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Sprouts & Shutters: Izzy’s Steaks Closing, Mike’s Bikes Coming, Blackhawk Eateries Opening and More

Here's the latest roundup of retail, restaurant and other business news in the Tri-Valley area.

Wondering what’s moving into your neighborhood shopping center? Our weekly Sprouts & Shutters column highlights the latest Tri-Valley restaurant, retail and other business news.

Celebrate the opening of the Summer Olympics in downtown Livermore with Tiaras, Tutus, Top Hats & Tails. Enjoy wine and beer "cocktail" concoctions prepared by downtown mixologists on July 11 from 6 – 9 p.m. And, of course, you’re encouraged to outclass the Brits by dressing up in your favorite tails, tiara, top hat or tutu. Those 21 and older can purchase a tasting pass for $25 (or $20 if you have your official 2012 Livermore Downtown glass). Get to by 8 p.m. to view the opening ceremonies. Tickets cost $5 and the event includes a royal hat contest and royal family member look-a-like contest. Learn more and see a list of participating merchants offering special event shopping specials at livermoredowntown.com.


Opening Update: Livermore’s new French bakery Casse-Croute, previewed in an , opened June 28 on South Livermore Avenue. “The mixer has been spinning, the oven has been steaming and the coffee is brewing. Come enjoy our bread and pastries in a French-country atmosphere,” say owners Lenore and Richard Denoixe.

Opening Update: Her Secret Hair Extensions, covered in a , is now open in its new salon on First Street.

Mike's Bikes will soon open its first Tri-Valley bicycle retail shop in Pleasanton. The popular regional cycling store, which runs 10 Bay Area stores, opens later this summer in Pleasanton's Gateway Square shopping center on Bernal. Learn more about Mike's Bikes, including its Mike's Bikes Africa Bike Drive, at mikesbikes.com. For more on the new store opening, see Patch’s .

This just in from Diablo Dish: Kudos to Pleasanton’s , named “small business of the year” by Senator Ellen Corbett. Celebrate with an orange-vanilla swirl soft serve on a hot summer day.

Opening Update: Lavandu Face & Body, previewed in a recent , is now open in Pleasanton’s Mission Plaza shopping Center.

A bunch of new businesses open this summer in Danville’s :

After an and concept overhaul, was set to open last weekend and will celebrate its grand opening July 11.

Rodney Worthy’s new Ferrari’s Cucina Italiana, the casual Italian restaurant highlighted in our , is set to open in early July in Stomp's old space.

Blue Gingko, previewed in last summer, is finally getting ready to open and should be serving sushi by late July. The new Japanese restaurant replaces Yotaka Sushi Grill, which closed last July.

Other new Blackhawk Plaza businesses include Tribez Salon (covered in May’s ) which opened June 26. And Opus Bank, which opened June 25.

closed June 30 and will be replaced later this year by national chain eatery Buffalo Wild Wings. Get the full story and see readers’ reactions in .

Yoga Fusion, located in the San Ramon Square shopping center, celebrates its one-year anniversary with a party for the community on July 14 from 4 – 7 p.m. The free event features Native American drumming, cultural dance, healing massage and food from the new yoga studio’s neighboring eateries, including Bourbon Street Deli Café, Three Brothers from China, Café Attila, Best Donuts, Hyderabad Biryani House and European Deli. To learn more, visit theyogafusion.com.

is no longer running its comedy shows at the Willow Tree restaurant. Owner John DeKoven says he’s looking for a hip, lively venue in the Tri-Valley to move Bunjo’s and welcomes suggestions on the comedy club’s facebook page. Meanwhile Bunjo’s Comedy Club will be hosting shows at the New Rheem in Moraga. See the schedule at bunjoscomedy.com.

Did you miss Patch's last retail and restaurant roundup? Read about these and more in our last Sprouts & Shutters column:  

  • and in Danville
  • and in San Ramon
  • in Dublin
  • and in Pleasanton 
  • and in Livermore

Know of a restaurant or shop opening or closing in the Tri-Valley? Please send me a news tip at patchsprouts@gmail.com.

