After 40 years, a beloved bookstore that many view as San Jose’s heartbeat of children’s literature is being sold. Hicklebee’s, located on Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen, is a family-owned business run by two sisters, Valerie Lewis and Monica Holmes. The pair are ready to retire and spend time traveling and being with friends and...
San Jose leaders oppose liquor license
A San Jose mini-market wants to sell alcohol, but is getting pushback from the city. The San Jose Planning Commission voted unanimously in May to recommend a permit for the For You Mini Market, located at 350 Barack Obama Blvd., to sell alcohol. Commissioner Chuck Cantrell was absent. But Mayor Sam Liccardo and Councilmembers Raul...
The Biz Beat: ‘Memories of Vietnam’ in San Jose’s Phở Hà Nội dishes
The magic of the pho and other Vietnamese food at San Jose’s Phở Hà Nội begins with beef broth bubbling in a cauldron that is almost as tall as owners Huyen “Helen” and Harry Nguyen. Over 500 pounds of shank bones are gently simmered for 24 hours, and the results are elegant and rich with...
Downtown San Jose coffee shop workers start to unionize
Changes are brewing at a downtown San Jose coffee shop as workers form a union—with the owners’ blessing. Employees at Nirvana Soul, a Black-owned coffee shop that opened in the SoFA district during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced plans to unionize Thursday during the cafe’s weekly open mic event to more than 100 people. Workers told...
Silicon Valley sees slight uptick in unemployment
The Silicon Valley unemployment rate went up in June—but experts say it’s not a cause for concern. A report by Joint Venture Silicon Valley shows unemployment rates increased by 0.4% in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties between May and June. Unemployment is currently at 2.2%, or approximately 32,300 people—9,200 in San Mateo County and 23,100 in...
San Jose pours millions into housing relief, WiFi
San Jose’s mayor took to the national stage to tout how the city used federal funds to address rampant homelessness and the digital divide. San Jose Mayor Sam Liccardo gathered virtually with politicians nationwide on Monday to discuss how American Rescue Plan (ARP) funds have been used in their communities. They looked at how data-driven research helped determine funding for...
Employees protest mistreatment at major San Jose food plant
Former employees of Amy’s Kitchen, a national frozen food brand, came out to protest the abrupt closure of its San Jose factory — calling it union busting. Nearly 30 workers on Tuesday gathered in front of the shuttered factory on 1885 Las Plumas Ave., to highlight alleged mistreatment they endured. They said they have been...
The Biz Beat: Palermo brings Sicilian cooking to San Jose
One of the greatest culinary marriages came about when dried pasta, introduced by the Arabs to Sicily in the 12th century, met tomatoes grown from seeds brought to 16th century Spanish Palermo after Hernán Cortés gathered them from Montezuma’s gardens. Regardless of its international foundations, red sauces and pasta dishes have come to define popular Italian cuisine....
How many jobs does it take to pay rent in San Jose?
In the heart of Silicon Valley, an individual making minimum wage needs to work nearly four hourly jobs to pay the rent. A new report, conducted by the National Low Income Housing Coalition, finds housing costs in the nation are rising to unreachable levels for many—especially those working minimum wage jobs. Across the nation, full-time minimum wage workers...
Survey says San Jose #1 for millennials. Experts disagree.
A new survey claims San Jose is the top metropolitan area in the country for working millennials, but those in the know say that’s not the reality. Commercial Cafe’s study says San Jose’s metropolitan area, which includes Sunnyvale and Santa Clara, is the best region for millennials based on four of seven indicators. The four areas San...