TRACKERS BAY Outdoor education organization Trackers Bay has taken over the distinctive building formerly occupied by Marmot Mountain Works at 3049 Adeline St. in Berkeley. Trackers’ regional director, Jess Liotta, describes the company as offering training in old-school skills and story-based immersive experiences for kids and adults. She tells Berkeleyside: “Think archery, foraging, wilderness survival, zombie apocalypse training, blacksmithing, etc!” The Adeline space is going to serve as Trackers’ central headquarters, office, and meeting space for its workshops and classes. Community gatherings and events will also be held there. Trackers Bay parent company Trackers Earth was founded in 2004 by Tony and Molly Deis. Tony based Trackers on his personal work in outdoor education since 1992. Marmot Mountain Works closed at the beginning of this year, after 36 years operating in Berkeley. Visit the Trackers Bay website for more information.
TELEGRAPH CLOSURES Two shutterings to report on Telegraph. Toaster Oven at 2309 (next door to the recently opened Sheng Kee Bakery), which opened in January last year, has closed up shop. The Toaster Oven is a chain with four locations in San Francisco. Perhaps the arrival of The Melt in August didn’t help? Also no more is frozen yogurt spot Tutti Frutti at number 2380. [Hat tip: Bryan Garcia]
OAKS JEWELERS Oaks Jewelers at 1783 Solano Ave. is this month celebrating 65 years of serving the Bay Area community, and is planning a celebration on the weekend of April 19-20. Says Melissa Accornero: “My grandfather, Henry Accornero, founded the business 65 years ago, and he still works at our store two days a week. He will be turning 88 on April 7th. My father, Jeff Accornero, now owns the business, and my aunt Cherie Accornero-Myers also works at the store. I am the third generation to be actively working at Oaks Jewelers. Small, thriving, family-owned businesses are often hard to come by these days, and we’re really honored to have been so well taken care of by the Bay Area community these past 65 years. We hope to serve as an inspiration to other small, local businesses, to show that even in a difficult economy, if you take care of your customers, your customers will take care of you.”
SOLANO AVENUE Speaking of Solano, the Solano Avenue Association has relaunched with a new look and new message. The non-profit organization has 200 members, many of them independent businesses, who all operate within the one-mile long commercial district of Solano Avenue in Berkeley and Albany. The group’s new slogan is “Do it Here – on Solano” and it says it will be shifting its focus towards the district as a whole rather than just the Solano Stroll, the annual event that sees thousands of people descend on the street. “You will no longer see a poster specifically for the Solano Avenue Stroll and, as an experiment, we are discontinuing the “theme” and tag-line. We will endeavor to be more merchant-centric as an organization,” says SAA.
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.
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