UNION STREET VALENTINE WINE WALK RELOCATED
If you were counting on wooing your sweetie at the Union Street Has a Crush on You Valentine Wine Walk, you’ll just have to hike or bus straight up Union to the Polk Street Valentine Wine Walk to sip and shop all the way to Post Street (see our calendar, page 14 for details).
MORE ON UNION STREET
We didn’t warm up to the Lightning Tavern with the dark interior illuminated with lots of unique lighting making it kinda cool but also kinda creepy (preferring instead the former establishment, Unwind on Union). Apparently, we weren’t alone, and management problems ultimately resulted in the tavern closing last summer. Enter the Hollow Cow (1875 Union Street), late last year under new management with a new chef, and sporting five-stars on Yelp, with nods going to pizza, short-rib tacos, and more, including brunch, the remodel/decor, and friendly staff. Great news!
Yes, Virginia, it’s true. Just when you thought Union Street was saturated with workout wear establishments, Sweaty Betty London seeks to disabuse you of that notion by taking up residence in the former Nine West space (2086 Union Street), claiming that such competition is good for business. They should know with 7 U.S. locations and 44 in Europe.
Further to that, look for Toronto-born Titika Active Couture to fill the space of Covet Boutique (2042 Union Street) in the lower level of the Cudworth Mansion. According to their website, Titika will offer “activewear and yoga clothes for women,” with an emphasis toward the athleisure trend.
BERMUDA TRIANGLE UPDATE
The former Cabana Home space is now home to Vancouver, B.C.-born Noir Lash (3024 Fillmore Street), which specializes solely in semipermanent lashes free of icky stuff (latex and formaldehyde).
The adorable kid’s clothing store Bubble followed their Fillmore neighbors Motion Wireless to Union Street recently and are now located at 2163 Union Street. And good news: There’s a job card in the window of their former space, 3108 Fillmore Street.
Speaking of Motion Wireless, its former space is now occupied by Salma & Company (3048 Fillmore Street) real estate sales. Although the windows are papered, a note on the door says to “come on in, we are open!”
The popular salon Mercer Street (3012 Fillmore Street) surprisingly seems to have vanished in the night with a note on the door that two of their stylists can be found at ML Hair Studio (1771 Union Street), and according to their website, a third at Lexington Place (1980 Union Street). Kudos for staying in the neighborhood!
Pop-up Glamour & Wit (3151 Fillmore Street), offering home design and decor (and locally made cool custom throw pillows), has taken the place of the shared office space Work Happy, and expects to be around for six months or so.
Although Cellar Door was still in business when we first wrote of the vacancies, we had worried about it from the get-go with its limited hours and seeming lack of clientele. We’re happy to see Dominque Crenn is expanding her next-door restaurant Atelier Crenn into the space and will open Bar Crenn (3131 Fillmore Street) sometime this spring (see Tablehopper on page 10 for more on that).
Meanwhile, the empty Real Food (3060 Fillmore Street) building looms large, its presence sorely missed by many. There was a recent notice posted on the building that Bi-Rite would be occupying the space, but according to their Facebook page, they have denied that.
CHESTNUT STREET CHANGES … OR NOT
After 30 years, the folks at Animal Connection II (2419 Chestnut Street) are looking to start another chapter by seeing if someone or some business is interested in buying that location as well as their other on Washington Street. It seems the Internet age of online buying (as well as the neighboring larger Wolf and Lion pet supply store) have taken a toll on the small business, and it’s time to move on.
Hoodline tells us our favorite salad-sammie/sammich spot Blue Barn (2105 Chestnut Street) will soon take over the former (and larger) Barney’s Gourmet Hamburgers (3344 Steiner Street) space, where you will be able to sit, stay, and dine as opposed to grabbing and going on Chestnut.
Last year, we bemoaned the loss of The Chestnut Bakery (2359 Chestnut Street) and their heartfelt farewell letter lamenting how their landlord refused to negotiate beyond their lease expiration. Now, exactly one year later, said space remains vacant, so we hope that landlord is happy. While we’ll admit to being more word oriented rather than numbers oriented, isn’t it better to receive some amount of rent rather than none?
Happy Valentine’s Day!
