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Downtown Napa coverage
November 20th, 2009
The people speak on downtownQuotes taken from people’s sticky notes appended to development options for downtown at Wednesday’s Downtown Specific Plan meeting.
Entertainment district, Copia and streets are hot topics at first downtown forumNearly 100 people turned out Wednesday night to give their two cents on what the downtown Napa of the future should look like.
November 15th, 2009
Second Downtown Specific Plan workshop setThe second Downtown Specific Plan Community Workshop on Wednesday will focus on planning downtown Napa’s. It will be a hands-on educational meeting from 6 to 8 p.m. at the Native Sons of the Golden West Hall, 937 Coombs Street. All residents are invited.
November 14th, 2009
Napa study to examine more downtown street changesThe long-simmering debate over whether downtown Napa streets should be one-way, two-way or merely flipped to become one-way the other way is back.
November 8th, 2009
Drum roll, please...The 20th annual Vintage High School Band Parade and Review is returning to downtown Napa, Nov. 14, 10 a.m. to noon. Thirty high school bands from all over California will be marching in competition, on Second and Third streets between School and Main, for a chance to win trophies and serious bragging rights. Here’s a tip — the best place to watch is at the reviewing stand on Third Street across from the Napa County office building.
October 16th, 2009
Downtown Napa will go all out for the holidaysDefying the Grinch-like pall on the economy, downtown Napa will turn itself into a brilliantly lit fantasy land this holiday season.
October 11th, 2009
Cool new placePica-Pica Maize Kitchen recently opened a bar in the Oxbow Public Market, adjacent to its restaurant. It’s really more of a welcoming social space, much like a coffee house where young and old alike can relax, eat fresh Venezuelan bar foods and maybe a meal. Enjoy a range of beverages including blended fruit juices (batidos,) sangria, other wine cocktails and specially selected craft beers. They also serve ceviche — the bar’s signature food — as well as arepa “bites” and “sliders.” Live music is featured every Friday night, monthly salsa and sangria parties, and “meet the brewer” beer tasting events are on the calendar at www.picapicakitchen.com.
October 9th, 2009
Council tweaks name for new parkThe City Council Tuesday chose a new designation for downtown’s newest park — Opera House Plaza at Napa Creek — because council said the name proposed by staff didn’t measure up.
City may buy Napa SquareWanting to consolidate scattered government offices, the city of Napa will explore the feasibility of buying the new $25 million Napa Square complex, located across School Street from City Hall.
October 4th, 2009
Celebrating Cajun styleFrom left to right, Matt, Dave, J.D. and Barb Ackman fish for crawdads at the Napa Wine Country Cajun Food & Music Festival on Saturday.
October 2nd, 2009
Piccolino's closes its doorsIt’s sad when an employer of 30 people in a downtown establishment closes his doors in the midst of hard times.
Kohl's foils suspected shoplifterOn Kohl’s opening day, its personnel thwarted a suspected shoplifter, who was arrested.
Downtown Joe's won't close during retrofitCustomers of a popular downtown Napa restaurant and bar need not fret: Downtown Joe’s will not close while undergoing an earthquake retrofit.
September 30th, 2009
Piccolino's in Napa closesDowntown construction projects, a down economy, moving the day of Chefs Market, lack of parking and closed streets — these are reasons Piccolino’s Italian Cafe shut its doors for the final time after the dinner crowd left on Monday night.
Stocking upFrom a $2.99 toy airplane to a $3,000 diamond ring, Napa’s newest department store seems to have something for everyone and every budget. After months of construction, Kohl’s department store hosts its grand opening Wednesday.
September 25th, 2009
Kohl's to open quietly on SundayDowntown Napa’s newest retailer, Kohl’s Department Store, is set to quietly open its doors on Sunday, an unofficial preview for its official grand opening on Sept. 30.
September 20th, 2009
A taste of Hawaii - downtownThe sights, sounds and flavors of Hawaii brought some aloha to the valley Saturday during the Second annual Aloha Festival at the Napa Valley Exposition center.
September 13th, 2009
Let the good times roll...It’s been a busy summer in downtown Napa, with enough events to offer something for everybody. If you missed any or all of the festivities, the good news is that we saved the best for last.
August 29th, 2009
Trolley makes its last run in NapaThe list of great ideas for downtown Napa that never quite worked out — Copia, the First Street clock tower, romantic gondola rides — has a new addition: The Napa Downtown Trolley.
