LINDGREN’S Lindgren’s Coffee and Café (above) in downtown Berkeley opened for business in February. Now it’s having its grand opening celebration — on Thursday, April 18, at 5 p.m. and all are welcome. There will be the chance to feast on house-made delicacies, enjoy a sparkling beverage and get a free chair massage — as well as the requisite ribbon cutting. Lindgren’s, 2120 Dwight Way (at Shattuck).
ALKO Alko Office Supplies on Shattuck Avenue announced in July 2012 it was going to close, just as soon as it found a buyer for its building. Now the office supplies store says it is going to shut up shop for good in a couple of weeks, despite not having a buyer for the 1908 building. In a release, the store’s owner, Gary Shows, said the primary reason for going out of business was “diminishing support from [our] largest and oldest customer, UC Berkeley.” Alko has been operating in one form or another at 2225 Shattuck Ave. for 105 years. Shows said that Elmwood Stationers at 2947 College Ave. in Berkeley will be taking over many of Alko’s services. A sale at the store will continue through April 30.
THEA New women’s clothing store Thea is to open next month at 2070 Fourth St. in the new Fourth & U area. Thea Geck is the owner and the store will offer scarves, handbags and “cool shoes” like Pretty Ballerinas from Spain and Candice Cooper tennis shoes from Germany. Geck is a former photo stylist and lives in Emeryville. She said she has wanted to open a store for a long time, but would only do so on Fourth Street since “it’s such a great shopping experience.” As tipped back in June, the new commercial strip south of the highway seems to be picking up steam: as well as Thea, Eye Eyeware will be opening up there soon. Title Nine, Sketch Ice Cream and Keter Hair Salon are already there, and Shadow Yoga Studio is also drawing foot traffic. And news that Sierra Nevada will open a tasting room there can only be good news for the area. Steve Smith of realtors Norheim & Yost said all the retail stores at Fourth & U have been rented.
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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