Local Businesses
by Around Dublin Team on August 6, 2011 | 
No Comments | Topics: Announcements · Local Businesses
Shoppers of Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market in Pleasanton, CA beware. Fresh & Easy is recalling its brand of organic baby spinach. The organic baby spinach may be contaminated with Listeria monocytogenes, an bacterial organism that can cause serious and sometimes fatal infections in young children and others with weakened immune systems.
While no illnesses have been reported, a representative from Fresh & Easy said on Friday that the company is taking precautions after one bag of spinach tested positive for Listeria monocytogenes. The recalled products have the “enjoy by” date of August 1 and were sold in Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market stores in California, Nevada and Arizona. Fresh & Easy opened its first store in the Tri-Valley at Pleasanton’s Rose Pavilion back in April to mixed reviews.
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by John M. Zukoski on August 3, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants
Coco’s Bakery in Dublin, CA has come a long way. Back in April, Coco’s revamped its interior to take full advantage of the abundance of natural lighting at their location and updated its furniture and light fixtures to give this classic restaurant a more contemporary look. Located on the corner of Dublin Boulevard and Amador Plaza Road across from Safeway, Coco’s sits in prime view of all the hustle and bustle of Dublin’s historic retail district.
Along with a new look-and-feel, Coco’s has also completely refreshed its menu. Coco’s offers a core menu filled with traditional breakfast favorites, Angus beef and turkey burgers, and a wide variety of salads such as the savory and spicy Asian Chicken Salad. The core menu also features freshly baked artisan bread sandwiches like the Coco’s Veggie, Meatball, and California Chicken Ciabatta. The Coco’s Fit & Lively entrées are all under 600 calories and packed full of flavor. Items like Chicken Bruschetta & Fresh Spinach, Bistro Salmon with Fresh Tomato Basil, and the Southwest Angus Sirloin have captured the imaginations of many guests, as Coco’s strives to set itself apart from the competition.
Coco’s also has a seasonal menu based on whatever fruits are in season to complement the rich offerings on its core menu. The current summer fruit selection includes peaches and blueberries. Guests will be amazed at the wonders the chefs at Coco’s can create with these two perennial fruit favorites. Coffee lovers that are looking for a mild brew and low acidic content will enjoy Coco’s exclusive fair trade organic coffee, which is available by the cup at the restaurant or by the pound to take home. The Dublin Coco’s also has a solid selection of value-priced wine brands to choose from with favorites from Fetzer, Bogle, and Kenwood that mom and dad can enjoy while the kids gulp down juice, soda, or milk with their dinner.
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by John M. Zukoski on July 26, 2011 | 17 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses
The Livermore Valley Innovation for Green Advanced Transportation Excellence Innovation Hub program (i-GATE iHub) is one of 12 sites in California to be part of the state’s Innovation Hub (iHub) program, which hopes to spur economic recovery and growth by showcasing and supporting California’s most promising hubs of innovation. The mission of the i-GATE iHub program is to maximize the economic impact of green transportation and clean energy technologies through expedited technology transfer, entrepreneurial assistance, collaboration opportunities, academic alliances, and a technology incubator for the development of high-growth green businesses. The City of Livermore’s Economic Development Director Rob White recently noted that i-GATE iHub is already bearing fruit. In the last 15 months, the Tri-Valley has seen the addition of over 1,000 new or arriving cleantech manufacturing jobs.
The surge in cleantech manufacturing jobs is just the beginning stages of i-GATE’s economic benefits. Alameda County Supervisor Scott Haggerty recently shared that i-GATE iHub expects to create more than 5,000 jobs directly and bring $1 billion to the Tri-Valley within the next five years.
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by Around Dublin Team on July 25, 2011 | 11 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Local Issues · Opinions
In response to a battle over the proposed expansion of the popular Sahara Market in Dublin, CA, frustrated building owner Brad Sanders recently distributed the following letter to Tri-Valley residents to shed light on what he perceives as the City of Dublin’s unfair treatment of small business owners like him. Sanders has accused the City of Dublin of giving preferential treatment to big-box retailers and national chain restaurants at the expense of small locally-owned businesses.
Based on the conversations we have had with many local business owners, the Around Dublin Team believes the City of Dublin is committed to working with its business community. Still, the serious allegations raised by Sanders in his open letter do deserve the full attention of Dublin Mayor Tim Sbranti and the Planning Commission. The Around Dublin Team hopes this brewing controversy over Sahara Market’s proposed expansion may be resolved quickly, so the City of Dublin may maintain its business-friendly reputation as we forge ahead on a path to full economic recovery.
