Los Gatos Weekly-Times Oakville Grocery opens with 'inside information' By Frank Stagnaro OAKVILLE GROCERY didn't just plan its Oct. 29 opening in Old Town and hope for the best. Au contraire. Before making any final determinations as to where to locate, how to proceed and what products and services to emphasize, the company "recruited" a local advisory board consisting of citizens from Los Gatos, Saratoga, Monte Sereno and immediate environs to assist in the decision-making process. "We wanted to seek the advice and expertise of longtime residents and local businesspeople to shorten our learning curve," says owner and Chief Executive Officer Steve Carlin. "We wanted to find out about local issues, community values (is it a late-night town, for example), demographics, and in general develop a feeling for the town and the direction it is heading (aggressively seeking tourism, or moving to limit or reduce tourism?)." The advisory board was made up of people representing a wide variety of community residents--owners of business, educators, politicians, community activists and influential consumers, but Carlin declines to identify participants, saying that to disclose their names would be a breach of the understanding they have with their advisers. VICE PRESIDENT BILL RYAN of Barry Swenson Builder reports that the renovated New Town shopping center (a.k.a. New Town Center) has space available for three more business tenants. Current occupants are Kinko's at 15495 Los Gatos Blvd. and Andrew Fanelli's All-Pro Tae Kwon Do martial arts school at 15545 Los Gatos Blvd. "We've invested about $300,000 in refurbishing the entire facility and grounds," Ryan says. "This includes replacing roofs, painting exteriors and interiors, landscaping, and resurfacing the parking lot. We're ready for new tenants." Anyone interested in leasing space should contact Tina Viglizzo at 938-6314. CLOSING DATE for Ten Thousand Villages was July 24. A card directed to this paper and customers reads: "We thank you for your support of our effort to make a difference in the lives of disadvantaged artisans in the developing world.This effort will continue with the 10th annual International Gift Faire, Oct. 16, 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., and October 17, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Lincoln Glen Church, 2700 Booksin Ave., San Jose. THE BACKYARD BIRD FEEDER opened for business on Aug. 15 at 1466 Pollard Road in the Rinconada Shopping Center. The Feeder is a specialty retail store offering a wide variety of quality birdseed. Other bird-watching and bird-feeding-related products are also sold. Owner Pat Curtis says, "The Backyard Bird Feeder is dedicated to supporting and increasing the awareness and enjoyment of the indigenous wild bird population." Products and services are designed to protect wild birds and to encourage the creation of more healthful habitats. The Feeder plans to sponsor bird-watching walks led by local birders and present bird identification slide shows at local schools and social clubs. The store is open from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Monday through Saturday and from 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Sunday.Call 378-0886 for more information. MARIE CORTEZ, director of the Los Gatos Conference Center at the Eastfield Ming Quong Foundation, has been designated as a Certified Meeting Professional (CMP), the highest honor awarded by the nation's Convention Liaison Council in Wheat Ridge, Colo. The achievement recognizes meeting professionals who obtain a superior score in the council's examination and have demonstrated high standards in organizing meetings and conferences. Cortez has been at the Los Gatos Center since 1994 organizing daytime meeting retreats for Silicon Valley groups and corporations. Prior to joining EMQ, she worked with Cadence Design Systems Software coordinating internal communications, special events, philanthropy and the employee relations department. The Los Gatos Campus of EMQ is located at 499 Loma Alta Ave. The telephone number is 364-4051. THE MARKETING APPROACH used by the Chiropractic Fitness Center of Los Gatos for the past year has helped raise funds for both local and national nonprofit organizations, and advertised the center's services in grand style. It worked at the Human Race, the Summit Challenge, the Dammit Run, Ron's Wildlife Run and a number of other races. The center offers a free massage and assisted stretching to event participants and a chance to speak to and be evaluated by a doctor. There is no obligation. Anyone who wishes to receive a thorough examination at the center's office can receive one by donating money to the organization being helped at the time. Office manager Norman Vogt explains that the center does not profit from either the massage/stretching exercise or the initial examination. The entire donation goes to the event. "It is our way of introducing ourselves to the community. We feel we offer a valuable service to those who decide to see us after the event and to the event itself. If participants like our services, get to know us, and subsequently come and see us on their own, that's all well and good." The Fitness Center is located at 15612 Los Gatos Blvd, Suite 3. The office telephone number is 356-6114. [ Back to Contents Page | Los Gatos Weekly-Times Home Page | Archives ] This article appeared in the Los Gatos Weekly-Times, October 14, 1998. ©1998 Metro Publishing, Inc. All rights reserved.