Newest articles on The Sacramento Press tagged as "shop"

Lululemon takes over Newsbeat spot in MARRS Building

2012-04-26T01:04:07Z

The primarily yoga-focused Lululemon Athletica clothing company opened a showroom Friday in the MARRS Building at 20th and J streets, a space vacated by Newsbeat last year.

Showroom Manager Victoria Tanforan, 24, said that the showroom is designed to be a temporary space with a retail area to introduce Lululemon’s attire to the local market. If it garners enough interest, she said, a full retail store could be forthcoming.

“We’re a company that specializes in high-quality yoga and running wear,” Tanforan said. “We are all about becoming a part of the community we’re in, and we have free classes every week.”

The Lululemon showroom will work with 10 athletic ambassadors, which range from athletes to gym owners and yoga instructors. Two of them will be on-hand to give a free yoga class at 8 a.m. Saturday.

“It’s a great way for the community to get involved in fitness and learn what Lululemon is all about,” Tanforan said.

The MARRS Building was chosen because of its placement in the heart of the city’s vibrant Midtown district, said Tanforan, a Sacramentan who graduated from Sacramento State and chose the location.

She said the Vancouver, Canada-based company set up a showroom about four or five years ago in Sacramento, but the market didn’t warrant opening a store at the time.

Now, however, she said there is a following of Lululemon buyers in the region, and the company is giving Sacramento another look.

Designing the space was up to her, and she said her dad did much of the buildout, and friends helped with ideas, including artwork.

Shipping palettes divide the 2,300-square-foot space between showroom and inventory storage, and Tanforan said she wanted to keep the industrial feel with a few splashes of color to brighten the area.

Yoga mats are stored on steel-pipe shelves, and what construction wasn’t done by her father, Tanforan said was done by her and her three employees.

“They built out the space in a very clever way,” said building owner Michael Heller of Heller Pacific. “It’s great to see what was done with the space.”

Heller said there was a lot of interest in the location after Newsbeat moved out, and he is happy to have an international corporation as a tenant.

“We quickly made the decision with Lululemon,” Heller said. “We have a growing yoga community in Midtown, and it’s a fitting partner.”

Tanforan said that though the company has more than 100 locations in the United States, it still gave her autonomy in the Sacramento location, and one of the employees, 22-year-old Saba Rahimian, is using the business as her first art exhibit area.

“I majored in art at UC Davis, and (yoga is) an avenue for what I paint,” said Rahimian, who also teaches yoga classes at Zuda Yoga in Midtown. “I couldn’t think of a better place to showcase my art.

The showroom opens Friday, and Tanforan said local DJ Nate Spross will spin music meshed with Eastern-inspired beats.

Lululemon Athletica, located at 1050 20th St., is open from 10 a.m. - 6 p.m. Thursday through Saturday. Free weekly classes will be held at 8 a.m. every Saturday. For more information, visit the showroom’s Facebook page.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Local vegan shop reopens in new location

2011-11-18T01:49:26Z

Never Felt Better Vegan Shop, which reopened Nov. 4 in a new location at 19th and P streets, offers not only vegan food, but a range of products made in what the owners say are ethical methods by local vegans.

“Everything we offer is vegan-friendly,” said Jen Fosnight, co-owner of the store. “Nothing here was tested on animals, and there are no animal products in anything here.”

She said the shop is not just for vegans, but for anyone who wants a wide range of goods.

The boutique offers non-leather belts and wallets, vegan nacho cheese, vegan tamales, other assorted vegan and fair-trade food items, soaps, artwork produced by local vegans and even clothing made locally that promotes animal rights.

Monica Engebretson, 37, is a co-owner of the Puppy Bird clothing line – sold in the store – and worker for Born Free USA, an animal rights nonprofit organization.

“Jen asked me if I wanted to sell my clothing line in her shop, and I’m a vegan, so it seemed like a perfect fit,” Engebretson said.

She added that she and Fosnight met through Sacramento’s craft scene, as Fosnight makes jewelry.

“I like having her shop here because I can go in there and find products that maybe aren’t available or carried in other local stores,” Engebretson said. “There’s lots of local handmade items, so I know I’m not supporting sweatshops and exploitative models of consumerism.”

Engebretson said she gets clothing from secondhand stores and screen prints images of animals with quotations about preserving animal habitat and caring for animals. Oftentimes, she screen prints the images on patches and applies them to the clothes.

“We turn the clothes into a statement,” she said.

She added that seeing a vegan shop in Sacramento is “a sign that Sacramento is growing up and getting hip and getting with the times.”

Fosnight said she became a vegan about eight years ago, and her husband, Shawn Fosnight, has been a vegan for about 22 years.

Together, they decided to open the store about two years ago. Originally in an upstairs location at 24th and K streets, the move to the new location Nov. 4 provided more visibility and translated to increased foot traffic in the store.

“We are definitely not just for vegans,” Shawn Fosnight said. “Anyone can come in here, and a lot of people love the soaps, and even a lot of non-vegans buy the food because it is healthier and locally produced.”

Jeannie Trizzino, 48, is a vegan from Chico who stopped in the store Thursday morning.

“I love it here,” she said. “I can come here and buy whatever is in the store and not have to worry about looking at the labels.”

She added that places such as Trader Joe’s are selling more vegan food, and though it is well-marked, it is often mixed in with non-vegan food.

