Sunnyvale leaders want to stop new smoke shops from popping up in town, especially near schools and other youth-oriented areas. The Sunnyvale City Council on Tuesday unanimously approved a 45-day emergency moratorium to temporarily halt new smoke shop permits and introduced a separate policy banning nitrous oxide sales citywide. The proposed regulations come as city...
San Jose restaurant to relocate after city takes away parking
A long-standing Mexican restaurant is relocating after San Jose converted the motel next door into a homeless shelter. Los Garcia’s Restaurant will move into the former Fairway Zone Sports and Bar Lounge at 1150 Murphy Ave. in North San Jose following months of declining income, due in large part to customers not being able to find...
Is struggling hotel a bellwether for downtown San Jose?
With the Signia by Hilton San Jose seemingly set to be put on the market, questions are swirling about the future of San Jose’s largest hotel — and what it will mean for downtown. BrightSpire Capital, the owner of the 541-room hotel at 170 S. Market St., signaled to investors in a recent sales call...
High gas prices gouge Silicon Valley
Surging gas prices will cut $1.1 billion from household income in Santa Clara and San Mateo counties this year and eliminate 2,600 jobs, according to estimates from a San Jose economic think tank. A recent report from Joint Venture Silicon Valley shows total economic output in the two counties will drop by $706 million if...
San Jose eyes reviving outdoor dining program
When COVID-19 struck in 2020 and health officials banned most indoor business activities, Doug Cookerly was among dozens of San Jose business owners who took advantage of the city’s emergency Al Fresco outdoor dining program to add outside seating. “It was a savior,” Cookerly, who owns the bar Hop & Vine located on The Alameda,...
Barnes & Noble plans store in Cupertino
In tech driven Silicon Valley, Barnes & Noble is bringing back its brick-and-mortar brand to Cupertino. The store, located at 20740 Stevens Creek Blvd., is part of a nationwide expansion aimed at launching 60 stores in 2026. The 19,200-square-foot bookstore will feature a modern design layout, along with curated selections of books, toys and more....
Santa Clara businesses sue over shopping center displacement
A once-busy Santa Clara shopping center home to Asian-owned businesses is now nearly empty — and multiple tenants are taking their former landlord to court as the property moves toward redevelopment. Two businesses at the Homestead Shopping Center — Tous les Jours bakery and Fuheng Herbs — have filed separate lawsuits alleging they have been...
San Jose thrift shop funds historic preservation efforts
A new thrift shop is bringing estate furniture, vintage china, clothing and other unique finds to San Jose’s Creekside neighborhood — with all proceeds going toward preserving the city’s architectural heritage. Housed in a 5,000-square-foot warehouse, the Found SJ Rummage & Reuse Hub provides a second life for items while supporting the efforts of the Preservation...
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...
Larger Whole Foods to open in Los Gatos
A new Whole Foods Market is about to open in Los Gatos, with amenities that include a spacious hot-food bar, indoor seating and a mural of local birds. Construction crews are busy installing interior fixtures at the 40,039-square-foot supermarket on Los Gatos Boulevard at the intersection of Los Gatos Almaden Road. The market is expected...