25 years of Comings & Goings
As I celebrate my 2-year-anniversary on Substack, I count my blessings. That, plus a new deli, restaurant grants, a manufacturing facility, news on AAA, RockBand U, Thai and Mexican food, and more
On May 17, Comings & Goings celebrates its two-year anniversary on Substack. It’s been 25 years since I started this column in the local newspaper, and I hope for many more. I had no idea how many of you would follow me or discover my work here. I am grateful for your support.
I don’t take that support lightly. I charge the minimum allowed on Substack: $5 a month or $50 a year. In my third year here, that will not change. And though some Substackers are starting to incorporate ads, I have no desire to go in that direction.
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.
→ 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.