SMOKY NO MORE Ken Looney has closed his Looney’s Southern Bar -B-Que at 2190 Bancroft Ave. after five years of operation. He closed it Dec. 11 because he could not come to acceptable terms with the landlord when his lease expired, according to an employee at one of Looney’s Oakland locations.
PHARMACY SHUFFLE No official word yet but informed sources say Walgreens will be moving from its location on Shattuck and Allston Way across the street into the space once occupied by Ross Dress for Less at 2190 Shattuck. The owners of the building, Sansome Pacific, have applied for a city permit to remodel the structure and add new entrance on Allston for the offices on the second floor. And it is apparently a better bet to look for a CVS pharmacy in the old Andronico’s building on Telegraph rather than a new grocery store.
WATCH IT GROW DeYoe Wealth Management is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year. Started in 2001 by Jonathan DeYoe, it has grown from a one person to a six-person office managing close to $65 million in assets and generating $700,000 in revenue. The San Francisco Business Times voted it one of the fastest growing companies in the East Bay – back in 2008 when the economy was terrible. Business has picked up since then.
INDEPENDENT BREEDS INDEPENDENCE The building at 2539 Telegraph Ave. owned by the Center for Independent Living has become a new center for nonprofit and government groups. The Small Business Association has an office on the site and is now accepting applications for disaster relief funds for those affected by the Nov. 18 fire in the Sequoia Apartments. The Gray Panthers, who had to move from their University Avenue offices when that branch of Andronico’s closed, have set up shop, as has the United Nations Association of the East Bay. The center has also opened up a wheelchair repair store and assisted technology reuse center called The Shop. Access is through the rear parking lot.
The League of Women Voters of the East Bay also had to move after the Andronico’s building on University closed. The group is now at 2530 San Pablo Ave. near Dwight Way, in the building housing the Ecology Center and the Sierra Club.
Shop Talk is our regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses — openings, closings, new directions, relaunches, relocations. If you’re a Berkeley business with news, or a Berkeleysider who has spotted a change in your neighborhood or on your travels, shoot us an email with the details. Read previous Shop Talk columns here.
Berkeleyside publishes many articles every day. To see all our stories in chronological order, and read ones you may have missed, check out our recently launched All the News grid.