As I’ve reported, the Sacramento area restaurant group Fukumi will operate two separate restaurants there: Pier 50 Sushi and Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu. Pier 50 Sushi will fill the Third Street side and offer made-to-order, all-you-can-eat sushi. Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu, a ramen and katsu restaurant, will be based out of the F Street portion of the building.

Now, I have news on the hopeful timing of the openings, and whether the patio plays a part.

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Co-owner Trent Yackzan released a statement today, in response to my queries: “As the way people enjoy beer continues to change, we have chosen to focus our efforts through our restaurant, events and community partnerships, while pausing broad distribution.”

He said Sudwerk beer “remains available at our restaurant and select local partners, while our restaurant continues to host guests, banquets, live music and community events. This shift allows us to focus on smaller-batch brewing and stay closely connected to the customers we serve.”

He said People’s Pilsner and Gunrock IPA are still being canned, with other beers released seasonally. Sudwerk is still available on tap at some Davis-area bars and restaurants.

The restaurant is at 2001 Second St. Its tap list carries some Sudwerk beers but has increasingly relied on “guest taps” – though those have been a staple since the eatery opened in April 2023. In its May 27 email newsletter, it listed just a few of its own brews: People’s Pilsner served as a traditional or side pour, Werk Lite Lager, Overgrowth Double IPA, and Life is Hard Seltzer-Grapefruit.

It’s still brewing out of the two iconic copper kettles in the restaurant. For the first time, the UC Davis Iron Brew-winning beer – an annual competition among brewing students – was brewed at Dunloe Brewing in Davis. The May 27 Sudwerk email newsletter attributed this to “part of a new effort to rotate production of the winning recipe among local Davis breweries, highlighting the strong ties between the UC Davis brewing program and the local brewing community.”

Sudwerk opened in 1989 and had an onsite brewpub. The restaurant closed in 2016. At one point, it was doing contract brews for several other breweries.

Now, it’s no longer distributing its beer. Its distributor, Donaghy Sales, is reportedly out of Sudwerk products. And a quick survey of local stores show Sudwerk products are out of stock. That includes the Nugget Markets in East Davis and Woodland, the South Davis Safeway, and the Woodland Bel Air.

When the restaurant reopened in 2023, it was the culmination of a major investment that included a renovated kitchen, eatery, bathrooms and meeting rooms, and a 3,500-square-foot beer garden. Although more ambitious at first, hours at the restaurant are 4 to 9 p.m. Wednesdays and Thursdays, 4 to 10 p.m. Fridays, noon to 9 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. Sundays.

Sudwerk has won numerous awards for its beers, including back-to-back golds at the esteemed Great American Beer Festival in 2021 and 2022 for its People’s Pilsner. In 2021, it was named Brewer and Brewery of the year in the 5,001 to 15,000 barrels category at the GABF.

“We’re proud of our legacy and grateful for the support we’ve received along the way,” Yackzan said.

He said they are also “grateful for the support of our employees, customers and community throughout our history, and for being part of the Sudwerk story.”

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→ A note to subscribers: I want to thank you again for your support of Comings & Goings. As I enter my third year on Substack, many of you are renewing your subscriptions. You help keep this column ad-free. I charge the minimum allowed by Substack but I know that $5 a month or $50 a year is not minimal to you. I will not let you down.

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The soft opening started at noon on Friday, offering only its Staxx Bread (Spanish sweet rolls). A grand opening is set for noon on Saturday, where it should have a wider selection of its typical offerings.

Its menu includes raised, cake, French cruller, mochi and ube doughnuts; Kronuts (its name for a croissant/doughnut cross); and ube Staxx Bread. The doughnuts and Kronuts come with a wide variety of flavored icings and toppings. Check out its menu here.

BAD Bakers is at 2021 Bronze Star Drive, Suite 400, in a spot last occupied by Subway. BAD is an acronym for bread and doughnuts.

→ Climbing soon: The climbing gym The Stack Climbing + Fitness is almost ready to open. Management had hoped to open it this weekend but it’s waiting for final city approval.

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Miles Gorder, the owner of Milestones Movement Therapy in Davis, said he’s excited about how it’s coming together. Milestones will move from 1801 Hanover Drive, Suite D, when the new spot nears completion.

Gorder is leasing the former All Things Right & Relevant building at 2801 Spafford St. His plans for the 9,712-square-foot space go much further than the services of Milestones. The concept calls for a “state-of-the-art urban wellness retreat” that includes a spa with soaking pools, a gym, and expanded services for Milestones.