“Anyone can come in here and poke around,” Trizzino said. “They can see that being vegan isn’t hard, and it’s good for them and for animals.”

Jen Fosnight said that,as the store gains recognition, she wants Never Felt Better Vegan Shop to be a resource for vegans and non-vegans alike who would like to find out more about ethically produced items, local produce and animal rights.

One of the items Shawn Fosnight said many non-vegans come to the shop for is fair-trade chocolate, which like fair-trade coffee is produced in a manner friendly to workers and the environment.

The store is also used as a spot for people to meet up on a variety of topics, Jen Fosnight said. From 6 - 9 p.m. Dec. 10, the store will host a vegan cookie exchange, where people can bring in their favorite vegan cookies and exchange them with others.

From 6 - 9 p.m. Dec. 17, Jen Fosnight said the shop will hold a workshop on how to veganize beauty and makeup practices, including a list of products that don’t include animal products or test on animals, as well as where to get them locally.

Never Felt Better Vegan Shop is located at 1910 P St. and is open from 11 a.m. - 6 p.m. Tuesday through Friday, 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. Saturdays and noon - 4 p.m. Sundays. For more information on upcoming events, check the company’s website.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Shopping through time, vintage store roundup

2011-09-16T06:14:52Z

Looking for retro prints, vintage dresses, concert tees, tailored suits, fedoras, one-of-a-kind jewelry or even a hand-sewn dress from the 1900s? The search can be satisfied right in the heart of Midtown and downtown Sacramento.

Vintage shops and boutiques pepper the city, and shop owners are constantly on the lookout for interesting, in-style and hard-to-find secondhand or even generations-old pieces to reintroduce to the public.

The Sacramento Press searched the streets of Midtown and downtown to round up some of the vintage stores offering unique, vintage goods and fashions.

Crimson and Clover
1617 16th St.
442-1800

Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 7 p.m.
Friday noon - 8 p.m.
Sunday 1 - 6 p.m.

Crimson and Clover offers classic, vintage and handmade women’s clothing, jewelry and accessories primarily from the ‘50s, ‘60s, ‘70s and ‘80s. The store is a hodgepodge of delicate, hand-sewn Victorian gowns and “museum pieces” to party dresses and pieces from the 1970s, store co-owner Kara Perez said.

“It looks like grandma’s house,” Perez added. “There are a lot of little knickknacks – it’s really girly and cute.”

Perez and business partner Nicole Honeyeater hand-make accessories, charms, rings and other jewelry from recycled material such old buttons, studs and unmatched earrings. The clothing is all hand-selected by Perez and Honeyeater. The two owners frequent thrift stores, yard sales and estate sales to find pieces fitting with current trends in clothing.

“We definitely pay attention to craftsmanship and details,” Perez said. “We usually look for something special like pleating or buttons – things that are a little more one-of-a-kind.”

Average prices range from $9 to $40. A typical outfit of a couple pieces and accessories could be put together for about $35 to $45.

Fringe
2409 21st St.
706-0216

Hours:
Wednesday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 6 p.m.
Sunday noon - 4 p.m.
Second Sunday Love the Lot Flea Market 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.
or by appointment

Since 2008, Audrey Wells, proprietress of Fringe, has offered a large selection of gently used retro fashions, home and garden decor and antique furniture from as far back as the 18th century. Wells said her shop can be compared to the store Anthropology. The styles are bohemian, modern and industrial with a touch of Chanel, she said.

She carries jewelry made with polished metal and exposed gears and pieces with rusty, heavy and masculine looks right alongside soft and feminine pieces. Women’s and men’s clothing is available, including vintage dresses and gowns, jackets, coats, shoes and cowboy boots. Along with the vintage pieces that Wells finds from foraging estate sales and flea markets, clothing lines such as Love Heals, Tamara Berg and other local designers are carried.

“I think mixing really expensive stuff with really inexpensive stuff is genius,” Wells said. “I think nothing is more brilliant than wearing something that is maybe more expensive because of what it is and then offsetting that with just a $5 thrifted T-shirt.”

Prices range anywhere from $1 for lower-end pieces to $12,000 for highly collectible, rare, vintage antiques made by artists considered to be the “Louis Vuittons of furniture.” Clothing ranges from $5 to $500, with most pieces falling into the $30 to $150 range.

Thunderhorse Vintage
2522 J St.
444-7723

Hours:
Daily noon - 7 p.m.

Thunderhorse Vintage carries unique, handpicked, “rock-and-roll-style” clothing and memorabilia ranging from pins to concert T-shirts and concert jerseys from the ‘70s and ‘80s. Much of the items at the store are music-related, co-owner Marilyn Ayres said.

The store offers kitschy, funky stuff of every era, Ayres said. These include 1980s cartoon toys such as Transformers and He-Man from Masters of the Universe, a 1900s vintage opera coat, authentic German military jackets from the 1950s, motorcycle boots from France and fancy western rodeo ware from the 1950s.

The apparel selection includes sundresses, dresses from the 1930s, leather jackets and accessories such as hats, gloves, purses and sunglasses.

Ayres and her twin sister, Jennifer Ayres, have been collecting since they were 16 years old. The items carried at the store come from around the globe. The two sisters travel often and constantly look for unique items during their trips. They opened the store in January 2009.

