THE STATION It’s been a long time coming (we first tipped you about it in July 2012), but new burger and breakfast joint The Station (pictured above) opened on Saturday Jan. 18 in the former Viva Taqueria building at 2984 Russell St. (in the triangle where Russell, Claremont Avenue, and Claremont Boulevard meet) on southside. Sandy Boyd of Espresso Roma, Milano Café and the French Hotel, is the owner. Chef Gerald Blake is supervising the opening and has devised a simple menu which consists of a burger with optional extras, a hot dog, a grilled cheese sandwich, a veggie sandwich, and a mixed salad. Breakfast options include a scrambled-egg wrap, steel-cut oatmeal and pastries. To drink there’s Anchor Steam on tap among a beer selection, wine by the glass or carafe, house-made cold-pressed juices, smoothies and Espresso Roma coffee. Blake says the beef is sourced from Niman Ranch and the bread and buns from Starter Bakery. There was talk of collaborating with nearby Fournée for buns, but that didn’t work out. Blake said the plan is to source locally as much as possible. Boyd owns an organic farm in Carpinteria and some of the produce comes from there. So far, said Blake, the reception locally has been great. The pastor from the local church has dropped by and the staff have given out nearly 300 menus to passers-by. In its former lives, the spot has been a station on the Key Route line, a gas station, a hamburger joint, also called The Station, and a taqueria. The Station is open 7 a.m-8:30 p.m.
THE GREEN YOGI A new yoga spot has opened at 1642 Martin Luther King Jr. Way. The Green Yogi describes itself as a “power vinyasa flow eco-chic” studio. It’s the second location for the company which a studio in Manhattan Beach. Creative director Kelly says the studio has just completed the buildout and they used windows and wood from local salvage yards in keeping with their sustainable ethos. In a similar vein, iPads, rather than paper is used where possible, including for guests to sign in and make appointments. The founder of The Green Yogi, Mary Strong, is a former professional volleyball player and an anchor for the NFL Network. During its soft opening period, The Green Yogi is offering free yoga until Jan. 31.
SENIORE’S PIZZA Another new pizza joint has opened in the Telegraph Avenue neighborhood, replacing Pepe’s Pizza which closed up shop. Seniore’s is part of a small Northern Californian chain with a total of five stores and its Berkeley store sports a cool graffiti-like sign. They offer free delivery. The opening comes on the heels of two other new pizza spots nearby: Artichoke Basilles and, more recently, Pieology. Seniore’s Pizza is at 2518 Durant Ave. (at Telegraph).
CUPSCO An interesting new business has opened in the former Cakes & Purls location at the entrance to the Trumpetvine passageway on Allston Way in downtown Berkeley. (Cakes & Purls moved across the passageway to bigger digs and now has outdoor seating). CupsCo sells re-usable stainless steel cups. The business was conceived at a three-day, 17-guest bachelor party of all places, when the founders realized just how many single-use cups were being used, not least with all the beer-pong that was being played! Disgusted by all the waste they had created, they vowed to start a company that would offer a reusable, retainable, high-quality stainless steel cup that could be used in any setting where one would otherwise drink from single-use cups. CupsCo is a Kickstarter success story, having raised $28,000 on an original target of $10,000. CupsCo, whose products can also be bought online, is at 2115 Allston Way.
Shop Talk is our regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses. 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, and check out Bites for the latest East Bay restaurant news.