Its website says, Tulē will feature “a self-paced communal sauna and spa experience including cold plunge, sauna, steam room, hot soaking pool, magnesium mineral pool, massage therapy, and an open gym with a down-to-earth ‘make it a daily habit’ approach. Your one-stop shop for taking your wellbeing into your own hands.”

Facilities will be available by membership or through day passes.

He said they’re targeting a fall opening. “As construction has progressed, we’ve continued refining details throughout the space to ensure the final experience matches the vision we set out to create.

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“Projects of this scale and complexity naturally evolve over time, especially with the level of custom design and wellness infrastructure involved,” he said. “Rather than rushing to open prematurely, we’re focused on delivering the experience thoughtfully, and at the quality that our future members and guests will expect.”

All Things Right & Relevant, a nonprofit consignment and thrift store that benefited Yolo County mental health charities, closed in March 2024.

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Because there are thousands of you, I’ve been able to retire from my other gigs and focus on what I love – this work. I enjoy tracking down and verifying facts, and keeping the community informed about business changes. Thanks for putting your trust in me. I appreciate all the news tips and compliments that come my way. Cheers to the next 25 years.

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→ Fresh-baked: Sourdough Bread Company finally opened on Tuesday – a week later than I last anticipated. It’s at 2880 Fifth St., Suite 100A, next to Bourbons & More in Davis.

The brand uses newly baked sourdough and tops it with premium meats, artisan cheeses and fresh produce. Its menu includes sandwiches and half-sandwich deals, soups (in bread bowls, if you like), salads, flatbreads, mac and cheese, and more. Store hours are 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. weekdays, 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Saturdays, and 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Sundays.

It gets confusing because there are lots of franchise eateries with sourdough in their name. This one isn’t affiliated with the one that was once in University Mall. That was West Coast Sourdough (previously Sourdough & Co.), which closed in 2022. Owner Nav Nijjar of Tracy has Sourdough Bread Company delis in Roseville, El Dorado Hills, Sunnyvale and Redding, with plans for another in Redding and one in Monterey.

Visit its website for information.

→ Restaurant grants available: Northern California independent restaurants and caterers are again eligible to apply for a $5,000 Resilience Fund grant from the California Restaurant Foundation. Completed applications must be submitted by June 30.

In 2024, Davis’ Mabel’s Market was one of the recipients. Owner Shelley Dunning learned about the grant by reading Comings & Goings. She used the funds to buy equipment for a new kitchen she hopes to open soon. The store, at 222 D St. in Davis, sells picnic and charcuterie merchandise. The bistro addition will add small bites, wine and beer.

The Resilience Fund, which debuted in 2021 during the COVID-19 crisis, has helped independent restaurants across California, in partnership with the PG&E Corporation Foundation for Northern California (and SoCalGas, and San Diego Gas and Electric in Southern California).

Recipients may use the grant money to support business needs, including kitchen equipment upgrades, technology improvements, unforeseen hardships, employee training programs and retention bonuses.

Grants are available to all California-based restaurant owners and commercial caterers within the utility companies’ service areas, provided they operate fewer than five units and generate less than $3 million in annual revenue, a news release said. Apply here between June 1 and 30. Recipients will be announced the week of Aug. 23.

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Three Davis businesses are choosing to open or reopen on “Star Wars” Day. I’ve got that and a galactic amount more in this column.

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→ Dojo ditches downtown: Inspire Martial Arts had its last class on Wednesday at its downtown Davis location. As I post this, staff members are moving and settling into their new spot at 4614 Second St. They plan to have it open on Monday.

It fills the former Strelitzia Flower Co. space across from Target. Strelitzia moved to a larger space at 2810 Cowell Blvd.

On April 22, the Davis Planning Commission approved Inspire owner Richard Baciarini’s permit request. The new location was zoned light industrial, so an exercise studio required a conditional-use permit for commercial mixed use.

Though the new space is slightly smaller ­– 5,500 instead of 6,100 square feet – it has a lot more parking and a better layout, Baciarini told me in March.

“The reason for the move is to get a ton of dedicated parking, which is currently a challenge for us, being downtown. Our new location will also have an easier way to quickly and safely drop (off) and pick up students,” he said.

The new location will have a room for camps and parties, he said. Learn more about Inspire on its website.

