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Sprouts & Shutters: Rubs BBQ Bistro, Diablo Dark, Dollar Store and More

Here's the latest roundup of retail, restaurant and other business news and happenings 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.

Main Street Designs opened its seasonal Christmas Shop Oct. 5 in a new location on South L Street in Groth Brother’s old space. Main Street Designs, celebrating its 25th year in downtown Livermore, has a permanent store on First Street and will run its seasonal holiday store through middle January.


El Sacromonte recently added some nightlife to downtown Livermore: The upscale Mexican restaurant on First Street transforms into “El Sacramonte Lounge” from 10 p.m. – 1 a.m. each Friday and Saturday night. Guests ages 21 years and older can enjoy drink specials and listen to top 40s hits played by local DJs. Learn more on the restaurant's Facebook page.

The City of Dublin and Dublin Chamber of Commerce recently launched a “shop local” holiday campaign to encourage Dublin residents to frequent local businesses. Shoppers can find out about local Dublin shops and even discover special discounts on the “Discover Dublin for the Holidays” Facebook page.

Two new businesses will soon open in Pleasanton’s Rose Pavilion shopping center on Santa Rita: Leslie’s Pool Supplies, a national pool care and supply company will open next to West Coast Gold Buyers. And the discount retailer Dollar Tree is set to open next to Ethan Allen. You can see the new businesses and locations in the accompanying leasing brochure.

Unfortunately you won’t be able to buy any more treats at Pleasanton’s Cupid’s Tooth after Halloween. In a message to their customers, owners James and Lisa Green, who opened the candy store three years ago, said their small business “is not immune to our country’s economic struggles and we are unable to keep up with the rising costs associated with owning a small business.” Now through Oct. 31, all merchandise is marked down 25 percent.

Congratulations to Danville’s Thai House, the only Tri-Valley restaurant to make the coveted Michelin’s Bib Gourmand list of restaurants that offer “excellence on a budget.” To qualify for this list, the restaurant must serve two courses and a glass of wine or dessert for $40 or less (tax and gratuity excluded). You can browse the full 2013 list of Bay Area and Wine Country winners at michelintravel.com/michelin-selection/san-francisco-2013.

Less than a year after opening, Roti8 Rotissserie closed its Blackhawk Plaza restaurant rather suddenly on Oct. 12. The owner could not be reached for comment but you can get the scoop on the closure in the most recent Diablo Dish column.

This Wednesday evening the Alamo Chamber of Commerce hosts a “Business After Hours” community expo where you can get to know local Alamo area businesses and enjoy food and wine tasting. The event takes place from 5 – 8 p.m. at the Round Hill Country Club. Admission is free. Learn more at alamochamberofcommerce.com.

Another barbecue eatery will join the new Dickey’s Barbecue Pit opening in San Ramon: Rubs BBQ Bistro should open in the Marketplace in a few months, replacing Mykonos Mediterranean Grill next to Fitness 19. Also, according to the latest Marketplace leasing brochure (accompanying this column), a new eatery called Crème Si Bon will open a few doors down in Stephen Pasta Café’s old space next to Salon X.

Dark beer fan? Try Diablo Dark, just released over the weekend by San Ramon’s Schubros Brewery.

Want to find out what else is opening in the East Bay? Sprouts & Shutters now covers 21 cities on 18 Patch sites. Read the latest columns for the Central Contra Costa, Berkeley/Oakland and Fremont/Tri-Cities communities.

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

  • C2 Education in Danville
  • Dickey's Barbecue Pit in San Ramon
  • ImageFlow and Cellar 9 closure in Dublin
  • Ascona Pizza and Amelia's Deli closure in Pleasanton 
  • Baan Lanna in Livermore

Know of a business opening or closing in the Tri-Valley? Please tell Patch about it for a future Sprouts & Shutters column. Simply add it to this short form. Or send me a news tip at patchsprouts@gmail.com.

For more local business news, follow Patch on Twitter @EBayPatchBiz.

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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
DeAnna Senft McDaid June 13, 2013 at 07:32 pm
thank you Lauren
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.
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.
Kari Hulac (Editor) June 8, 2013 at 12:48 pm
Great photos, Kathie..was the horse being evacuated?
Kathie Seymour-Sindicic June 8, 2013 at 12:54 pm
Thank you!! Yes this lady was evacuating this horse. It was the only one a saw be evacuated.