THE SHADE STORE On May 19, The Shade Store opened in the space formerly occupied by Flight 001 on Fourth St. This marks the chain’s 55th location nationwide, and its fourth location in the greater San Francisco area, which also includes standalone locations in Mill Valley, San Francisco, Palo Alto and an outlet within the San Francisco Kravet showroom. The business, co-founded by brothers Adam, Zach and Ian Gibbs, was built on the principles set forth by their grandfather’s first store in Mt. Vernon, New York in 1946. The Shade Store remains a family-owned business run by the brothers, their cousin, Greg Spatz, the youngest of three generations, and Jay Genzel, who acts as director of manufacturing. The Shade Shop offers “custom window treatments made simple.”
With a collection of more than 1,000 fabrics and materials, every window treatment is “handcrafted by a skilled artisan, hung and tested for quality assurance and ships free in 10 days or less.” Window treatments include Roman shades, roller shades, solar shades, wood blinds, pleated and cellular shades, vertical systems, drapery and hardware. The Shade Store is also an advocate for environmental sustainability and for every purchase made the company provides the “gift of shade” by planting a tree in partnership with the Arbor Day Foundation.
“Berkeley has a thriving community of creatives and individuals who appreciate artisanship, thoughtful design and eco-friendly business practices,” said Ian Gibbs, co-founder and chief creative officer of The Shade Store. We chose the Fourth Street location because it is a high-end, eclectic design and retail destination that is one-of-a-kind; we could not have found a better spot to plant roots in Berkeley.”
The Shade Store, 1774 Fourth St., Berkeley 94710. Tel: 510-292-4393. Open Mon.-Sat., 10 a.m. to 6 p.m and Sun., 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Connect with them on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Pinterest.
ALÉ KATZ MOBILE BOUTIQUE AND POPUP SHOP A new business in the form of a popup shop and mobile boutique opened recently for business in Berkeley. Selling an ever-changing selection of hand-curated, ethically made clothing, accessories, beauty and home items, the boutique operates out of the shared space of Three Points Press on University Avenue. Owner Lily Alegria grew up in the East Bay and was looking for a retail storefront in a neighborhood that she felt would match the store’s philosophy and selections.
“I care about who makes the products I sell and want to ensure that I continue to support small businesses,” Alegria said. “The popup shop, which opened on April 1, is inside of a shared artist space so I am surrounded by other creative small businesses, such as screenprinters, graphic designers and painters. I share space so the rent is more affordable, which has enabled me to to follow my dreams of owning a small business.”
The shop also features a flower bar every Friday and Saturday with selections from East Bay florist Unfurled, offering local, seasonal and foraged florals and custom made bouquets. In addition to the brick-and-mortar space, Alé Katz also runs a mobile boutique out of a renovated 1986 GMC Bluebird Minibus that was once a Burning Man shuttle. The mobile boutique visits local events around the East Bay.
Alé Katz Boutique, 1713 University Ave., Berkeley 94703. Tel: 707-322-7144. The popup shop is typically open Friday, from 1-7 p.m. and Saturday, noon-6 p.m., but hours can vary. Email Katz at lily@alekatz.com to confirm hours. Follow Alé Katz on Instagram to find the location of the mobile boutique and for general information, visit them on Facebook.
YVES’ JEWELRY AND JUDAICA We have an update on this store, in case you missed it in our last Shop Talk column. On May 2, we reported the closure of Yves’ Jewelry and Judaica on Solano. It turns out some of our readers who were previously unaware of the shop may have brought some new business to the shop, and owner Yves Mozelsio has decided to stay open for an extended period of time. “A month ago I announced that I would be closing my shop on Solano Avenue. Thanks to the community and their support, Yves’ Jewelry and Judaica will not be closing its doors, at least for now,” Mozelsio told us. “When I announced that I was closing, most who came to the store said that they never even knew that the shop existed. Most have encouraged me to keep the shop open and that the neighborhood would miss not having a shop like mine on Solano. I just ordered Judaica from five suppliers, items will be delivered within the next 1-5 weeks. I also have a wonderful inventory of handcrafted jewelry. For now, a 20% discount will apply to the entire shop. Thanks again to all who have given me the encouragement to keep the shop open”, he said. The store also has a new website.
Yves’ Jewelry and Judaica, 1865 Solano Ave., Berkeley 94707. Tel: 510-529-4650. New store hours are: Tuesday through Saturday, 10:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. Patrons no longer need to call ahead. Connect with the business on Facebook.
Shop Talk is Berkeleyside’s regular Berkeley local business column. 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.