→ Just the facts: A Reddit post on Tuesday spread a nasty rumor that the Davis Trader Joe’s was closing. It was false. You know where to get your trusted business news.

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(Due to its length, your email preview may cut this post short, showing three dots. Click on “View entire message” to keep reading.)

→ Dojo ditches downtown: Inspire Martial Arts had its last class on Wednesday at its downtown Davis location. As I post this, staff members are moving and settling into their new spot at 4614 Second St. They plan to have it open on Monday.

It fills the former Strelitzia Flower Co. space across from Target. Strelitzia moved to a larger space at 2810 Cowell Blvd.

On April 22, the Davis Planning Commission approved Inspire owner Richard Baciarini’s permit request. The new location was zoned light industrial, so an exercise studio required a conditional-use permit for commercial mixed use.

Though the new space is slightly smaller ­– 5,500 instead of 6,100 square feet – it has a lot more parking and a better layout, Baciarini told me in March.

“The reason for the move is to get a ton of dedicated parking, which is currently a challenge for us, being downtown. Our new location will also have an easier way to quickly and safely drop (off) and pick up students,” he said.

The new location will have a room for camps and parties, he said. Learn more about Inspire on its website.

→ Just the facts: A Reddit post on Tuesday spread a nasty rumor that the Davis Trader Joe’s was closing. It was false. You know where to get your trusted business news.

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Peet’s closed the 231 E St. store at the end of January. The chain’s cafe in The Marketplace, at 1411 W. Covell Blvd., Suite B, remains open.

Owners Rob Watson and Ryan Harden founded Camellia Coffee in 2016, at 1200 R St., Suite 120 in downtown Sacramento. They also have a private production space off Broadway in Sac.

“We have a heavy focus on wholesale, providing coffee to local cafes, restaurants, bars, hotels, etc.,” Watson said via email.

He said they hope to have the Davis cafe open next month. “Since Peet’s was a working cafe, we don’t expect to have as many hurdles,” he said.

The Sacramento coffeehouse is open daily from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. That’s the initial plan for Davis too.

“If the Davis community would like us to be open later, we are open to making that happen,” he said.

I mentioned to Watson that we have a lot of coffee in downtown Davis, and Starbucks and Peet’s chose to close their downtown stores. So, what sets Camellia apart?

“We like to keep things down to earth, fun and approachable. With Starbucks and Peet’s leaving, we believe there’s plenty of space for more specialty coffee. We have a relatively small menu, but quality and consistency are key. Breakfast sandwiches are made to order, and our coffee is unique to us.”

He said they chose Davis intentionally. “We just celebrated our 10-year anniversary, and have been looking to expand out of Sacramento. We like the energy of Davis, and it seems like the perfect place for Camellia. Also, we have quite a few alumni working for us.”

Learn more at the Camelia Coffee Roasters website.

→ 2nd chance: I finally got the deets on 2nd STREET, the used closing store coming to The Davis Collection. It fills a 4,562-square-foot space next to J.Crew Factory. Until now, the Southern California company has not responded to my messages.

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A pre-Picnic Day inspection of The Davis Beer Shoppe on Thursday led to its temporary closure for operating with suspended alcohol licenses.

Davis police Lt. John Evans said, “Our guys went in there with ABC (state Department of Alcoholic Beverage Control) last week to do the pre-Picnic Day bar checks and ABC determined their license was suspended, and they shut him down.”

ABC records show The Davis Beer Shoppe’s two licenses – for beer and wine sold for onsite and off-site consumption – as “rev(ocation) pending.” That indicates ABC initiated steps to revoke its license. It’s in “a probationary period where the licensee may be required to meet specific conditions to avoid permanent revocation,” according to the bureau’s website.

The records show the licenses expired on Jan. 31. It’s been operating since then without one.

I sent two messages to owner Taylor Ramos since Monday but he did not respond.

The shop is a taproom and a beer store at 211 G St. in downtown Davis. Since it opened in March 2011, it’s consistently had the best tap list and best selection of canned and bottled beer in town.

A sign on the door reads, “The Davis Beer Shoppe will be closed today (Friday, April 10th) due to administrative maintenance. We apologize for any inconvenience this may cause. Cheers.”

→ Could Cindy’s return? The owner of the longtime South Davis restaurant Cindy’s reached out to me again. Jerry Umnartyutithum is desperate to get contact info about how to lease the former Black Bear Diner space at 255 Second St. The diner closed for good late last month.