“It was our dream since we were 14,” Marilyn Ayres said. “We wanted all of the most unique, hard-to-find collectibles – the rarest of the rare, the cream of crop, the most unique and one-of-a-kind items.”

The average price ranges from $10 to $40 for sundresses, $40 to $80 for 1930s dresses, $40 to $250 for leather jackets and $4 to $10 for many other items around the store.

Ed’s Threads
1125 21st St.
446-8183

Hours:
Tuesday through Wednesday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Friday through Saturday 10 a.m. - 5 p.m.
Sunday 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Walking into Ed’s Threads, jazz music and Frank Sinatra classics fill the air and immediately set the tone for what’s to find in the small Midtown shop.

Focused on “Mad Men” -style looks and tailored, high-quality men’s vintage, Ed’s Threads carries pieces primarily from the ‘40s, ‘50s and ‘60s as well as some from the ‘70s and a few contemporary pieces from higher-end lines such as Armani and Tommy Bahama.

The shop is lined with shelves of men’s shoes, hats, sweaters, cardigans, dress shirts, suits, ties, pants, belts, jewelry and lamps from the 1950s. The walls are decorated with vintage posters, paintings, art and various collectibles.

“It’s like a step back in time,” said Ed Castro, owner of Ed’s Threads.

Castro has been selling vintage clothing for 31 years, and clothing has always been a passion of his, he said.

Castro said he feels the quality of vintage clothing is better – fabrics are more interesting, and the tailoring was more streamlined to the body as opposed to the modern-day styles of over-sized and looser clothing, he explained.

Prices range from $25 for shirts to $125 for suits.

Bows & Arrows
1815 19th St.
822-5668

Hours:
Tuesday through Saturday 11 a.m. - 11 p.m.

Bows & Arrows offers a vintage, handmade and reconstructed selection of a bohemian “glamour-hippie” aesthetic – fit with natural elements such as wood, crystals, tie-dye, leather, turquoise, feathers and agate rock formations. Women’s and some men’s clothing is available.

Store owners Olivia Coelho and Trisha Rhomberg hand-select the items carried in the store. They often reconstruct old pieces to create modern looks, shapes and styles with vintage fabrics and material.

“Things have their own presence and their own energy,” Coelho said. “As long as things are made well, there’s no reason why they shouldn’t continue with their own lives on the planet.”

The store opened at its new location on 19th Street in June after three and a half years at its L Street location. Rhomberg said that the new store has a more finely edited, smaller selection of high-quality vintage pieces from the 1950s to early 1990s. A majority of the items come from the 1970s. Antique lamps, furniture and artwork are also available.

“It’s kind of an extension of our homes,” Rhomberg said. “If Olivia and I lived in a place this big, it would be our closets blown up and put out on display.”

Prices range from $9 to $70. The upper-range items consist of vintage Native American, hand-foraged metals such as silver, turquoise and semi-precious stone jewelry.

Cuffs
2523 J St., suite 101
443-2881

Hours:
Monday through Saturday 11 a.m - 7 p.m.
Sunday 11 a.m. - 6 p.m.

Cuffs carries both new and vintage dresses, tops, shoes, bags, purses, sunglasses, jewelry and accessories for men and women. Store owner Lacadia Olsen said she tries to carry unique items that fit in with current trends. She described the overall style as young, contemporary, modern and hip.

The vintage selection at Cuffs ranges from the ‘50s to the ‘90s, particularly focusing on the ‘60s and late ‘80s to early ‘90s – the era when Olsen was a young teenager discovering fashion, she said. Olsen said she likes to keep the vintage pieces current and wearable.

She currently stocks more printed pieces, such as animal prints and southwestern geometric prints. She gets a lot of her items from shopping and hunting for vintage finds. She orders from wholesalers in Los Angeles and Canada who collect vintage clothing. In addition to vintage pieces, Cuffs carries several lines of clothing: Unif, Ark & Co., Motel, and, in the fall, Jeffrey Campbell will be available.

“I think the important thing about vintage is that you need to mix it with current stuff,” Olsen said. “You can get a vintage dress and throw it together with a new blazer and a new bag.”

The average price range is $18 to $40, with many items under and over those prices as well. Olsen said she tries to keep prices under $100.

Which vintage stores are your favorites? Share your experiences and suggestions in the conversation below.

Stitch Swap

2011-06-14T03:50:42Z

Co-hosts Liz Franco and Ashlee Gadd are bringing popular clothing exchange Stitch Swap to The Citizen Hotel Saturday.

“Stitch Swap is an opportunity to meet new friends, rid your wardrobe of things you no longer wear, find new items for your closet, all while raising money and awareness for Women Escaping a Violent Environment," said Gadd, marketing and public relations manager for The Citizen Hotel.

Participants bring $10 as well as any accessories, clothing or shoes they want to swap from 3 - 5 p.m. Saturday at the Citizen Hotel 926 J St. There is no limit to how much people can bring or how much they can take, Gadd said.

Franco is a legislative assistant who started Stitch Swap in 2007 in the Sacramento area after helping a friend in Boulder, Colo., host a similar event. She updates a personal blog called SRSLYLIZ and said she is excited about, “all the cool sponsors that we have. Arden Fair, Paesanos and Go Girl Energy Drinks.”

