San Jose’s zealous efforts to move homeless people out of Columbus Park and into motels over the summer has inadvertently impacted one business owner who might have to close. Bernadette Garcia, owner of a longstanding Mexican restaurant, Los Garcias, said the city never informed her of its plans to convert the neighboring Alura Inn into...
San Jose sees a record number of new food businesses
Silicon Valley’s largest city is bouncing back from the slog of the pandemic, with a record number of food businesses opening in the last three years. San Jose has issued 933 business tax certificates to restaurants, street food vendors, cafes and bakeries since 2022, thanks in part to the city’s improved permitting process. District 3 —...
Vandalism in downtown Willow Glen on the rise
Willow Glen is known for its quaint charm and affluent San Jose neighborhoods, but a surge in crime is making local businesses uneasy. Downtown Willow Glen, a small strip of shops along Lincoln Avenue, has experienced about 30 reports of vandalism and theft since June, according to San Jose Police Department data. Some of those...
Starbucks closes San Jose stores as competitor moves in
As one coffee giant shutters multiple locations in San Jose, another company is moving in. Four Starbucks locations in San Jose have closed, following the company announcing it would shutter 1% of its stores across North America. Two other locations in Mountain View and one each in Cupertino, Santa Clara and Milpitas have also closed. The...
San Jose Chick-fil-A moves forward after planning mistake
A contentious Chick-fil-A project is moving forward after hitting a road bump. The San Jose City Council unanimously approved removing a condition Tuesday that would have required a recently approved Chick-fil-A to construct the development without demolishing existing commercial buildings at 1301 W. San Carlos Street. Property owner Zotta Family Trust and applicant 4G Development...
Los Gatos eyes high-end restaurant, furniture gallery combo
A high-class restaurant and furniture gallery concept could come to an empty corner of downtown Los Gatos. The Planning Commission unanimously voted Wednesday to recommend granting a conditional use permit to RH, a luxury home goods company with plans to open a restaurant and gallery at 31 University Ave. The Corte Madera-based company — known...
Beloved Campbell brewery shuts down
Michael Sandvig was one of the first employees hired at the Rock Bottom Restaurant & Brewery in The Pruneyard nearly three decades ago. As a bartender, he’s seen the Campbell staple change and grow into a beloved watering hole — some of his favorite memories include firefighters dropped into dunk tanks at fundraisers for the...
Hello Kitty Cafe fans line up for Santa Clara opening
The Bay Area’s first character cafe opened in Westfield Valley Fair to hundreds of excited fans. The Hello Kitty Cafe opened Friday as the mall continues to bring new stores and different businesses into its $1.1 billion expansion. The mall is planning to open 25 new stores and restaurants in 2025 and remains one of...
Cupertino Whole Foods closure opens door for nearby businesses
Rats shutting down a grocery store are never a good thing — unless regulars from that market end up boosting businesses in the surrounding area. The Santa Clara County Department of Environmental Health shut down the Cupertino Whole Foods at the end of April after finding rodent droppings in the receiving bay, deli, juice bar...
San Jose Latino businesses say ICE reports scaring customers
Immigrant-owned businesses in East San Jose have suffered huge losses in revenue and foot traffic since reports of federal ICE officers went viral earlier this year. Fear swept through the undocumented immigrant community in San Jose after the Target store on Story Road became the location of an isolated Immigration and Customs Enforcement operation in January. While...