NEXT DOOR RESTAURANT Looks like the old Addie’s Pizza Pie space at 3290 Adeline St. has a new tenant and a new eatery called Next Door Restaurant should be opening there soon. Addie’s, a New York-style pizzeria, was run by Jennifer Millar, who owns Sweet Adeline Bakeshop a block down the street, and Thomas Schnetz of Doña Tomás, Flora and Tacubaya fame. It closed in May last year after barely two years in business. Interestingly, one of the two names on the ABC application (pictured left) is Henry August Alvarez III. Could this be one and the same as the director of the San Francisco Housing Authority? More details to follow.
PILLAR TO POST In January, Berkeley resident Bruce MacDermott opened the Alameda County franchise for Pillar To Post, the largest home inspection company in North America. With an MBA under his belt and 11 years’ experience as a licensed remodeling and repair contractor, 64-year-old entrepreneur MacDermott decided to leverage his knowledge in the industry to open his own business instead of pursuing traditional retirement. “The community has been incredibly supportive so far. I’m eager to grow the business and continue to provide the reliable service Pillar To Post has long been known for,” he said. MacDermott serves Berkeley, Oakland, Emeryville, Alameda, Piedmont and Albany. Bruce Macdermott telephone: 510-705-1022, email: bruce.macdermott@pillartopost.
EAT + LOUNGE Less than two months after it opened, Eat + Lounge at 2512 San Pablo Ave. shut up shop Feb. 28. The restaurant, which, in its short tenure, offered Mediterranean, farm-to-table food under chef Kwin Vutook, took over from seafood restaurant Sea Salt which closed on New Year’s eve after seven years of operation. Sea Salt was owned by Haig and Cindy Krikorian’s K2 Restaurant Group which is known to be downsizing. Last year it sold T-Rex BBQ on 10th St. and it looks like change is afoot at its Albany restaurant Fonda at 1501 Solano Ave. A sign states a change of ownership for its liquor license. (The restaurant’s website is down and attempts to make contact have so far proved unsuccessful.)
THE OTHER CHANGE OF HOBBIT As tipped on Feb. 19, fantasy and science fiction bookstore The Other Change of Hobbit at 3264 Adeline St. was served with eviction papers. Owner Dave Nee told Berkeleyside the bookstore needed to be out of its premises by 6 a.m. this morning and, as of today, they had moved 90% of their stock out. Plans are up in the air at the moment, Nee said, but if they do re-open it is unlikely to be in Berkeley. The bookstore moved to Adeline St. from downtown in 2010. Follow the store’s Facebook page for updates.
ANN’S KITCHEN Ann’s Kitchen, at 2498 Telegraph at Dwight, changed ownership recently, according to tipster Marcia Poole.”The beloved former owners, Suki and David, had received a proclamation from the City of Berkeley several years ago and had a day named after them for their countless years of service and for always providing the homeless in the area a full Thanksgiving dinner,” Poole wrote. “The neighbors are going to miss them for their friendliness and good food.
Shop Talk is Berkeleyside’s 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.
If you’re interested in restaurant and food businesses in particular, check out Bites, Berkeleyside Nosh’s regular column in which we post updates on East Bay food news.