His real estate agent told him the property is owned by a trust, and there’s no contact information for leasing it. He asked me to put word out that he is super interested. Fingers crossed!

→ Chip in for Paint Chip owner: There’s an online fundraiser for Maia Sturges, who has owned The Paint Chip with husband Brian since 2008.

Maia was diagnosed with brain cancer in 2020, after fighting off breast cancer in 2018. The money being raised is to offset medical and business expenses. Today, after just a week, they had raised more than $16,000 toward a $20,000 goal.

Store employees posted the following message on Facebook: “The Davis community is calling out for URGENT support for the Sturges family as Maia fights brain cancer. … Maia and Brian Sturges have provided Davis artists and crafters of all ages an invaluable resource. Now is our chance to be a resource to them as they face overwhelming medical and business expenses.”

Here is the GoFundMe link, where you can read more.

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It’s been a busy week for Yolo County business news, so there’s lots to discuss. Let’s get started.

The new Cold Stone Creamery began its soft opening on Saturday in The Davis Collection. The 900-square-foot store is at 835 Russell Blvd., Suite 190, in the center’s courtyard area.

Employees use a cold marble surface to blend house-made ice cream with chosen mix-ins. Davis previously had a Cold Stone in The Marketplace but it closed more than a dozen years ago.

Hours for the new shop are 11:30 a.m. to 11 p.m. Sundays through Thursdays, staying open an extra half hour on Friday and Saturday nights.

→ Frying away: In West Davis, Seoulmate Korean Kitchen’s soft opening began Friday at 1260 Lake Blvd., Suite 111. Hours are 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 4:30 to 8 p.m., Tuesdays through Sundays.

Its Instagram page shows dishes like stir-fried glass noodles, kimbap, bibimbap, and several boneless Korean fried chicken options.

→ Cheers to a Founding Subscriber: Comings & Goings is ad-free, and made possible by thousands of paid subscribers. Founding Subscribers are especially supportive of my work, pledging $250 or more.

The new Aggies Uncorked White Wine Club through the Cal Aggie Alumni Association is one such pledge. Thank you!

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→ One door closes: A reminder that the Black Bear Diner at 255 Second St. closed for good last Sunday.

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After celebrating its 50th anniversary in August, Davis’ Freewheeler Bicycle Center is changing hands.

The new owners are Ron Jackman and Abbie Sambrano. Though I’ve been getting tips about this for months, I agreed not to share the news until the sale was finalized.

Jackman has a background in customer service, marketing and tech. His life partner Sambrano has experience in office management, administration and accounting. They live in Solano County.

Jackman said they have some ideas to creatively expand the business but don’t want to change its staff or relationship with area cyclists.

“There is a very deep service to the community that is provided here,” he said. “You can feel it and see it in the interactions.”

Frank Hein opened the Davis bike shop at 703 Second St. in 1975. His three sons, Jeff, Eric and Kevin have all worked there but Kevin and Jeff were involved in day-to-day operations. Jeff’s daughter Sheri Rey was the next generation to join. Frank died in 2024 at age 88, and Jeff retired last year.

“It remind(s) me of a barbershop from back in the day,” Jackman said. “Yes, you would go primarily for the service or product but you’re also going … for the experience, for the laughs, for the knowledge, the connection. Those things – the relationships, the value that is beyond the quality of the products – will fundamentally stay the same.”

He commended the staff’s commitment. “The desire to do what’s right shines in every interaction. To be fair, I see some wonderful reviews on some of the other bike shops as well. It makes me happy to know that the passion is strong throughout the city.”

He said that when a business is run correctly, “you’ll notice that everything flows in a calm and natural way. That was the case with this one.”

When they met Kevin and Sheri, “We were absolutely floored by the professionalism, humor and overall skills. … We saw a really genuine connection between the customers and the staff as well. We loved the culture and wanted to be a part of it.”

They are excited to get into the bicycle business. Jackman said he rode bikes a lot as a child but stopped when he bought a car. When he picked it up again as an adult, all the feelings of freedom and fun rushed back. Today, he enjoys cycling with their son, 7. They also have a 12-year-old daughter, and Sambrano has an adult son.

Rey said she and her uncle Kevin will stay for a few months to help with the transition.