This will be Gadd’s third year co-hosting Stitch Swap with Liz Franco, and she said she is excited about the venue.

All of the Stitch Swaps in the past have been held at the Urban Hive in Midtown, Gadd said. This time, they are hosting Stitch Swap at The Citizen Hotel atop the terrace on the seventh floor.

“I Think that our terrace in beautiful, and it’s going to be a major event. I am really excited about it,” Gadd said.

Besides the opportunity for people to mingle and exchange clothing, they will be contributing to the local organization, WEAVE.

“We chose WEAVE because the event at the moment is just female-driven,” Franco said. “We felt WEAVE would be a good choice because they represent women and children of need in the area.”

Beth Hassett, executive director of WEAVE, said she likes the idea of people in the community being involved in something both creative and benefiting to people in need.

“It sounds like a fun opportunity for women to get together and trade clothes,” said Hassett, “but ultimately to help the women that we serve at our safe house and through our counseling program.”

The previous Stitch Swap raised $375 and had 75 participants, Gadd said. They expect 75 to 100 Saturday.

WEAVE not only benefits from the event’s proceeds, but the excess clothing will be donated to their thrift stores, “which in turn raises more money for the organization,” Gadd said.

“We are raising money for an organization that helps women escape violent environments, and that is a really important cause,” Gadd said.

They request gently worn items and exclude any undergarments, workout attire and pajamas. The event is open to all ages but is geared toward women 18-and-older, Gadd said.

Go Girl Energy Drinks has been sponsoring the event since the beginning, Gadd said. Three additional sponsors have been brought on board for Saturday’s event.

The Citizen Hotel is contributing the venue for the event, Gadd said. Paesanos is providing light snacks. Go Girl Energy Drinks will distribute refreshments. Scarlett & Grace are supplying flowers for decoration, and Nicolas Ray will be taking photographs of the event, Gadd said. Arden Fair Mall is providing swag bags, filled with product samples and other goodies, for the first 50 women to show up, Franco said.

“It is our goal to do two Stitch Swaps every year,” Gadd said.

Planning for the upcoming fall Stitch Swap will begin after Saturday and is tentatively scheduled for October.

“Hopefully everyone will have a great time and feel good about supporting a good cause,’’ Gadd said about Saturday’s event, “and hopefully they leave with some fabulous additions to their wardrobes.”

Vintage home décor and furnishings collective opening

2011-05-24T01:20:43Z

Vintage furnishings and accessories are the “new” wares for sale at a Midtown business opening next week, but despite their antique nature, co-owner Stefan Bloom said it won’t look like grandma’s attic.

The Scout Living collective will open June 1 at 1215 18th St. in what Bloom called the hub of Midtown.

Visitors who remember the Beyond Gotham jewelry store – which closed last September – might not recognize the building, which has been rearranged and now holds 11 separate areas ranging from 100 to 200 square feet full of vintage furniture and home décor.

“It’s not an antique store – it’s more of a store for home furnishings that are antiques,” said co-owner Erin Boyle, Bloom’s wife.

The name “Scout Living” harkens back to the ’50s, Bloom said, evoking nostalgic ideas of Boy Scout as well as representing the fact that they “scout” for their items. They added “living” to make it more of a lifestyle brand.

The 31-year-old Boyle and 34-year-old Bloom have been selling antique furniture since 2006 in San Francisco at a similar venue on Union Street, called Pat Perfect, which they still own. They moved to Sacramento three years ago and found the building on 18th Street between L Street and Capitol in early April and knew it would be the perfect space.

“I think it was an auto shop in the ’30s,” Bloom said, adding that the 2,700-square-foot space has held numerous businesses since. “We really like the old building and the area. It’s perfect.”

Bloom and Boyle rent out 10 of the 11 vendor stalls to other Sacramentans, keeping the final one for themselves. They said they chose the vendors they most wanted to work with and were happy when they agreed to rent spaces.

All sales go through the central cash register, where Bloom and Boyle work and take care of the books and sales tax and other business aspects. Once a month, the vendors are paid for items they sell, less a 10 percent commission.

Terry Sjotvedt, 38, was setting up her area Monday afternoon.

In addition to wall décor, she has items like a mid-century wood tabletop on a set of industrial-style legs.

“I’m looking forward to meeting a lot of new customers,” she said, adding that the area sees a lot of foot traffic that she hopes will bring in business.

“There’s nowhere else like Scout Living in Sacramento,” she added.

Each of the vendors inside has his or her own business, and Sjotvedt’s is called The Vintage Bricoleur.

“I sell a mix of primitive industrial shabby (items),” she said. “We pull it all together and make it work.”

Boyle said that is the essence of the Scout Living business as a whole – pulling in 11 different vendors to give customers a space where they can choose from a multitude of styles and designs.

“We learned from the recession that we don’t want a throwaway culture,” she said. “This is an alternative to Pottery Barn, Restoration Hardware or Ikea. These items have been around 50, 100, 200 years, and they’ll be around that much longer.”

In addition to the main vendors, shelving spaces are also available for rent in 3-foot sections of five shelves for people who want to sell items like pillows made with vintage fabric or other items that fit the store’s image.

“There won’t be any Coke bottles, Beanie Babies or VHS tapes,” Bloom said. Also, all the goods must be clean and complete.

