FRENCH MOVE Café Clem has moved from its former spot on Seventh Street to downtown Berkeley at 2020 Kittredge Street, right at the central library. The new location for the café, which offers a French-inspired menu including baguette sandwiches, croques monsieur, pains perdus and coffee and teas, will also serve as the catering department for both Café Clem and La Note. The new Café Clem is inviting the community to an open house to mark its opening on Friday April 20, 5-7pm.
WHEELS STOP Peter Moore brings us news that Recycle Bicycle on Sacramento Street has a sign in the window that says, “Business is Closed.” The store is not answering the phone so we can’t confirm details. Any tipsters have insights? If it is closed for good, Moore for one is disappointed. “It’s certainly a loss to South Berkeley. It was a nice place to get your bike fixed,” he says.
NEW DRUGS Sal’s Pharmacy is moving into the former post office space at 1831 Solano Avenue, next to the new Verizon (which itself used to be Front Row Video) says tipster Ira Serkes who provides photographic evidence to boot. “Yay,” says he. Owner Sadalla Nassar confirms he is hoping to open what he describes as an independent neighborhood pharmacy on May 1.
COCOA MOVE Bittersweet has moved its chocolate making/coffee roasting facility from Berkeley to Oakland, helping to contribute to the revival of that city’s downtown. Bittersweet already has a café on College Avenue in Rockridge, and has now also opened a café in the new Oakland spot at 1438 Broadway (between Telegraph and 15th), that offers lunch, confections and drinks such as salted caramel hot chocolate. [Read Berkeleyside’s May 2010 feature on Bittersweet.]
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.
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