PROPER ATTIRE A new design studio has set up shop in Berkeley to offer design activewear, otherwise known as “athleisure” clothing. Described by owner Gabriella Gordillo as “transitional clothing that you can wear for your work-out and real life,” Proper Attire’s first inception was as a men’s and women’s luxury clothing line started in San Francisco in 2015. “We chose to set up our studio in Berkeley as it is renowned as a cool, creative and sophisticated college town,” Gordillo said. “Our target customers live active, busy lives; they like to work out, stay healthy and socialize. They are also individuals who like to make a statement with their clothing. We think Berkeley and its residents embody this ethos, which is why we based our studio in the area.” Gordillo is working on a line called The 10 Essentials. “We use a monochromatic color palette and a simple, minimalist design aesthetic to create clothes that easily combine comfort, performance and style while transcending trends, gender and shape. Items are currently available for pre-order on our website,” she said. Proper Attire, 1025 Carleton St., Berkeley 94710. Tel: 650-922-7977. Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest and Twitter.
SHOH GALLERY SHOH Gallery opened in late June in the space previously occupied by Dancing Paintbrush, and shows paintings and 2-dimensional works primarily by East Bay artists. Owner Julie McCray, raised in the East Bay, previously co-owned and operated a gallery in San Francisco’s Union Square neighborhood. “I found that certain segments of gallery culture in San Francisco could often be more about the bottom line than about supporting the artists community,” she said. After taking a break to raise children, she is back in action. “I wanted to open a gallery in the East Bay focusing on giving our local fine artists the respect and visibility they deserve as well as creating a comfortable, inviting environment where collectors and community can find some of the gems of Bay Area art. It was also imperative to open a business that works on the principle of ‘right livelihood’. That idea includes providing a higher 75/25 split for the artists, transparency with artists and clients, good wages to employees and having SHOH be a supportive member of the arts and local business community. As the costs of living in the Bay Area rise, one concern for many is that we will see an exodus of our most creative and talented residents. That creativity, innovation and culture is in many ways the lifeblood of the Bay Area and I think I speak for many when I say we would hate to lose that.” SHOH Gallery, 700 Gilman St. (near 4th), Berkeley, 94710. Tel: 510-504-9988. Open Wed. through Sat., Noon to 6 p.m. Connect with them on Facebook, and Instagram.
THE BARKELEY A new business for boarding and caring for dogs is opening soon. The Barkeley, located at 2730 San Pablo Ave. (at Pardee), will offer grooming, training and dog-walking services as well as monitored yards for daycare and a boarding facility for overnight stays. According to its website, The Barkeley will provide “a calming spa-like atmosphere with aromatherapy and soft soothing music to send our canine guests gently to sleep.” Owners Amanda and Kirk Jung have been looking for a space to expand their home-based business for three years. “There are few places in Berkeley zoned for dog daycare and boarding, so we were very lucky to find our facility in the dog-friendly neighborhood of West Berkeley,” said Amanda Jung. Our building was built in the 1930s as a typewriter factory and maintenance shop. More recently the space has been the site of an auto-repair shop. We’ve done a floor-to-ceiling remodel of the space that included adding floor drains, putting in modern climate-control systems and building out spaces for play yards and sleeping accommodations. The Barkeley will be the first licensed dog daycare and hotel in the city of Berkeley. While our main focus is providing services for small and medium size dogs, we will have some limited space for larger dogs as well. We plan to create a new standard in pet care for the Bay Area centered on trust, care, education and transparency.” The Barkeley will have a grand opening in late March. The Barkeley, 2730 San Pablo Ave., Berkeley 94702. Tel: 510-900-1023. Open 24/7 for service; lobby hours are Mon.-Fri., 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekends. Connect with them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.
PATELCO The Berkeley branch of Patelco will re-open this week. The downtown Berkeley branch was seriously damaged in the fire that consumed Mandarin Garden Restaurant in November 2015. Patelco will be hosting a grand opening celebration on Thursday March 9 from 1-4 p.m., beginning with a ribbon-cutting ceremony. Spokesman Keith Metz-Porozni told Berkeleyside, “Patelco will provide refreshments, music, art and hourly giveaways for attending Patelco members. In addition, Patelco CEO Erin Mendez, the entire board of directors, as well as Mayor Jesse Arreguín will be in attendance.” Patelco, 2033 Shattuck Ave., Berkeley, 94704. Tel: 800-358-8228. Open Mon. – Thu., 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., Fri., 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. and Sat., 10 a.m to 1 p.m. Connect with them on Facebook and Twitter.
SOCKSHOP Sockshop at 2505 Telegraph Ave., in business since 2012, officially closed its doors on Jan. 22. The store carried a large selection of socks, tights and leggings under the umbrella of Sockshop & Shoe Co. which has additional shops in Santa Cruz and San Francisco’s Haight St. neighborhood. According to the Telegraph Business Improvement District, the business did not state a specific reason for leaving when their lease expired.
Shop Talk is our regular column in which we post updates on Berkeley businesses. If you’re a Berkeley business with news, or a Berkeleyside reader who has spotted a change in your neighborhood or on your travels, shoot us an email with the details at editors@berkeleyside.com. Read previous Shop Talk columns. And catch up with all food business news with our Nosh coverage.