“Nothing here is a project,” he said. “It’s all ready to go into your home.”

Shelves are still available for rent, and the 3-foot-wide sections are available for $100 per month.

The shelves themselves, like the light fixtures, were designed and built by Bloom and Boyle, who said they prefer to do things themselves.

Bloom’s background is in graphic design, and he left graduate school in psychology at Sacramento State to pursue the Scout Living business.

Boyle grew up around antiques, and she said dealing in mid-century Danish furnishings has been her interest since she was 15.

“It’s a clean, streamlined look that mixes well with just about anything,” she said. “The new look is the idea of mixing furniture and accessories of every point and time period.”

Another business, Blockhouse Modern, has never had a physical storefront before renting space at the front of Scout Living.

“We’re excited to be here in this location and working with this caliber of people,” said co-owner Alan La Guardia, 30.

Co-owner Serene Lusano, 26, said that until they found Scout Living, their business had been relegated to buying items on Craigslist, refurbishing them and selling them.

“There’s absolutely no way we could be doing this without (Bloom and Boyle),” she said. “This is our first time selling antiques full-time. We both found ourselves without full-time jobs, and now we’re here.”

Boyle said nearby businesses have been very helpful in getting Scout Living off the ground, and Zócalo offered to donate appetizers for the grand opening ceremony during the June Second Saturday Art Walk, June 11.

Zócalo Manager Gabriel Rodriguez said he is happy to see another business in the area.

“We want people to know this is a place they can come and find good food and good shopping,” he said. “Lots of districts in San Francisco have their own identities, and we want to build on this one.”

Rodriguez added that foot traffic from Scout Living will be beneficial to Zócalo and vice-versa, and said Zócalo often donates food to community events.

For more information on Scout Living, visit the business’ website.

Brandon Darnell is a staff reporter for The Sacramento Press. Follow him on Twitter @Brandon_Darnell.

Freestyle recycles fashion

2010-08-13T00:37:23Z

A recycled clothing maven has come full circle, opening a new Midtown store just steps away from her first job in the business.

After growing up in the central city, Elizabeth Kelley opened her second Freestyle Clothing Exchange Saturday at the corner of 21st and L streets — about half a block from where she got her first job as an ironer at Cheap Thrills costume shop.

Kelley opened Freestyle at 2101 L St. as a sister store to her first resale shop, which opened in Citrus Heights in 2007. The return to Midtown feels like a return to her roots, she said.

"I really have a lot of love for that area," she said. "It's like my home."

She was just 19 when she started working at Cheap Thrills. She was promoted to steamer before her uncle, Fred "Uncle Freddy" Smith, bought the store. Kelley actually lived on the second floor, behind front rooms used for the costume shop. She worked at Cheap Thrills for nearly a decade.

Freestyle opened in a corner spot filled for two decades by the owners of Postcards Etc. The roughly 2,000-square-foot store buys, sells and trades women's and men's clothing. The store carries mainly contemporary, trendy clothing and well-known labels that might be found in mall stores, with very little vintage, said Manager Meg Campoy.

"Whatever's in style and in good condition. Things people can wear every day," she said. "A lot of resale shops are costumey. We're into everyday wear."

On Thursday, customers brought in bags of clothing to sell or exchange. The store will pay cash on the spot (35 percent of the expected retail price) or allow customers to swap their old clothes for store merchandise (50 percent of the retail price).

Freestyle sells mostly women's tops, as well as jeans, shoes, other clothes and accessories. The store is open daily from 11 a.m. - 7 p.m. The store closes at 6 p.m. Sundays.

Kelley and Campoy saw the vacancy and recognized the location was a good opportunity. The space needed a little work. A Sheetrock wall was knocked out to reveal an original brick wall. Layers of linoleum were scraped up, and black stain was added to the old red concrete floor. Columns and a ceiling beam were painted red or black.

Recycled clothing stores are growing in popularity as people try to save money during the recession and as many become more aware of the world's limited resources, Kelley said.

"It wasn't always as cool as it is now," she said. "We just have to be more conscientious of what we have. Reusing things is so wonderful. It just makes sense."

Hina's Tea to close

2010-03-31T04:40:27Z

It's a sad day for Sacramento tea lovers. Hina's Tea is closing shop, losing its employees, online retail store and loyal fan base.

The store received a minute order from the Sacramento Superior Court March 25, saying they were no longer legal tenants of the property and that they should return possession to the owner.

"Defendant (Gary Orr) is entitled to possession of the premises while the parties litigate the issue of damages," said the document. "Orr is entitled to the right to possession of the premises as (the tenants) have failed to pay rent or quit in response to a valid three-day notice to pay or quit."

Hina's Tea informed their customers of store's closure through its website and email.

"After successfully fighting our landlord Gary Orr's effort to evict us for over eight months, we are being ordered out of the premises while our ongoing lawsuit continues," according to a written statement posted Monday to Hina's website. "In light of this news, we believe we have a limited amount of time to sell off all inventory before we are forced out of business."

Though the exact closing date is unknown, it could be as early as two weeks, according to the statement.

Owner Hina Soni, who opened the store five years ago in Folsom, declined to comment on the dispute based on her lawyer's advice. Orr did not respond to a phone call or e-mail by the time of publication.