August 26th, 2009
Tyler Florence opening Napa restaurantTwo weeks after landing “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto, downtown Napa’s Riverfront project confirmed two more restaurants Tuesday — one launched by Food Network star Tyler Florence and a seafood eatery by the Bay Area’s celebrated Lark Creek Restaurant Group.
August 25th, 2009
Tyler Florence opening Napa restaurantTwo weeks after landing “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto, downtown Napa’s Riverfront project confirmed two more restaurants Tuesday — one by Food Network star Tyler Florence and a seafood eatery by the Bay Area’s celebrated Lark Creek Restaurant Group.
August 22nd, 2009
Angst in public viewA little bored, a little alienated, The Teenager used to hang out downtown under a streetlight, watching the traffic go by on First Street.
August 17th, 2009
Bar fight lands one in jailA Napa man went to jail early Sunday morning after causing some trouble at Downtown Joe’s police said.
August 16th, 2009
Blues, Brews and BBQIf you like blues, and I mean really good blues, you are going to love this event on Aug. 29. The main stage will feature the Bay Area Blues Extravaganza, starring Rene Solis & Lucky 13, Ron Thompson, Sista Monica, Gary Smith, Volker Stifler and Tia Carroll.
August 12th, 2009
Kohl's five-day job fair draws a crowdThis week, a crazy quilt of locals, from first-time job seekers to retirees looking to bolster their incomes, are appearing at the Chateau Hotel in north Napa, hoping to land a chance to work for the new Kohl’s department store coming to downtown Napa.
August 7th, 2009
Riverfront site unveils restaurant, business tenantsHit hard by the recession, the Riverfront, downtown Napa’s most ambitious new commercial project, is finally springing to life.
August 2nd, 2009
Gentlemen, start your engines...The second annual Main Street Reunion car show is Aug. 15, and features 400 pre-1976 cars. Last year’s event drew more people to downtown than any event has in at least the past 15 years and attendees loved it. The Napa Valley Cruisers organize this, and they do it right.
August 1st, 2009
Thomas Kinkade gallery to open on FirstThe “Painter of Light” will soon shine on downtown Napa. A Thomas Kinkade gallery is set to open on First Street, next to McCaulou’s department store.
July 16th, 2009
Painstaking work to upgrade the UptownThe essay from Joe Turner (“Its past time to fill downtown’s empty spaces,” July 6), which does not mention me by name, exercises the right we Americans enjoy of speaking our mind freely in a public forum. However, Turner has used innuendoes and suppositions in the place of facts.
July 10th, 2009
'Lifestyle' hotel opens where J.C. Penney stoodLocals couldn’t help but be curious.
$100k study on how to fill downtown storefrontsAlarmed by the amount of vacant retail and office space in downtown, the city of Napa will spend nearly $100,000 to have a consultant put together a marketing and leasing strategy.
July 9th, 2009
What stores would you like to see in downtown Napa?As Register writer Kevin Courtney's article states, the city of Napa is spending nearly $100,000 to have a consultant come up with a plan for filling 105,000 square feet of new commercial space and another 76,000 square feet in older buildings that sit empty.
$100k study on how to fill downtown storefrontsAlarmed by the amount of vacant retail and office space in downtown, the city of Napa will spend nearly $100,000 to have a consultant put together a marketing and leasing strategy.
July 5th, 2009
Napa enjoys a real paradeWhat a difference a year makes for Fourth of July festivities in Napa.
Thanks, New Tech students!As you might guess, the Chefs Market can generate a lot of trash at the end of the night. Julie Morales, who organizes the event, said “enough is enough,” and decided that this was the year that a strong recycling program was put in place.
July 3rd, 2009
Napa will be on the march on the FourthIt won’t overshadow Macy’s Thanksgiving Day extravaganza in New York City, but it won’t be an embarrassment either.
July 2nd, 2009
Transit directors to revamp downtown loop, scrap trolleyThe Napa Downtown Trolley died an unceremonious death Wednesday morning.
June 25th, 2009
A big step for Napa businessIt is exciting news that the Altamura family aggressively is seeking to lease its commercial holdings in downtown Napa.
June 24th, 2009
Downtown Napa: right mix of stores neededWhen is it news reporting or is it editorial?