Rey added, “It’s been the Hein family’s absolute pleasure to be part of the Davis bicycle community for the past 50 years. To all of our many wonderful customers, neighbors and friends: Thank you! It’s been a great ride.”

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Can you bear it? After nearly 17 years, the Black Bear Diner in Davis will serve its last giant stack of pancakes on Sunday, March 29, employees confirm.

The restaurant, known for its hearty, all-day breakfasts, opened in Davis in May 2009, filling the former Baker’s Square space at 255 Second St., at Second and B streets.

According to its website, the Redding-based chain has 153 restaurants in 14 states, with two new eateries planned for Texas and one in Tennessee. The closest one to Davis is at 1530 E. Main St. in Woodland, which seems to be safe for now. About half of the newer locations are franchised. At least one other Black Bear Diner, in Midwest City, Okla., is also closing at the end of this month.

According to its website, the chain opened 10 new locations in 2022, seven in 2023 and planned 14 in 2024, when it posted the update. At the time, it counted 156 locations, but is now down to 153, not counting the ones closing this month. It is owned by private equity firm GreyLion.

The company says it remains committed to its full-service dining model, in contrast to the popular fast-and-fresh, order-at-the counter concept. Many restaurants are moving away from the full-service model to save labor costs.

The Davis diner’s hours are 6 a.m. to 10 p.m. if you want to swipe a bite before it closes.

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Davis just became a little less tasty. Tasty Palace closed.

The restaurant at 403 G St. filled the space last occupied by Village Pizza & Grill. Village’s Aziz Fattahi still owns the property.

Fattahi confirmed that a new tenant took over the lease at the end of February. The city has a business license – filed last month – for Cui Ji Chongqing Hot Pot. I left a message this morning for the name listed on the license application, Danni Guo, but did not immediately hear back.

Tasty Palace opened in September 2023, serving Chinese food. I noted then how Davis was becoming very tasty. We’re now down to four restaurants with “Tasty” in their name: Pho Tasty Vietnamese, Tasty Gourmet Chinese, Tasty Kitchen Chinese and Tasty Pot Taiwanese hot pot.

I’ll fill you in when I have more information about the new restaurant.

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Woodland’s Blue Note Brewing changed hands this month. Hooby’s Brewing of Winters is the new owner.

Blue Note founder Dave Towne told The Daily Democrat that he and his wife plan to retire to Asheville, N.C. He’s sticking around for two months to help advise Courtney Stocking, who will manage the Woodland brewery.

The Stocking family of Winters owns Hooby’s, which is at 9 E. Main St., Suite J, in downtown Winters. They also operate a seasonal taproom called Hooby’s Farm at 24830 County Road 95 in rural Davis, which is gearing up to reopen late this month.

Over the weekend, I left messages with the owners of Blue Note and Hooby’s but did not hear back.

Blue Note opened in 2015 at 750 Dead Cat Alley, Woodland, in a warehouse that once housed the circulation department of The Daily Democrat. It added Blue Flame Kitchen pizza to its patio in 2023.

Yolo County has 10 breweries: Sudwerk, Three Mile, Super Owl and Dunloe in Davis; Blue Note in Woodland; Berryessa and Hooby’s in Winters; Bike Dog and Jackrabbit in West Sacramento; and Nitty’s Cider (and beer) is in Clarksburg. Nitty’s is working on adding a taproom to rural Woodland, filling the former Satiety Winery tasting room. (I’m hoping for an update on that soon.)

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The Davis cosmetics, salon and gift store Sassafras Beauty plans to close this spring, owner Danielle Crane confirms.

In an email Wednesday to customers, the store first hinted at the news: “As Sassafras enters its final season, Danielle would like to share some incredible discounts with her incredible customers.”

I spoke with Crane on Thursday, who said she plans to close the store in eight to 12 weeks, probably in May. She’s been trying to sell the business for more than a year, with no takers.

Her lease runs through May 2027. She’s not having much luck negotiating with the landlord, Regency Centers, which also owns Oakshade Town Center in South Davis. Her monthly rent for the 1,750-square-foot space – including common-area maintenance fees – is nearly $10,000.

“That’s not sustainable for another summer in Davis and a whole other year,” Crane said, referring to Davis’ slow business season, when the students head home and the community goes on vacation.

The shop opened in August 2012, replacing Pure Beauty at 1411 W. Covell Blvd., Suite 109, in The Marketplace shopping center in Davis.