The store, which was Soni's first venture into tea (she was previously in the computer business), moved to Sacramento three years ago. Soni, who moved to Sacramento in 1989, grew up drinking tea in London, but her travels to Europe and Asia inspired her to open a business with a larger variety of teas.

A few years ago, Soni decided to open up an online retail store to complement the business, because after visiting the shop, people from around the country would want to have tea shipped to them. She said she didn't want to continue online retail because it's not marketable without a physical place to "see, touch, smell and taste the tea."

Soni's store was full Tuesday afternoon, emotions running high, dozens of patrons hugging, drinking and stocking up on tea, which is marked down by 30 percent as the store prepares to close. A group of more than 15 college-age students, which has spent every other afternoon in the tea shop for nearly two years, seemed to be the most disappointed about the news.

"When we discovered tea, we started coming here on a regular basis," said Adam Beckner, a 21-year-old Elk Grove resident. "Getting educated about tea opened a new world for us. We sit in here for hours and talk about different types of tea."

He said his group of friends is composed mostly of people from the South Sacramento and Elk Grove areas, and they have known each other since they were in high school. Several of the group members said they come an estimated three times a week, and have been in the store hundreds of times.

"Customers became our friends," said Soni. "We're like a huge extended family."

Chris Eshenaur, 23, a Natomas resident and Sacramento City College student, is another a loyal customer who said he came to the shop more than three times per week for the last three years. He befriended Beckner's group of friends at the tea shop and was one of several people who cried Tuesday morning after hearing of the impending closure.

"I ended up crying in (Soni's) arms," he said. "She's like a mother to me. She's concerned about my essays and what I do. She's very motherly to me and other people."

Eshenaur, who has helped Soni run several tea classes, said he would study at the shop or go there when stressed out. He called the environment "peaceful" and "zen-like."

"These are the most consistent group of customers," said Stephen Freeman, who has worked at the shop for three years, almost as long as it has been open. "A lot of people are upset about us having to leave."

So upset, in fact, that as a tribute to Hina's, the young group of friends wants to open a new tea shop.

"We are going to open a tea shop by the end of the year," Beckner said. Freeman noted that the students already know how to brew the teas themselves.

"It's the ultimate compliment (and) I have no problem helping them whatsoever," said Soni.

Nevertheless, Soni still feels like she's losing a family, not to mention one of the two tea shops in the grid she knows of (Tea Cozy is the other).

"It's like a loss, a bereavement, and there's going to be a long period of mourning, but I still have a glimmer of hope that someone will swoop down and save us."

Those who want to stock up on bulk orders of tea should do so by Tuesday because Soni is placing the last order to suppliers, according to the Hina's website. Hina's is located at 2319 K St.

Editor's Note: The Sacramento Press editorial department added the second and third paragraphs to this story post-publication in order to clarify the legal status of Hina's Tea, as recorded in court documents.

Master Barber & Beauty Shop celebrates 35 years in new location

2010-03-04T08:57:25Z

Master Barber Shop was established in 1958 and was acquired by Earlie D. and Mary Brown in December of 1974. During that time, the shop was located on Stockton Blvd. and 7th Ave. Since those early days, Master Barber & Beauty Shop, has had several locations. Each location being better than the last. In 1989, sons Rodney and Marichal, joined the family business.

The late owner and master barber, Earlie D. Brown, established business in the hair industry in the mid 1940's with Brown's Barber Shop (two locations, San Francisco and Marin City). What started out as nothing more than a dream and a dime and a nail in his pocket has turned into a family business. He died in February 1998. Mary Brown and sons, Rodney and Marichal, now handles daily operations.

In 2007, The Brown Family, added community activities at the salon. Art on Stockton Blvd. became one of Sacramento's largest celebration of African American Art, Poetry, Literature and History. The shop has featured such fine artists as Milton Bowens, Malik Seneferu and Shonna McDaniels, poets; Terry Moore, NSAA, Steven 'HurriKane' Clark and Heather Christian and authors; Grace Carter (Rivercity Griot), Joslyn Gains Vanderpool and Anita Royston (Our Black Fathers).

Celebrating 35 years in business, The Brown Family has decided to re-locate to a more comfortable and fitting site, continue striving for excellence in the Hair and Beauty industry and to accompany such events as Art on Stockton Blvd., Jazz @ the Shop, Master Renaissance Poetry, Comedy, Plays and more.

Starting Tuesday, March 9, 2010, Master Barber & Beauty Shop doors will open at 4340 Stockton Blvd., Suite 2 (the former Brown's Paradise building), on the corner of Stockton Blvd. and Parker. The phone number will remain the same, 916.457.8708. Until then, you can find us at 3504 Stockton Blvd. (between 10th and 11th Ave, next to the Colonial Theater). We will keep you updated on upcoming events.

There will not be an event on this date, but everyone is welcomed to stop by and say, Hi, view the new facility and/or have your hair styled or cut.

The Brown Family would like to thank all who have patronized and supported Master Barber & Beauty Shop throughout the years.

Disclosure Note: Marichal Brown is part-owner of Master Barber Beauty Shop.

Family business passes 100-year mark

2010-01-06T04:29:39Z

Family legend has it that Russian Czar Nicholas II was hot on the heels of the Anapolskies when the clan's grandmother shepherded the children out of the country.

