TAYLORBLUE Home design studio Taylorblue is now up and running in its new store at 2911 Claremont Avenue (at Domingo) in the 1913 firehouse that was formerly home to Giorgi art gallery (and, more briefly, the Golden Gate Creativity Center). Taylorblue owner Lani Blue Taylor worked out of the San Francisco Design Center under the name The Sherrill Collection for 30 years before relocating to Berkeley. The showroom carries home furnishings and accessories from brands including Sherrill, Hickory White, and Artistica, as well as original works of art.
NEXT DOOR RESTAURANT Next Door Restaurant, which opened in May last year at 3290 Adeline St. in the former Addie’s Pizza Pie space (corner with MLK Jr. Way), has closed indefinitely for “redecorating/creating a new concept,” according to a sign posted on the door, and its website. (Hat-tip: Marc Rumminger.) Readers may remember that the owner of Next Door is Henry Alvarez, the former head of San Francisco’s Housing Authority, and his wife Dionne Roberts. Opening chef was Sharon Lorraine Anderson, formerly of The Purple Plum.
SECREASE TAE KWON DO-KARATE The Secrease Tae kwon do-Karate studio at 3212 Adeline St. (next to Nick’s Lounge) closed last month, and a sign displays a liquor license application for an Ethiopian restaurant, according to tipster Syl. The nonprofit academy had been in that location for 27 years, according to a directory listing. The owners couldn’t be reached for comment, but we’ll keep you posted if we find out there are plans to re-open elsewhere — and on the new restaurant that’s coming in its place, of course.
ZENSEN SUSHI EXPRESS The Taiwanese chain Zensen Sushi Express, which only opened in June last year, has closed its restaurant at 2516 Durant Ave. in Berkeley. It took over the old La Val’s Pizza space. It was the first U.S location for the sushi conveyer-belt eatery, part of a chain of more than 300 restaurants started by Chin-Chou “Stanley” Chen in Taiwan in 1996. A new location in San Francisco looks to be on the cards.
NEW BARBER SHOP A barber shop looks like it’s getting ready to open in the former Kid Dynamo space at 1481 Shattuck Ave. (between Saul’s and Solemates). We’ll bring you more details when we get them. (Hat-tip: Doug Ng.) Kid Dynamo, you may recall, recently moved around the corner to 2108 Vine St. into the space once occupied by the Earthly Goods outlet.
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.