Altamuras ready to shake up downtownCriticized for letting their downtown commercial properties sit empty, members of the Altamura family announced a major leasing effort this week for Napa Town Center and holdings on First Street.
June 21st, 2009
OK, sometimes I'm a little slowCall me late to the party or whatever, but I am just now discovering the Oxbow Public Market. I mean, I know it’s been there — I attended the opening night event and went a half dozen times after that — but I never appreciated it as a place to go without a specific agenda in mind.
June 11th, 2009
Residents, groups consider future of downtown NapaDowntown Napa has good “bones,” but needs a lot of work if it is to fulfill its potential.
June 7th, 2009
Welcome to the neighborhoodUncorked at Oxbow, a new, state-of-the-art wine tasting salon, opened Monday at 605 First St., across from the Oxbow Public Market.
May 28th, 2009
Public meeting for vision for future of downtown June 9The first public workshop to brainstorm a vision for downtown Napa will be June 9 at the Westin Verasa hotel.
May 24th, 2009
Call a pro...Thinking about a kitchen or bath remodel? NV Design Studios opened at 1506 Main St. this week, and the staff there can take care of everything. Owner Christine Teichera started in the business 10 years ago, in the plumbing department at Home Depot.
May 10th, 2009
Something old, something newThe 15th annual (can you believe it?) Chefs Market begins May 21 at 5 p.m. on First Street in Napa. The market gets tweaked every year, sometimes a little, such as a change in vendors, and sometimes a lot, like last year’s move to Thursday nights.
April 18th, 2009
Napa town comes to lifeYou don’t have to be a Napa old-timer to remember the days when the streets rolled up at dusk around here. Nights that are eerily quiet for a city of 75,000 continue into 2009.
April 17th, 2009
Chefs Market is Thursday's childThe debate was hot when downtown merchants decided last year to move Chefs Market from Friday to Thursday nights. This year, there is no debate.
Free concerts, movies, festivals scheduled for downtown NapaAs an antidote to tough times, downtown Napa will have a more expansive lineup of free events this summer, including family-friendly movies on five Saturday nights and live music every Friday at Veteran’s Memorial Park.
April 12th, 2009
Things just got sweeter...Kara’s Cupcakes opened in the Oxbow Public Market this week, to the delight of cupcake lovers. The first Kara’s opened in San Francisco in 2006. Owner and executive pastry chef Kara Haspel Lind said, “We are thrilled to be a part of the Oxbow Market. This bakery will allow us to expand our community awareness and continue our close relationships with our vendors while supporting their artisan methods of production.”
April 10th, 2009
$100k more in costs for new Napa downtown planWhen it comes to planning Napa’s new downtown, citizen involvement doesn’t come cheaply.
April 9th, 2009
$100k more in costs for new Napa downtown planWhen it comes to planning Napa’s new downtown, citizen involvement doesn’t come cheaply.
March 18th, 2009
Kanaloa lures sustainable nodIn downtown Napa, you can buy sustainably harvested shrimp and help reduce your carbon footprint at the same time. Sound fishy? It’s not.
March 15th, 2009
New Napa garage makes parking easyHow popular is the new Fifth Street parking garage?
Change a battery, change a life Need a new watch battery? Take your timepiece to Napa Valley Jeweler. Two dollars of the cost will go to either If Given a Chance or the Napa Valley Food Bank — your call. Feel like adding a buck or two of your own to the cause? It all goes to help these community organizations.
March 13th, 2009
Group addresses downtown developmentDowntown Napa is about to reinvent itself yet again.
March 11th, 2009
Napa Square will be financial center and moreFive 20-foot palm trees await unfurling within the courtyard of Napa’s newest commercial and retail center. When the palms and surrounding businesses open, Napa Square will become home to financial service tenants, retailers and a restaurant.
March 8th, 2009
Rooms almost ready at boutique hotelSwinging hammers and wielding whining power tools, a small army of workers has descended on a downtown Napa corner.
February 21st, 2009
Chicken in a sleeping bag?That’s two chicken tenders, “tucked” into sweet bread dough with Swiss cheese pillows for their heads, camped near a mashed potato cloud in a forest of broccoli.
February 20th, 2009
Napa Downtown Trolley alive ... for nowThe Napa Downtown Trolley will operate until at least June while transit analysts decide if it is a boondoggle or a valuable part of the local bus system.