The situation was much the same for other Jewish families in 1904 Russia. On Tuesday, descendants of the immigrants, who settled in Sacramento, celebrated the longevity of a downtown business that has remained in the family for more than 100 years.

Three generations of brothers, as well as a wife-husband team, have run the business for the last century. The business has changed over the years to become Sacramento's oldest family-operated pawn shop, California Loan & Jewelry Co. The current owners, brothers Larry and Warren Anapolsky, raffled away $30,000 in diamonds and gold Tuesday afternoon as the culmination of a year-long celebration.

"I'm very proud that my grandfather could start a business that today we are still running," said Warren Anapolsky, standing in the shop at 916 J St. "It's a very important tradition for me that we are able to carry this on."

In 1904, Leah Anapolsky led seven grandchildren to New York. Mystery surrounds the fate of the parents, who never left Europe. A small yet solid woman, Anapolsky told her oldest grandson, David, to go as far west as he could, find a place for the family and send for them, Larry Anapolsky said.

Then in his 20s, David Anapolsky considered San Francisco, then headed to Sacramento. Most of the family were tailors. Anapolsky opened a tailoring business in 1906 and slowly sent money to bring the others west.

"He found this was the best place to start up a clothing business," said Larry Anapolsky, 59. "It was a new frontier."

Three years later, twins William and Joseph Anapolsky opened a used merchandise store, New York Second Hand Store, at 1014 Third St., near what is now known as Old Sacramento.

"It wasn't Old Sacramento then," laughed Larry Anapolsky. "That was Sacramento."

An old photo of the first store shows their grandfather William in the doorway and a storefront sign advertising "Hats, Clothing, Shoes & Gents Furnishings, BOUGHT and SOLD." Another sign proclaims, "Revolvers a Specialty."

"In those days, the true, old second-hand stores dealt with everything from Timex watches and razors to pocket watches and suitcases. Virtually anything that had value," Larry Anapolsky said. "It would almost be a store that was the equivalent to a flea market."

In 1922, the twins' brother Julius opened a men's outfitter or "haberdashery" called Julius Clothing, also still in the family. Others later opened Capitol Clothing, which is not still run by the family, said Warren Anapolsky, 60.

In the mid-1940s, the second-hand store also began operating as a pawn shop, loaning money to people with goods for collateral, unless the loan and interest were paid back within a deadline. From 1942 to 1964, the family sold many goods to Mexican immigrants coming to work in the region under the Bracero Program.

William and Joseph both died in 1947. William's sons, Sol and Milton, took over the store and renamed it California Loan and Jewelry Co. The boys' father and their Uncle Milton continued to sell "everything under sun" and offer more pawned-goods loans. Sol's wife, Bernice (mother to Larry and Warren), joined day-to-day operations after Milton died in 1952.

The only robbery the brothers could recall almost ended their father's life. In 1961, Sol Anapolsky was shot twice in the doorway as he tried to flee during the crime. Witnesses followed the gunman and tipped police off to his location, and Anapolsky survived.

The store moved three times to various locations on K and J streets, before settling across from Cesar Chavez Plaza, where it still sits. The store shares the block with another pawn shop, taco and teriyaki spots, a Christian Science Reading Room on one end and the redeveloped Citizen Hotel on the other.

Today, more than 90 percent of the merchandise is jewelry — new, consigned, pawned or reset. Their father sent both boys to the Gemological Institute of America as they got involved in the store about 40 years ago. Electronics such as stereos, clocks and transistor radios were slowly phased out, as were other goods that became obsolete, including typewriters and cameras.

"We look at things that have value, and if we think we can sell it later on, we'll take it," Warren Anapolsky said. "Every pawn shop finds its own niche. We've been lucky to find our niche with jewelry."

The front of the shop is filled with jewelry for sale in glass cases. Guitars, which have always been a strong seller, line one wall. A back storage area holds items in pawn. A dark and drafty basement holds a Corvette, a Porsche and a black 1906 Studebaker physician's buggy acquired two years ago.

Over the years, the shop has taken in and sometimes sold exotic and pricey items. Those include books, such as a rare copy of "Songs of Innocence," hand-written and illustrated by William Blake and later sold for $500,000 at Sotheby's; a Renoir painting; and a 1973 Miami Dolphins Superbowl ring, Warren Anapolsky said.

Their father worked in the shop until his death in 1979, and their mother until well into her 80s. She stopped working only days before her death in 1999.

The shop is poised to be taken on by a new generation when the time comes. Larry's and Warren's children — three girls — haven't shown an interest. But a young cousin, 24-year-old Adam Anapolsky, has been working in the store in his free time since he was 13. A recent graduate of UC Santa Barbara, he is now working there full time. He said he would feel "a lot of pride" to be able to continue the family business now being taught to him.

Warren and Larry said their family has passed down a tradition of integrity in business.

"We treat customers the way we want to be treated — with honesty and fairness," Warren Anapolsky said. "For a business to last 100 years, you have to have a lot of those elements."

Unique elementary school in South Sacramento to celebrate the winter season

2009-12-01T11:55:48Z

One of the best kept secrets of the South Sacramento area is a small, private school tucked away in the Lanai Shopping Center on Freeport Boulevard, neighboring the Sacramento Executive Airport, where it has existed in rented space for 21 years.

Over the years, most of the shopping center tenants have moved away. Meanwhile, countless hours of parent, teacher and student work have gone into transforming a run-down property into a school with colorful classrooms and playgrounds.

