WHAT’S IN A NAME? A sign declaring “Berserkeley” announces the Gilman District, being developed just south of Gilman on 10th, adjacent to the relocated Office Depot and across from the proposed Whole Foods Market. [Update: the developer clarifies that the marketing sign with Berserkeley is not the name of the development. It will be called “the Gilman District.”] Berserkeley Gilman District has two parcels, a divisible 10,735-square-foot lot facing 10th Street for retail, and a 5,376-square-foot lot facing Ninth Street for specialty food outlets. “We are gearing all prospective tenancies to make sure they all are aligned with community, and have dual purpose of retail and customer experience that address active lifestyles,” Michael Fogelman, the developer, said in a press statement. According to Matt Holmes, principal of Retail West, which is marketing the development, ideal tenants would be “a highly specialized bike store like Velo cult in Portland that offers expertise, service in the cycling world and a brew pub in one store experience, or a specialty soccer or running shoe store that can start weekend group runs or activities from our project.” The specialty food annex along Ninth will have a large outdoor deck and feature a mix of restaurants, cafes and specialty food purveyors.
ORGASMIC PITA Arabica Mediterranean Cuisine, just opened at 2115 Kittredge, the former site of Great China, which plans to reopen up the street after it was damaged by fire. It’s a new, slightly more upscale venture from the owners of Razan’s Organic Kitchen, in the neighboring space. It will offer pizza, kebabs and Middle Eastern mezze. One early adopter posted on Yelp: “The pitas alone were orgasmic — and the eggplant mousse was multi-layered, complex, a smoky (from grilling the eggplant) subtext with just the right amount of bite at the end.”
THEM’S FIGHTING WORDS Pugnacious Pet Provisions on Solano and Colusa is closing. The sign announcing the shuttering of the site says, “Rent is too high. Albany here we come!”
I MADE IT OUT OF CLAY At tonight’s City Council meeting, Mayor Tom Bates will declare today Kids ‘N’ Clay/Kevin Nierman Day. Nierman and his studio, Kids ‘N’ Clay, is celebrating its 25th anniversary of operating in Berkeley this year. The celebration also includes a move to a new, larger studio at 809A Allston Way. Kids ‘N’ Clay provides ceramic workshops and camps for kids 3 to 18.
NICE URL Berkeleysider Ken emails us with a ‘heads up’ that Mrs. Munchies late night cookie delivery service has been up and running for a couple of months. The cookies are made in Berkeley and are promised to be 100% natural with no transfats, margarine or “artificial stuff.” Vegan options are available. Mrs. Munchies is open Wednesday through Friday plus Sunday from 8 p.m. to 1 a.m., with last call at 12:30 a.m. Available cookies include double chocolate, ginger, chocolate chip and snickerdoodles.
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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