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Note Article
Just a short thought to get the word out quickly about anything in your neighborhood.
Share something with your neighbors. Write a new post... What's up? Make an announcement, speak your mind, or sell something
Nika Megino (Editor) June 17, 2013 at 10:59 am
Hi Christian! Sorry for the trouble! I've gone in and reapproved your posts. I did, however, deleteRead More the duplicates. Please let me know if you have any more trouble with posting, and again, sorry for the inconvenience with our Spambot!
Christian Holm June 17, 2013 at 04:04 pm
Thanks, Nika! I truly appreciate your efforts. I just wish the software would get fixed.
Bridget Carney June 15, 2013 at 10:10 pm
Hi Penelope! I am interested in finding out more about your puppies. Please e-mail me atRead More bridget.carney@gmail.com
Cindy Eckel June 14, 2013 at 08:01 am
Did you try 'Pleasanton Rentals' in Pleasanton...I know you asked for Livermore but this place hasRead More it all!
DeAnna Senft McDaid June 14, 2013 at 12:44 pm
Thank you Cindy I'll give them a call. apprecitate you taking the time.
DeAnna Senft McDaid June 19, 2013 at 01:22 pm
Settled on Partyland. One bottle of free blue syrup with the rental too. Nice touch. Thank you forRead More the tip. It will be a fun party with this little addition! :-)
Abby and Buddy
Beatrice Karnes June 13, 2013 at 08:48 am
They are beautiful and you described them so well! I hope that someone steps forward quickly! (IRead More have my quota of cats already.)
TrueRealist June 12, 2013 at 06:35 pm
It isn't up to the gov. to help raise your kids. The stork didn't drop the kid off unexpectedly. IfRead More you can't afford kids then don't have them.
barbieann June 13, 2013 at 08:39 am
Wow, so quick to jump to conclusions and judge. Maybe T.G. BUYS the child's lunch. Every schoolRead More sells hot lunch every day. At the majority of our schools, more lunches are bought than given for free.
DeAnna Senft McDaid June 13, 2013 at 12:43 pm
The schools give us 2 options as parents. 1. Buying lunches on campus or 2. Send them with a lunch.Read More Clearly the author of this chose number 1 and the school was OUT leaving the child with NO 3rd option. Shame on that school.
Jason Morgan June 9, 2013 at 09:33 pm
A great issue! However, the rodeo is nothing but animal cruelty wrapped up as "tradition"Read More and "entertainment". Why would the animal's welfare become a concern now? Rodeo performers have been documented beating, kicking, and shocking normally docile cows and horses in chutes and holding pens. "Bucking broncos" and steers are provoked with electric prods, sharp sticks, caustic ointments, and the pinching "bucking" strap, which is what really makes them jump, they are not "wild" and "dangerous" . The cowboys earn points by spurring the bucking horse. I have seen them up close and many are bleeding. Calves, roped when running, have their necks snapped back by the lasso, often resulting in neck and back injuries, bruises, broken bones, and internal bleeding. After their short and painful "careers," animals in rodeos are sent to the slaughterhouse. Dr. C.G. Haber, a veterinarian who spent 30 years as a federal meat inspector, describes the animals discarded from rodeos for slaughter as being "so extensively bruised that the only areas in which the skin was attached [to the flesh] was the head, neck, leg, and belly. I have seen animals with six to eight ribs broken from the spine and, at times, puncturing the lungs. I have seen as much as 2 to 3 gallons of free blood accumulated under the detached skin." Every national animal protection organization opposes rodeos because of their inherent cruelty. Don't feel bad everyone, I used to love the rodeo too. Before I knew better...
Bonbrwneyes June 10, 2013 at 09:13 pm
Something to consider and not pushing it aside because I feel its unimportant, but what I'd love toRead More have access to is how the riders that were hurt are doing today. Two bull riders got gored, one in the back and he was down and out for a bit and then obviously not "okay" as he stumbled out of the arena and then another that got his leg hurt and he couldn't get himself over the gate on his own. Left saturday's Rodeo hoping they were okay and would love follow up if at all possible. Thanks!
Danielle Nabozny June 8, 2013 at 03:00 pm
Thank you! That is what we want to know too. We have had more power outages this week than in theRead More 20+ years total that we have lived in this house!
Lynn June 8, 2013 at 07:03 pm
It would be nice to know, indeed. When my husband called to report the outage the recording saidRead More there were no outages in our area, which was clearly incorrect.
AT June 9, 2013 at 06:00 pm
I got the same thing, no outages when I called. I requested to be contacted by PG&E to explainRead More the problem. No call for that but I did get a "survey" call about their automated system. We have also lived here for 20+ years and never had this many outages.