It has an understated entrance, but Camellia Waldorf School is an oasis for children.

The kindergarten yard is home to Mr. Mountain, a big pile of dirt, and Ms. Sandy, a big pile of sand. There are climbing structures in trees, hay bales, a water pump, chickens and a garden of oak and fruit trees, flowers and vegetables.

Young children run, jump, play and are close to the elements. Walking down the central corridor, a visitor may hear music, singing or poetry being recited. Watercolor paintings line office windows.

The community at Camellia Waldorf School is a diverse group, including families from Sacramento, West Sacramento, Elk Grove, Carmichael and Rancho Cordova. Parents are engineers, pastors, attorneys, health practitioners and public school teachers.

Many parents work for the government (federal, state and local), and in a variety of occupations. Families are from a wide range of social, economic, cultural and spiritual backgrounds.

With regard to racial/ethnic diversity, 8 percent of students are African American, 8 percent are Asian American, 17 percent are Hispanic American, 10 percent are from other racial/minority groups and 57 percent are Caucasian.

Families are Christian, Jewish, Buddhist, Hindu and Muslim. Camellia is one of the most diverse Waldorf schools in Northern California. Diversity is important, but what bring families together are deeply shared values regarding how children should be raised and educated.

The school and its values, in many ways, resist the tide of mainstream society. Public schools emphasize academics at younger ages; preschool children are being taught phonics. Camellia remains steadfast to its protection of childhood – encouraging preschool children to play outside, rain or shine.

Rooted in the tenet that a child learns through movement in his or her first seven years, the early child curriculum encourages movement through creative free play and in structured activities. Woodworking and finger knitting, learned in kindergarten, develop fine motor skills for writing in later years.

Storytelling and song stimulate creativity and nonlinear thought, vital to the development of critical thinking skills and problem-solving. Gardening teaches children about the life cycle and our environment, while keeping in tune with the seasons and harvesting healthy foods to be eaten at snack time.

In this digital age, media and technology are central to our lives. Camellia encourages keeping both from young children until they are developmentally able to handle the intense sensory input.

The interdisciplinary curriculum for the grades balances the sciences, humanities, and the arts. Subjects include math, science and history, as well as music, art and woodworking.

According to a standardized test used at Camellia, 8th graders' average scores over the past 3 years were higher than the expected Grade Equivalent for all 9 academic subjects tested. Scores for 8 of 9 such subjects were at 10th grade level and higher.

Some Camellia graduates continue their education at the Sacramento Waldorf School in Fair Oaks, while others transition to public schools or private schools such as Christian Brothers and St. Francis High School.

According to a study of Waldorf graduates in North America, 94 percent attend college and nearly 80 percent intend to attend graduate school.

The same study reported that 47 percent of undergraduates majored in arts and humanities, 43 percent in math and science, and the remaining 10 percent in a variety of other fields.

Camellia Waldorf School’s annual tuition is $8,675. Considered low for a Waldorf school, it is expensive for the average family.

What most people do not know is that, perhaps unlike other local private schools, Camellia provides more than $170,000 in tuition assistance to an unprecedented 42 percent of its student population.

Contrary to public perception, 10 percent of Camellia students would qualify for free or reduced lunch in a public school. This Waldorf School is committed to providing its integrated curriculum to a socio-economically diverse population. Parents of all backgrounds make sacrifices to send their children to this school.

The school's mission is to educate by “honoring childhood, appreciating the individuality of each student and nurturing a sense of moral and ethical responsibility while building capacities for learning and encouraging clear and creative thinking.”

Camellia Waldorf School is more than a school. It is an educational community of committed staff, faculty and parents that strives to achieve and live a shared mission.

On Dec. 12, the school will host its 21st Annual Winter Faire, open to the public. This event offers a variety of activities for children such as puppet shows, storytelling, craft activities, and a store just for children to select gifts for family and friends.

Over 40 local artisans and craft vendors will be selling handcrafted items and unique gifts for holiday shopping.

This year the Faire will offer free demonstrations on beekeeping, hand-blown glass ornaments, and blacksmithing.

Festive and culturally diverse music and dance performances will also be free and include Kalpulli Xihuacoatl - Danza Azteka, the Southern Brothers Drum Group, Val Shadowhawk, the Nada Brahma Music Ensemble, Agua de Beber Capoeira, The Benny’s and the Ntshiab Li Nag Hmong dancers.

A “Gingerbread Creations” exhibit will feature the "work" of local architects and housing developers. The public, too, will be invited to build gingerbread structures.

The “Golden Ladle Soup Competition” will serve gourmet soups from local restaurants including Ella Dining Room and Bar and Magpie Café to be judged by local celebrities, such as Mai Pham from Lemongrass Restaurant, Sonney Chong from CAPITAL, Paulette Bruce of The Dining Divas, and Councilmembers Rob Fong and Kevin McCarty.

This event is open to the public and free. Some activities require nominal fees. Celebrate the winter season at this exciting event! CWS, 5701 Freeport Blvd., Sacramento, (916) 427-5022. See www.camelliawaldorf.org for more information.

This article was submitted by Marisa Cheung, Camellia Waldorf School Parent, and Meredith Johanson, Camellia Waldorf School Administrator.