Café Primavera will move into Cornerstone Center
By Don Callahan
At Cornerstone Shopping Center--Joanna Biondi, a 14-year resident of Los Gatos, will open a Café Prima-vera in the 5,500-square-foot space vacated by Fresh Choice. The owner of the Café Primavera in Willow Glen, which she opened in 1989, Biondi has just signed a lease and plans on opening the restaurant in April 2000. The kitchen is equipped with a pizza oven, rotisserie and a grill, and the fare will be Italian and California cuisine.
Within the restaurant will be a banquet room which will seat 80. There is also a 1,000-square-foot outside dining area. The café will be open seven days a week and will feature a Sunday brunch. In the catering business for 23 years, Biondi will continue that side of her business and is the in-house preferred caterer at the Tech Museum in San Jose.
On down the Boulevard--Saratoga National Bank, at 14405, is in the process of being merged into San Jose National Bank. Having passed the scrutiny of the California Office of the Controller of Currency, the merger will be complete upon the blessing of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. The latter is for the protection of the shareholders of both banks. "Depending on the timing of the SEC review, the merger will be final in this coming December or January of 2000," according to Jim Kenny, president/CEO of San Jose National Bank.
Both banks started business in 1982, with Kenny taking over the helm of his bank in 1991. The local office will offer on-line banking and a greater lending power for SBA, factoring and leasing opportunities for personalized individual banking. Kenny is a resident of Saratoga; his CFO, Eugene Blakeslee, is a resident of Monte Sereno; and his senior VP is Margo Culcasi, a resident of Los Gatos.
New offices for lawyer--In 1981, after practicing law for 12 years in San Jose, James M. Sullivan, attorney-at-law, bought the house that sits at 225 N. Santa Cruz Ave. between Dolce Spazio Dessert Café and Les Chattes Salon and moved his practice to Los Gatos. The house was a residence until Dahl Plumbing bought and used it for its business and then sold it to Sullivan for his law office. In these past 18 years, Sullivan, who received his bachelor's and M.B.A. degrees as well as his JD degree from the University of Santa Clara, and who specializes in business, tax law and estate planning, has added two lawyers, an accountant and three staff and has outgrown the 1,500-square-foot office. This prompted the building of a two-story building in the parking area behind his office. The lower half is parking and the upper half has 2,000 square feet of office space. Needless to say, the front building is for lease.
A side note on our attorney friend--gourmet cooking is his hobby. Clients may read cookbooks and magazines, rather than business or law magazines, while waiting to confer with their attorney. Sullivan cooks lunch or dinner for his staff about twice a month. In addition, the new quarters houses a six-burner, two-oven stove with a griddle, and the conference room is easily converted into a dining room which comfortably seats 10.
A much longer move--The Icing on the Cake, at 223 N. Santa Cruz Ave., is heading south to 50 W. Main St. on the corner of Lundy Lane and W. Main. After 14 years at the current location, Lynn Magnoli, owner, has outgrown her bakery shop. She started with retail sales of cookies and wedding and other cakes. Our owner branched out into wholesale by supplying her goods to restaurants and coffeehouses. Although it will be some time before the move, when Dave Flick builds the structure, Magnoli and her 15 full- and part-time employees will have room to breathe, and the cooking process will be better organized. Expressing her gratitude for her 14 years in business here in Los Gatos, she says: "I feel very fortunate to be able to work--although I would hardly call this work, I enjoy it so much--and to be able to contribute to make this an awesome town." Many of the teenagers who work with her now used to come in as youngsters with their parents for cookies or cake. "They want to work here. Like me, they think it is fun."
CDS doing double duty--There are two empty stores in the first block of N. Santa Cruz Avenue. They are both being remodeled by Construction and Development Services. The one that housed Silver Impressions will become Four Green Fields--A Fine Irish Home and Gift Store. The store setting will resemble a quaint European storefront of the kind commonly found on the streets of Ireland and will have a complete collection of fine products from the Emerald Isle--Waterford crystal, Belleek Parian china, Nicholas Mosse pottery, Irish and Celtic jewelry, Suzanne May pottery, Weave of the Irish woven apparel for women, Patrick O'Connor golf-inspired sweaters, cardigans, scarves and coats and fine Irish linens, books, music, paintings and stationery.
From Chinese to French--The second CDS remodel was the home of Mabel's Lantern House, soon to be occupied by Pascal and Nicole Janvier under the name of Fleur de Cocoa. Pascal is a French-trained baker. He and his wife will present typical French patisserie and will emphasize all French fancy pastries and chocolate. They will produce a lunch menu which will include soups, salads, crepes and quiche. Look for them to open in mid-November as well.
Got a business news tip for Don Callahan? Fax him information at 408.354.2741 or email him at decallahan@home.com.
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