Crane hustled during the pandemic, offering delivery and touch-free pickup of the 100 or so brands of beauty products she sells. But people’s shopping habits shifted dramatically during that time, as more shoppers became comfortable buying even groceries online.

For years, she struggled as salon brands began expanding their sales to big stores or directly from their websites. “Those big companies used to be or partners. Their businesses were built on the backs of beauty business.”

But “the icing on the cake was Nordstrom Rack and Ulta” opening in The Davis Collection in May and July, respectively. Though she expected competition from Ulta Beauty, she didn’t realize Nordstrom Rack would have a large haircare and makeup section. And Target recently remodeled to add an Ulta section with higher-end beauty products than before.

Sassafras also includes a salon. It used to offer skincare services and have several stylists but is now down to one hairdresser.

She said her support for community events was a gift that has paid back in customer loyalty and kept her business open for nearly 14 years. She’s helped raise money for Thriving Pink, Empower Yolo, the Davis Crisis Nursery, NAMI Yolo and others.

“Those are my ladies, people on all those boards,” she said.

Her Wednesday email brought some of those regulars in to support the store. “I had a great day yesterday,” she said Thursday morning.

That personal service and free gift-wrapping are what make small, independent businesses unique. She said she’ll continue through closing to do special orders for things she doesn’t have in stock, as long as people pre-pay.

After Sassafras closes, Crane said she’ll continue working as a wholesale representative to several beauty, wellness and jewelry companies, as she has her whole career. They worked as a good complement to the store.

Also, her elderly parents live in Northridge on their own – at 93 and 87 – and she looks forward to being more available to help them.

Sassafras Beauty is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays, and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sundays.

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If you haven’t been reading KVIE’s Abridged newsletter, you’re missing out. In September, the local PBS station launched the weekday email newsletter, with interesting and investigative stories from the Sacramento region. It also has weekly newsletters specializing in Yolo County, one on food and drink, and another on music and art events in the area. And it’s all free.

Several of the staff members and contributors are Sacramento Bee alums, including my friend Chris Macias, who writes the Cultural Capital weekly newsletter, and Benjy Egel (who grew up in Davis and once worked for The Davis Enterprise) and does the City of Treats email. There are a couple of former Capital Public Radio staffers too, and another ex-Davis Enterprise reporter, Felicia Alvarez.

For its Yolo County piece, Abridged partnered with Yolo Local, the Davis Media Access project that recently assessed our county’s “information ecosystem” to see how best to inform residents about news. Yolo Local was formed as area newsroom cuts leave many important stories untold.

DMA Executive Director Autumn Labbé-Renault said the partnership takes what they learned from Yolo Local’s survey of area residents, and applies it to Abridged’s editorial framework. “In a world where big media is failing to provide information that contributes to the health of our communities, and media at all levels is under duress, we’ve come together with KVIE/Abridged as partners committed in service to Yolo County.”

She said KVIE approached DMA because “they recognize DMA and its projects are already a good source of civic information – both in what we produce, and the amount of news that gets funneled our way,” she said, noting “they also understand our key finding about the need for Spanish-speaking news and information, and are very interested in moving in that direction.”

Read the Abridged story about this partnership here.

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Ficelle, the destination-worthy tapas restaurant in downtown Winters, will soon close.

“All Good Things Must Come to an End,” it posted on Instagram. “After 21 incredible years, our restaurant story is coming to an end.”

The eatery opened in 2005. It’s at 5 E. Main St., Suite C, in Winters.

It will be open this week, on Thursday and Friday, “plus a few special days in March,” it announced. It was closed for the month of January, noting they were “taking a long break.”

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Ficelle (pronounced FEE-sell) is popular for its addictive family recipes and house-made sangria. It isn’t just Spanish cuisine: “We incorporate food from our Spanish heritage, the Mexican & California cuisines prevalent in Winters, and any other type (of) food that seems interesting that crosses our paths,” its website says.

Its casual, cozy atmosphere under a large oak tree encourages community. Last time my husband and I ate there, we shared a table with another set of diners because it was so crowded.

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The list of Davis Valentines venues just got shorter: Davis Wine Bar closed.

“After 8 wonderful years of serving wine and building community, Davis Wine Bar is closing its doors,” reads a sign in the shop’s window. “We are so grateful for every glass shared, every conversation had, and every one of you who supported us along the way. Thank you for being part of our story.”

