Abram Chandler’s path from plumbing contractor to co-owner of Sixth Street Burger in San Jose was circuitous, but in some ways it was a short one: The restaurant sits just two blocks from his childhood home at Sixth and St. James streets. “I went to Horace Mann Elementary,” he told San José Spotlight. “I used...
The Biz Beat: Black & Brown brings vintage stylings to San Jose
A native of San Jose, Monisha Murray’s journey in the buy-and-sell world of vintage clothing began long before she opened her own storefront, Black & Brown. Over the last 21 years, the business has grown from a 2,000-square-foot startup to two side-by-side stores showcasing women’s and men’s classic clothing stretching back to the 1940s. “I...
The Biz Beat: San Jose Mexican bakery offers Oaxacan delights
Upon entering Dulcinea Panadería Oaxaqueña in San Jose, the intoxicating aroma alone should be enough to overwhelm your senses. But if it doesn’t, the dazzling display of more than 100 varieties of cookies, pastries, breads and cakes — almost all made fresh daily — certainly will. It might be surprising to discover all of this...
The Biz Beat: 2nd STREET brings ‘treasure hunt’ to San Jose
On Jan. 30, in-the-know connoisseurs of vintage fashion lined up in droves for the grand opening of 2nd STREET at the Strawberry Park Shopping Center in San Jose. The store, which specializes in a wide selection of used clothing, shoes and accessories, is the international brand’s 54th location in the U.S. “According to the higher-ups...
2025 in review: The top 5 Biz Beat stories
This year was an interesting one for Biz Beat, with a greater mix of unusual businesses, in addition to its usual focus on restaurants and food. It started at Santana Row’s Fitoor, with fantastic Indian dishes presented in ways that reflected the chef’s cruise ship experience, and ended with the revival of Charlie Rose Baseball,...
The Biz Beat: San Jose’s Charlie Rose Baseball hits a home run
Nearly 70 years ago, Charlie Rose started repairing baseball gloves in his spare time at home as a sideline to his television repair shop. The TVs are long gone, but Charlie Rose Baseball in San Jose lives on as the go-to specialty store for everything you need to play and love America’s great national pastime....
The Biz Beat: Stromboli is the star of San Jose pizzeria
If the averages hold, Anna Di Maggio will have made more than 21,000 strombolis since Tony Di Maggio’s Pizza in San Jose reopened on June 13, after a fire destroyed the roof and temporarily closed the business. At 80, Anna has been working at the family-owned restaurant since she and her husband, Tony, founded it...
The Biz Beat: San Jose’s The Thrift Box overflows with unique finds
Every Wednesday, at least 30 eager shoppers line up on Lincoln Avenue in Willow Glen outside The Thrift Box, buzzing with anticipation as they await opening time. Regulars know the drill: With the store closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, the staff uses that time to tidy up the inventory and restock the displays with the...
The Biz Beat: Los Gatos eatery blends authenticity with experimental
You’d have to be born without a sense of wonder to resist the pull of the glass enclosure housing the BurgerBot at the rear of the dining room at Breaking Dawn Brunch in Los Gatos. It’s built to slice onions, tomatoes and lettuce and dispense condiments and pickles to top burgers coming on a conveyor...
The Biz Beat: Sunnyvale Turkish restaurant embodies meyhane tradition
Turkish food is a vibrant blend of flavors, shaped by the country’s key position along the ancient Silk Road. It’s where Sephardic Jews and Muslims in the south, Greeks across the western sea and Slavs along the Black Sea’s southern edge converged to create a rich culinary tapestry. Sunnyvale’s Meyhouse Restaurant captures this melting-pot heritage...