February 19th, 2009
Napa Downtown Trolley alive ... for nowThe Napa Downtown Trolley will operate until at least June while transit analysts decide if it is a boondoggle or a valuable part of the local bus system.
February 15th, 2009
Chicken in a sleeping bag?That’s two chicken tenders, “tucked” into sweet bread dough with Swiss cheese pillows for their heads, camped near a mashed potato cloud in a forest of broccoli. It’s one of the many menu items for kids at the Little Gourmet, a kid’s restaurant that’s grown-up friendly.
February 12th, 2009
Kohl's coming in OctoberKohl’s department store has begun interior demolition work in the former Mervyns building on Main Street, with plans to open by October 2009.
February 10th, 2009
The 'law' against fun in NapaFormer Councilwoman Cindy Watter always maintained that Napa had an unspoken “no fun” ordinance.
Council ponders Napa's lack of nightlifeWhy doesn’t Napa have more nightlife — places to dance or hear live music? Is the city’s legendary “no-fun” ordinance putting the kibosh on things?
February 5th, 2009
Poll: What would you do with Napa's Downtown Trolley?Napa's downtown trolley, little used by tourists and locals alike, is facing a grim future should downtown Napa business owners decide to stop an annual $50,000 subsidy of the trolley.
Downtown trolley in troubleThe Napa Downtown Trolley is fighting for its life again.
February 1st, 2009
Re-imagining downtown NapaNapa city officials are mapping the future of downtown.
Piccolino's adds full bar, breweryPiccolino’s Italian Café, in the Napa Town Center at First and Franklin streets for the past 12 years, has added a full cocktail bar and brewery. The lounge features a 35-foot hand-painted bar, a fireplace and a glass wall opening to an outdoor patio.
January 28th, 2009
Poll: Should downtown Napa have one-way streets?Napa city officials are spending $600,000-plus for a Downtown Specific Plan on future development of the city's downtown core.
How would you improve downtown Napa?Napa city officials this week approved a $600,000-plus review of what to do with its downtown.
Visitor center back in hands of tourism boardFour months after abruptly attempting to close the Visitor Center in downtown Napa, the Napa Valley Destination Council is taking the reins again.
Napa seeks to map the future of downtownTaking advantage of a slowdown in downtown development, Napa is going to spend a year and a half planning what happens next.
January 11th, 2009
Kohl’s could open in 2009Kohl’s, one of America’s most successful family-oriented department stores, could be open in downtown Napa by October, said Cassandra Walker, the city’s economic development manager.
January 8th, 2009
A failed RevolutionCafé Revolution, formerly The Smoking Cat, has closed, taking with it the dream of two young Napans.
December 20th, 2008
An artful parking jobIt looks good. It hosts public art that pays tribute to Napa history. It even has a big clock that tells the time. And if that weren’t enough, it parks cars, too.
December 15th, 2008
Kohl’s makes bid to replace MervynsKohl’s Corp., the national department store, may move into the spot Mervyns left vacant when the retailer closed its doors at the downtown plaza late November.
December 14th, 2008
Kohl’s makes bid to replace MervynsKohl’s Corp., the national department store, may move into the spot Mervyns left vacant when the retailer closed its doors at the downtown plaza late November.
October 31st, 2008
$5,000 reward for info on stabbingThe Napa Downtown Merchants Association has put up a $5,000 reward for information leading to the arrest of the person who stabbed an elderly man in front of a downtown restaurant Tuesday night.
October 28th, 2008
Elderly man stabbed downtownAn elderly man was stabbed Tuesday in an incident on a sidewalk in front of a downtown restaurant, police said Tuesday. The injuries do not appear to be life-threatening.
October 26th, 2008
Napa in characterBallerinas, pirates, Darth Vaders, Zorros and princesses came downtown Napa Saturday in search of early-afternoon Halloween sweets.
October 5th, 2008
Mixed fortunes for small downtown merchantsDowntown Napa continues to interest entrepreneurs, from small start-ups to four-star names such as celebrity chef Thomas Keller. But the economy isn’t making things easy.
Is downtown Napa thriving or suffering?The evidence is irrefutable: Downtown Napa is going through the worst of times. Or is it among the best of times?
July 31st, 2008
Cooking on ThursdaysPicking through an alphabet soup in search of two Es, two Ds and an I, Eddie David from Milwaukee attempted to spell out his first name using the jumbo-sized recycled metal letters found at Fred Grandy’s Chefs Market booth.
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