Influences from the Andalusia region of Spain such as Moorish arches and water features will be the architectural highlights of a Mediterranean/American restaurant coming to 925 K St. The restaurant does not yet have a name and won’t be open until at least June, but Gene Hopkins, the superintendent in charge of the buildout, said it will be a combination buffet and full-service restaurant that will feature Mediterranean cuisine as well as some American dishes. Formerly Farley’s Soup and Salad, the building has been vacant for about six years, and work began on the new business at the end of last year, Hopkins said. Customers entering the 4,200-square-foot ground floor will be greeted by

Sharif Jewelers is the next locally owned business to take a chance on K Street, with a new store expected to open in the former Breuner’s Department Store at 1001 K St. in June or July. Like the company’s Howe Avenue and Folsom locations, the downtown location will be a full-service jewelry store, with new and pre-owned jewelry, watches, repair and service, said co-owner Mahmud Sharif. “We have been looking into going downtown for the last three or four years,” Sharif said Monday. “We had the chance to invest in that corner, which we believe is the best corner in downtown.” He added that he believes people who work downtown and near the Capitol will provide a strong customer base to th

San Francisco Giants President and CEO Larry Baer compared Sacramento’s efforts to build a new arena to the campaign to build Pac Bell Park in San Francisco, telling a collection of businesspeople and government officials that there is “tremendous opportunity” for Sacramento going forward. Baer’s remarks were part of the 2012 State of Downtown address at Memorial Auditorium Tuesday morning, in which Mayor Kevin Johnson, State Senate President Pro-Tem Darrell Steinberg and other officials stressed the “why” of building a downtown entertainment and sports complex. Baer said efforts to build the downtown ballpark in San Francisco were under way as early as the 1960s, with four attempts at u

Music promoters in Sacramento gathered Sunday evening to discuss the need to create more local venues and how this would help the local music culture thrive. Time Tested Books hosted the Living Library discussion, called, “The State of Live Music in Sacramento.” Many panelists said that creating more venues in Sacramento is vital and find the city’s regulations to be a huge obstacle. No chairs were empty, and a crowd stood for the whole two hours of the event. When the moderator, local writer/music fan Dennis Yudt, asked if anyone present was a musician, more than half of the attendants raised their hands. Yudt spent the first hour and a half prompting the five panelists with questions –

The past year saw quite a bit of businesses come, go and expand in the central city area, and The Sacramento Press covered many of those happenings. Below are some of the major expansions and changes as well as some of the most-viewed stories on businesses closing. A favorite Sacramento lunch spot changed hands this year as Chef Daniel Pont handed over ownership of La Bonne Soupe Café in late April. The 72-year-old chef said he still enjoys cooking, but running the one-man shop by himself was too much. He has since opened another restaurant, this time in Folsom, where he has a staff to help run it. New owners Ed Stoddard and Leah Brown reopened the restaurant in the same location in May.

K Street was a fixture in local news this year, with the most noteworthy event being its reopening to vehicular traffic for the first time since the 1960s – a major part of the city’s plan to revitalize the area. Other revitalization efforts included redevelopment and the moving of the Greyhound station. The section of K Street between Seventh and 12th streets known as the K Street Mall has long been blighted, and city officials argued that much of that blight was the result of the failed pedestrian mall concept for the area. That led to a long process of returning it to vehicular traffic, which was well under way by the middle of the year. By mid-September, there were noticeable change

It’s that special time of year on Capitol Mall and Old Sacramento, Christmas lights are up inviting people to walk a few blocks and the Capitol Christmas Trees decked out in all its splendor. Over the last several years, it appears as if more lights have gone up to enrich the overall experience as an inviting destination to visit and enjoy. The Wells Fargo Center has done a fantastic job with a beautiful tree in the lobby and twinkling lights inside and out. Merry Christmas!  

Indian cuisine arrived at the corner of 16th and K streets last week when Monsoon Indian Bar & Grill opened Dec. 8, and the response has been positive, co-owner Paul Singh said. “I go to Yelp, and we’re getting reallygood reviews,” Singh said. “I think it’s a good barometer, and it also gives you feedback. People take the time to go and write, and I take them seriously, even though it’s only about 10 or so so far.” Some of the most popular dishes so far, Singh said, are thechicken tikka masala, lamb Vindaloo and the samosa pakora appetizers – vegetarian-friendly pastry wraps of peas and rice. “People are coming back for additional visits, and that gives me confidence,” Singh said. Many

City Council election drama, a potential swap of high school campuses, new businesses and two Sacramento Press contests were all topics I discussed with Jeffrey Callison Tuesday morning on Capital Public Radio’s “Insight” program. Elections are quite a ways away, but the District 2 City Council race is already heating up as some accuse candidate Kim Mack of using an email list from her time working on the Obama campaign to push for a Strong Mayor initiative for Mayor Kevin Johnson. Mack denies sharing the email list with the Strong Mayor backers. Read more by clicking here. Another contentious issue in the city right now has to do with education – more specifically education facilities.

