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...
‘Willow Glen has lost part of its soul’ with deli owner’s death
Chris Bertucelli’s warm welcome and gracious smile made every customer feel like a friend. His sudden death last week at 47 shocked the tight-knit Willow Glen neighborhood. Bertucelli, co-owner of Bertucelli’s La Villa, a gourmet Italian delicatessen famed for its ravioli and lasagna, was known for lending a hand and never saying no. Jill Maggi,...
Mountain View streamlines zoning rules to attract small businesses
Looking to fill vacant storefronts, Mountain View is implementing a number of zoning changes to make it easier for small businesses to gain a foothold in the city. In a unanimous vote, the City Council backed a recommendation from city staff last week to update Mountain View’s zoning regulations to reduce barriers for small businesses, particularly around permitting and parking...
San Jose restaurant workers became collateral damage
Jtown Pizza owner Jordan Trigg touched off a firestorm against San Jose’s historic building protections — and a push for reform — after calling out preservationist red tape leading to the closure of his restaurant last year. His former employees say that’s not the whole story. In statements to the media, Trigg said he was...
Mountain View launches pop-up program due to downtown vacancies
On a recent Saturday afternoon in downtown Mountain View, groups of people filled the outdoor seating at restaurants along Castro Street, dogs and their owners strolled the sidewalks and minutes after the Don’t Eat Me storefront opened its doors, people shuffled inside. The pop-up shop recently opened in a previously vacant space on Castro Street,...
Beloved Silicon Valley costume store takes final bow
The clustered racks of Natasha’s Attic were bustling with Victorian noblemen and Renaissance fairies looking for their evening gowns for the last time. The building where the retail-rental costume store in San Jose is located has been sold, and owner Kathy Bell has until the end of February to liquidate everything. While the eviction came...
New brewery coming to The Pruneyard in Campbell
A new watering hole is moving into The Pruneyard six months after Rock Bottom Brewery closed. Laughing Monk Brewing will open its fifth location in Campbell, where Rock Bottom Brewery was housed for 30 years. Unlike its national chain predecessor, Laughing Monk is a local brewery with four locations in the Bay Area — Sunnyvale,...
Mountain View’s Nob Hill Foods slated to close in May
After decades serving the Mountain View community, Nob Hill Foods in the Grant Park Plaza shopping center is slated to close in late May. The upscale grocery store is owned by The Raley’s Companies, which acquired the Nob Hill Foods chain in 1998. “The Raley’s Companies leadership team has made the difficult decision to close...
West San Jose to get Costco after judge tosses lawsuit
A Santa Clara County Superior Court judge has tossed a lawsuit seeking to block plans to bring a new Costco to a West San Jose shopping center. The decision clears the way for the hotly contested development project to move forward. The suit, backed by a resident group known as West Valley Citizens for Responsible...