Dear Fellow Citizen,
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by Around Dublin Team on July 20, 2011 | 24 Comments | Topics: Development · Local Businesses · Local Issues · Opinions
Local residents Judy and Leon Fenton of Pleasanton, CA recently submitted the following letter to the Around Dublin Blog in response to the article titled “Walmart’s Potential Grocery Store Expansion Draws Criticism from Pleasanton Residents.” Contrary to the Fentons’ allegations, the anti-Walmart email form was created by the non-profit group OurPleasanton and is hosted by CitizenSpeak.org, a free email advocacy service. The Fentons also noted that a store opening in their Pleasanton neighborhood should be of no concern to Dublin residents. The Around Dublin Blog respectfully disagrees with the Fentons’ narrow world view, since the City of Pleasanton does not live in a bubble. The outcome of Walmart’s bid for the space formerly occupied by Nob Hill Foods will help shape the future of the Santa Rita/Tassajara Road Grocery Corridor and impact residents in both Dublin and Pleasanton. The Around Dublin Blog, nevertheless, appreciates the passion the Fentons feel toward Walmart and would like to share the text of their letter, so readers can see both sides of this controversial issue.
We have been waiting expectantly for over a year now for a market to replace Nob Hill. It was so nice having a smaller market within walking distance for quick shopping and we were very disappointed when it closed. Trader Joe’s, 99 Market and Fresh & Easy are nearby but not within walking distance. Besides they are specialty markets, not grocery stores and their prices are generally higher. So we must get in the car and drive half-way across town to do our shopping.
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by Around Dublin Team on June 23, 2011 | 3 Comments | Topics: Announcements · Local Businesses
Sprouts Farmers Market will be grand opening in Dublin, CA on Wednesday, June 29th at 7:00AM in style. To help celebrate its first store in the East Bay, Sprouts Farmers Market will be offering shoppers many incredible savings on great-tasting fresh foods and free reusable totes for all purchases throughout the day. Sprouts Farmers Market will join Safeway, 99 Ranch Market, and the newly opened Grocery Outlet in forming the Grocery Grotto in Dublin’s Historic Big Box Shopping District. The new Dublin location will be Sprouts Farmers Market’s third store in Northern California.
Sprouts is not just another regular supermarket. Sprouts’ distinctive format offers a fun, friendly shopping experience that has been its cornerstone since the founders, the Boney family, opened their first produce stand in California in 1943. It is a modern-day food store with the feel of an old fashioned farmers market.
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by John M. Zukoski on June 21, 2011 | 12 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants · Retail · Things To Do
Each year, Diablo Magazine asks their readers to help select their favorite East Bay hot spots. This year’s Diablo Magazine Best of the East Bay survey included feedback from nearly 12,000 readers living throughout the area, including Dublin, CA. After readers named their favorite businesses, Diablo Magazine staff paid many of the spots a visit and also added in a few editorial selections. In total, Diablo Magazine selected 151 winners, including reader picks, editor picks, and profiles of the East Bay’s best “stars and standouts,” which included Guy Fieri, Tom Hanks, and American Idol finalist Thia Megia.
Around Dublin favorite SnowFlake won for Best Icy Treat for its uniquely splendid Taiwanese shaved ice. “Yes, it looks like something Hello Kitty would think up, but the specialty of this tiny new Ulferts Center spot is a one-of-a-kind visual, textural, and taste experience,” shared Diablo Magazine staff member Ethan Fletcher. “Popular in Hong Kong (and Taiwan), it’s made with flavored ice (80 percent fruit, 10 percent whole milk, and just 10 percent water) that’s shaved into beautiful ribbons and decorated with fun accoutrement such as chopped lychee and popping boba gummy balls.”
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by John M. Zukoski on June 14, 2011 | No Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Parks · Things To Do
School is out, and kids in and around Dublin, CA are excited about the summer ahead. In between summer jobs, family vacations, and summer camps, families throughout the Tri-Valley are looking for fun-filled activities to make the most of the summer. Consistent with Dublin’s reputation of being a very family-friendly city, the City of Dublin has many great opportunities for kids of all ages within its city borders.
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by John M. Zukoski on June 6, 2011 | 32 Comments | Topics: Local Businesses · Restaurants
Food Network celebrity and Santa Rosa resident Guy Fieri recently signed a lease to take over the former Fuzio location at Hacienda Crossings in Dublin, CA for his fourth Johnny Garlic’s restaurant. The restaurant is now open. The newest Johnny Garlic’s restaurant was first expected to open in March. The opening date then slipped to June, mid-July, and finally mid-August. No explanation was provided for the delay. Santa Rosa Johnny Garlic’s General Manager Neil McDowell said that Guy and the entire Johnny Garlic’s family is “excited about opening in Dublin.”
Along with the three John Garlic’s restaurants in Santa Rosa, Windsor, and Roseville, Guy Fieri also owns a pair of BBQ-and-sushi fusion restaurants called Tex Wasabi’s Rock-N-Roll Sushi-BBQ. Fieri and co-owner Steve Gruber plan to use the Hacienda Crossing location in Dublin as the opening salvo in their expansion throughout the Western and Southern States. Coupled with the hiring of many key industry talents and the growing number of aborted restaurant projects and available restaurant spaces, Fieri and Gruber are well-positioned to succeed.
A recent visit by the Around Dublin Team to Johnny Garlic’s restaurant in Santa Rosa provided some insight into what Tri-Valley residents can look forward to in July 2011. From the moment of arrival, guests can immediately feel the energy and enthusiasm from Johnny Garlic’s associates. Everyone who works there seem to share Fieri’s energy, positivity, and dynamic personality.
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