It’s been almost one month since cars returned to K Street between Eighth and 12th streets, and The Sacramento Press asked business owners and managers on the former pedestrian mall if they have observed any differences as a result. To read about the reopening of the K Street Mall to vehicular traffic, click here. Larry Bethune, 25-year-old shift leader at Quiznos, 902 K St. “I think it allows a lot more people to know about the different restaurants on K Street,” Bethune said. “It hasn’t increased business yet because there’s nowhere to park. There’s a lot about a block from here with purple fence around it. If they turned that into a parking lot, then having cars on the street would

Monsoon Indian Bar & Grill is scheduled to open the first week of December in the building at 16th and K streets that formerly housed Spin Burger Bar and Bistro 33. “It’s going to be fresh food, prepared daily,” said co-owner Chan Singh. “This is Indian food where we use spices to enhance the flavors of the food, not overkill it.” Singh, originally from Delhi, India, came to North America in the 1990s, getting into the restaurant business in Toronto, Canada, opening his original Monsoon location. Singh said his business in Toronto is well-run by his managers, allowing him to come to Sacramento and focus on the new venture. In India, the monsoon season typically lasts from June to Septe

Editorial Note: This story has been updated since it was published. Newsbeat, a business that some called Sacramento’s last newsstand, closed over the weekend, leaving an empty space in the popular MARRS Building. “It’s a tragedy for our building. A tragedy,” said Pete Haynes, owner of the next-door Denim Spot. “They were a pillar of the Midtown and Sacramento community. We’ve definitely lost a piece of our culture.” The independently owned Newsbeat, 1050 20th St., sold hard-to-find magazines and candies, greeting cards and a mix of other goods. Terrence Lott, co-owner of the store, said that in comparison to his other Newsbeat location in Davis – which remains open – some of the “brea

On Saturday afternoon, hundreds of people came to support and honor the decision for cars to return to K Street after 42 years. People rallied behind the development and celebrated the change at the Cars on K opening event. Guests seemed to be in consensus that cars returning to K Street was cause for celebration. “K Street is the spine of downtown,” Mayor Kevin Johnson said. “By opening it up, we start to get connected again.” It was all smiles as the first inaugural drive down K Street took place.Over 40 old and new cars paraded down the street while bystanders clapped and cheered as red, white and blue confetti rained down from the tops of surrounding buildings. “I can remember when

French desserts will once again be available at the corner of Ninth and K streets downtown as the owner of a popular East Sacramento cupcake shop plans to open Estelle’s Patisserie on Dec. 1 in the building that formerly housed Danielle’s Creperie. “This has been my lifelong passion,” said owner Esther Son. “I’ve always dreamed of owning a bakery, ever since I was a little girl.” Though not traditionally trained as a baker, Son said she considers herself self-taught, and she has extensive experience in coming up with recipes and tweaking them until they’re perfect. Her cupcake shop, Esther’s Cupcakes, has been in business at 2600 Fair Oaks Blvd. for two years. “We were always coming do

Kids were lined up and ready to skate on opening day of the downtown outdoor ice rink. A chill was in the air, adding to the feel of the upcoming holidays. "There's nothing that says 'holidays' better than ice skating," Michael Ault, Executive Director of the Downtown Partnership said right before the rink opened. And this is its 20th season. Skating was free today until 10 p.m. Located at 7th & K Streets in downtown Sacramento it is open annually seven days a week from early November to mid-January. The 7,000 sq. ft rink, across from the Westfield Plaza,  is produced by the Downtown Partnership with numerous sponsors. Here's photos from opening day; Generally, hours are 2 to 8 p

Two historical downtown buildings are being refurbished, and they will soon house Blackbird Kitchen & Bar, a seafood restaurant that owner Carina Lampkin said will serve “gourmet food at hipster prices” and is expected to open in December. The approximately 3,500-square-foot building was formerly two separate buildings, 1013 and 1015 Ninth St., and both date back to the 1930s. “Blackbird is a compilation of all of my experience so far,” said the 30-year-old Lampkin. “I grew up on the East Coast and spent every summer in Maine. In 2003, I moved to San Francisco and went to culinary school.” After spending almost a decade cooking at restaurants in San Francisco, Lampkin made the move to S

This past weekend marked the 20th anniversary of the Sacramento International Gay & Lesbian Film Festival (SIGLFF) at the Crest Theatre. The festival ran selected film series each evening from Thursday to Saturday. Founder Alan Cole started the project in 1992 as a student-run film festival that received support from Sacramento State University, Gay and Lesbian Alliance students with grant funding from Associated Students Inc. , which is a official governing body which operates the sponsorship of programs and services to CSUS students. A bevy of sponsors and volunteers support the board of directors, programming and gala committees to prepare and organize the annual festival that takes p

A downtown K Street businessman is turning to other nearby businesses and the community in an effort to jump-start the long-blighted area’s revitalization with the rallying cry: “It's your turn. It's my turn. It's OUR Sacramento.” Señor Ernesto Delgado de Tequila, owner of Tequila Museo Mayahuel at 1200 K St., wants to start a grassroots campaign encouraging people to come downtown to eat, shop and explore. “I want to put a call out to people to come here, take a walk and experience downtown,” Delgado said Wednesday. “There is so much here, and people should be part of it.” Delgado opened his restaurant six months ago on what is arguably the most vibrant section of K Street at the momen

The owners of Midtown’s Capitol Garage are bringing Southern-style cooking to the spot recently vacated by Celestin’s Island Eats and Cajun Cuisine, with a projected opening in mid- to late November. The Porch, located at 1815 K St., will feature items such as fried green tomatoes, catfish and corn hushpuppies, a soft shell crab po’ boy and other Southern favorites, said Chef and co-owner Jon Clemons. He added that he wants to keep entrées priced below $20. “We’ve been trying to do a second place for about a year and a half,” said co-owner John Lopez, adding that The Porch will be a dedicated restaurant, unlike Capitol Garage, which mixes a bar, restaurant and entertainment venue. Afte

Crews made progress on preparation work for the 900 block of K Street Wednesday in advance of scheduled resurfacing starting Thursday night. The city is working to bring cars back to what has been a pedestrian mall for about 40 years. A tentative completion date has been set for the end of October, with a grand opening planned for Nov. 5, according to an email from Linda Tucker, spokeswoman for the city Department of Transportation. The move to return vehicular traffic to the blighted area that was formerly a thriving business district was approved by the City Council earlier this year. The older brick paving stones were laid down atop sand, and over time, they tend to shift, making the