Los Gatos Weekly-Times

More floor space prompts Virtual Art Gallery move

By Frank Stagnaro

THE VIRTUAL ART GALLERY has moved from 59 to 105 N. Santa Cruz Ave. (the old Cat N' Canary store). The gallery derives its cyberspace name from an advanced projection system that uses slides and computers to display all the work that its artists have done, whether actually in stock or not. Gallery director Mary McCarthy says the system is the only one of its kind in the country.

According to McCarthy, the move was dictated by the need for more floor space to handle the sophisticated system and the exhibits.

"We now have approximately 6,000 square feet in which to display the originals and fine prints of the top-selling artists in the world," she says. "In addition, we needed more room to maximize the visual impact of our virtual display system."

The gallery is the exclusive dealer in the Silicon Valley for Peter Max, the leader of the neo-pop school of art, and Alexandra Necheta, the 12-year-old prodigy known in the art world as the "pint-size Picasso."

"Everything Alexandra does is abstract," McCarthy says. "Her creations are amazing."

The Virtual Art Gallery will be holding a grand opening at its new location on Oct. 22 and 23, with Peter Max acting as host. Part of the proceeds from the event will go to Interplast, the charity that underwrites the expenses of sending teams of physicians and surgeons to attend the medical needs of children in third-world countries.

KINKO'S, the all-purpose communications center at 575 N. Santa Cruz Ave., will be moving to 15495 Los Gatos Blvd. at the end of September. The new facility will occupy 4,500 square feet of floor space and will feature new equipment, more efficiently designed work areas, and improved parking for customers and employees.

HEIDI HOEFLER-KRUGER, former Los Gatos Great Western branch manager, has joined the Bank of the West as assistant vice president and branch manager. She spent 23 years at Great Western before the bank closed its Los Gatos operations. Hoefler-Kruger says she missed her old clients during her seven-month absence from the banking business and is thrilled that she can remain in Los Gatos, where she will have the opportunity to serve them again with her new employer.

Past president of the Los Gatos Chamber of Commerce and Soroptimist International (Los Gatos and Saratoga), she is an active member of the Los Gatos Lions Club. She organized and co-chaired a celebration to honor 2,000 volunteers and firefighters following the 1990 Lexington Hills fire. She is currently working with financial service officer Dawn McElvy to develop a Bank of the West community-service plan.

SUMMIT BICYCLES will be moving from 100-A S. Santa Cruz Avenue to 111 E. Main Street (the old Richard's Health Food Store) in late September or early October. Owner Les Austere reports that the new location will have been completely remodeled, with 2,800 square feet of floor space devoted to bicycle displays and another 1,200 square feet set aside for an espresso/salad bar.

"We think the combination will be popular," he says. "People can come in, look around at our bike selection and then relax in our patio area with a cup of coffee or a salad."

Summit has been in Los Gatos for five years. Other outlets are located in Burlingame (70 years!) and Berkeley (two years).

Austere says Summit will stock a wide range of quality products. "At any one time there will be from 200 to 250 cycles of various types and styles to chose from, ranging from $50 entry-level tricycles to highly sophisticated $5,000 downhill racers."

A VOTRE SANTE! Due to "pesky complications with ordinances and permits" having to do with wine-tasting on the premises, the French Cellar at 32 E. Main St., an upscale purveyor of regional wines and objects from France, was forced to celebrate the July 14 Bastille Day and the shop's "official opening" with Vals sparkling mineral water.

The water is supposed to be thirst-quenching, nutritional and possessing digestive properties. And, unlike wine, even good French wine, "it can be drunk in large quantities any time of the day" (quotes attributed to King Louis XV).

So how did the non-alcoholic celebration go?

"Very well," says proprietor Sallie Robbins-Druian. "It was a hot day, and every one was thrilled to have ice-cold water to drink. We added cassis, a black currant syrup, to the water and served it in faux crystal glasses. Then we topped things off with Angelina rumplemayer chocolate."

SMALL LOCAL BUSINESSES interested in establishing a Web site on the Internet can learn the pros and cons of this high-tech and increasingly fashionable electronics communications tool by contacting Chuck Barkas of WEBsters at 644 N. Santa Cruz Ave., Suite 7 (354-1311).

"We start from scratch to online with the user in as little as three days," Barkas says. "The first step is to have a no-charge review with clients about what they want to accomplish by using a Web page."

ELITE WIRELESS will be opening its Los Gatos outlet on Sept. 1 at 319 N. Santa Cruz Ave. Doug Montgomery, vice president and director of sales and a Los Gatos native, reports that the company specializes in wireless communications, including cellular, PCS, satellite TV, and family two-way products.

Got a tip about people or places in the business community? Did you just run a great promotion you'd like to share with our readers? Call Frank Stagnaro at 374-5881 or fax to his attention at 354-3917.

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