhood’s biotech-driven growth.
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Vale Avenue Merchants Launch Monthly Gallery Night
A dozen Vale Avenue businesses launched a monthly gallery night this week, an effort organizers say was inspired by the strong sales at muralist Ines Carrizo’s recent solo show, though some merchants remain skeptical it will draw repeat crowds.
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Downtown Restaurant Week Sees Record Turnout Amid Biotech Boom
Downtown Bellwater’s restaurant week drew record reservations this year, with organizers and restaurant owners crediting rising biotech-sector wages even as economists warn the gains remain uneven citywide.
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Riverlight Festival Vendor Selection Draws Complaints of Favoritism
Rejected vendors say Riverlight Festival’s selection process favors a familiar group of returning businesses over newcomers, a complaint organizers dispute even as they consider new transparency measures ahead of next year’s application cycle.
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Longtime Vendor Dropped From Farmers Market Sparks Backlash
A petition with more than 800 signatures demands the Vale Avenue Farmers Market reinstate a produce vendor of twelve years, after the market cut his stall to make room for newer vendors on its growing waitlist.