The shop at 611 Second St. had a nice selection of small plates, and a great selection of wine. It even kept a well-rounded pick of quality beers on tap.

A few months ago, the wine bar added a pop-up pasta dinner on Saturday nights from The Pasta Exchange. I wrote about it in November. Chef Ryan Schmidtberger told me last month that their goal was to expand the menu to additional nights in March.

Word is that wine bar owner Ken Patel and Walnut Creek landlord Browman Development Company couldn’t agree on lease terms.

Things are tough for downtown Davis businesses. I’m holding on to news of another Davis store’s imminent closure because the business will not confirm. Stay tuned.

→ Outdoor dining reaction: Fukumi Restaurant Group responded to my last column, which reported that the two restaurants the company plans to open in the former Mamma space would not offer outdoor dining. The spot is widely considered the best outdoor dining in Davis, which I noted in my interview questions. Instead, it planned to open the space for public use.

The eateries are Pier 50 Sushi, which will fill the Third Street side, and Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu, a ramen restaurant that will be based out of the F Street portion of the building.

There was a flood of negative feedback from the news about the lack of outdoor dining. Dozens of Comings & Goings readers on Substack, Facebook and Instagram were frustrated. Read on for the response.

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As I reported last month, the Sacramento area restaurant group Fukumi is leasing the former Mamma space at 226 F St. I now know more details about the plan.

It will operate two separate restaurants there: Pier 50 Sushi and Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu. Neither will include outdoor dining. I’ll get back to that later.

Ryann Struk, chief creative officer of Fukumi Restaurant Group, said Pier 50 Sushi offers premium, made-to-order, all-you-can-eat sushi, while Fukumi Chaya x Momo Katsu specializes in Hakata-style ramen with additional katsu offerings.

Pier 50 has eateries in Folsom and Sacramento’s Arden Fair Mall, and Fukumi Chaya ramen has a restaurant in Folsom. The restaurant group also has Fukumi restaurants in Roseville, Citrus Heights and Natomas, specializing in ramen only; as well as an It’s Sushi in Roseville; and a Young’s Teriyaki in Rancho Cordova.

Struk added, “We’re excited to bring two of our most popular restaurant concepts to Davis. Many of our guests currently travel from across the greater Sacramento area to dine with us, and we’re thrilled to bring our restaurants closer to home with hopes of expanding even further in the future.”

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Good Friends Hawaiian Poke opened its second Davis restaurant on Friday, this one in the new Davis Collection shopping center. It already has a popular location downtown, at 400 G St., which opened in 2019.

Like its sister eatery, the new one offers poke bowls, sushi or chicken wraps, and rice bowls with chicken, salmon, or veggie options. There’s also Spam musubi, and the poke by the pound to take home.

Good Friends owner Monica Dui said she is “so grateful for the Davis community, and support for making my dream come true. Work hard and you can achieve anything (if) you put your mind to it.”

The opening follows the closure last month of Davis’ first poke restaurant, Zumapoke, at 730 Third St. Like Zumapoke, Good Friends is locally owned. (Dui said she lives in Sacramento because she can’t afford a home in Davis.) Though some of the new stores filling the former University Mall center are locally franchised, most are corporate chains with popular brand names.

As Good Friends quietly launched its soft opening, patrons lined up across the courtyard for grand opening giveaways at Fluffy Fluffy desserts, which is locally franchised.

→ So long, Peet: The downtown Davis Peet’s Coffee closed for good today. It was at 231 E St. The store in The Marketplace remains open.

The company closed about 30 stores at the end of January, mainly in the Bay Area and around Sacramento. The move was a cost-cutting measure following Keurig Dr Pepper’s buyout of JDE Peet’s.

→ Salon blossoms: I told you a couple of months ago that one of the founders of Refinery Salon was opening a new salon in town. Well, Wildflower Salon opened Jan. 26 at 105 E St., in The Lofts, directly above Davis Creamery.

Amber Norris Monez and her sister opened Refinery Salon in 2015 at 421 Second St., in the Davis Odd Fellows building. Former employees took over Refinery, and Montez is starting fresh.

She said the name was inspired by her late father, who helped the sisters build the original salon. “A few years back, he found a tapestry that I purchased that said, ‘In a field of roses, she is a Wildflower.’ ”

The new salon has two chairs: “one for me to work in and the other (for a stylist who I can) mentor and teach.”

For booking details, visit this website.

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