On June 10, the planning commission unanimously approved an application for Russ Smith to open a 900-square-foot smoothie café—Russmoothies—near downtown Campbell. It will be located in the Greylands office complex, 621 E. Campbell Ave., across from Campbell Park.

The smoothie cafe will be part of a complex that was developed in 1964 as a four-building 20,500 square foot medical and dental office complex. The complex has 131 parking spaces on site and is surrounded by commercial uses on the east and west sides and single-family residential uses to the north.

Smith says he owns the first "100 percent certified organic smoothie business" in the Bay Area, and has also been participating in the Campbell Farmers Market on Sundays during the past two months. Smith also has plans to provide other healthy foods such as organic soups and "smoothie-pops" for children, and he credits Whole Foods Market will educating him about organic produce and products.

Smith is the brother of Ken Smith, who is the owner of Andy's Bar-B-Que.

The store plans to be open from 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. For more information log on to http://www.russmoothies.com.


The commission approves school

The planning commission approved Daija Zimbrick's application, on behalf of Global International Inc. to allow the establishment of a commercial travel school at 1901 S. Bascom Ave., Suite 500—inside the Pruneyard Shopping Center. This school will operate in the same office as an existing travel agency.

The school, Go Western Travel School, has been in business and operating in Santa Clara since 1986. The school offers classes on all aspects of travel industry training to individuals interested in learning about the business.

The commercial travel school will occupy 424 square feet of the 10,000-square-feet building on the fifth floor. The school, which will typically operate training classes between 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday to Friday, and employ two instructors and up to 12 clients.

The school will be inside an 18-story office building, built in 1974.


Midnight madness over Harry Potter

The Barnes & Noble Bookstore located at 1875 South Bascom Ave., in the Pruneyard Shopping Center will stay open past midnight on June 20 to sell copies of Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix. This is the fifth edition in the popular children's book series.

The "Harry Potter Midnight Magic Party" starts at 7 p.m. with face painting.

For more information call the store, 408.559.8101.


SJSU Choraliers hold tour show

The San Jose State University Choraliers will launch their annual summer tour with a European Farewell Concert at the First United Methodist Church, 1675 Winchester Blvd., on June 25 at 8 p.m.

Music lovers can get a preview of the programs that the Choraliers will be performing at concerts in Switzerland, Austria and Italy. Selections will include traditional chamber choir literature and spirituals.

The highlight of this year's tour will be the group's participation in the very prestigious Spittal International Competition for Choirs, to be held in Austria during the first week of July. Invitations to compete in this event are hard to come by, and the Choraliers are the only choral group from the U.S. to get on the guest list. The last time an American choir won the competition was in 1988—and perhaps not surprisingly, that choir was the Choraliers.

The 34-voice choir, led by director Dr. Charlene Archibeque, has taken home the top prizes in six major European competitions over the course of 14 international tours. In 1991, the group garnered the very apt title of "Choir of the World" at a highly respected choral contest in Wales.

However, audiences closer to home don't need a passport to hear this Choir of the World perform, even when the group is away on tour, because the Choraliers have recorded no less than seven albums that feature selections from the group's wide-ranging repertoire. Their most recent album is A Choraliers Christmas.

Tickets are $10­$15 ($25 reserved seating). For more information, call 408.924.4333.