Los Gatos Camera Center moves into a digital world
By Don Callahan
A picture is worth ... Seventeen years ago Mike Moresco opened his Los Gatos Camera Center in the Lyndon Plaza building and two years later moved to his present location at 421 N. Santa Cruz Ave. He has recently upgraded all of his photo-processing equipment where, in addition to 35mm and 120mm processing, he can now do APS (advanced photo system) and slide processing as well, all in house. He also expanded his digital imaging lab to include being able to put photos, slides or prints, onto CDs or floppies. He also is able to make prints from most digital cameras and to produce prints from slides. "Restoring and colorizing some of those old family photographs would make wonderful holiday gifts," Moresco suggests.
New at the Cornerstone ... Trebor & Cole has recently opened at the corner of Los Gatos Boulevard and Blossom Hill Road between Teel's Jewelry and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Robert A. Doyle and Nicole Kypreos are offering distinctive contemporary housewares and gifts with an emphasis on dining and entertaining. Their merchandise assortment consists of tabletop accessories.
To enhance any celebration, there are drinkware, serving trays, cocktail napkins and myriad other items. In addition there will be decor items, such as vases, picture frames and holiday ornaments. Doyle spent the last 20 years in the software development business. Kypreos has worked in retail management and sales for 15 years and has always dreamed of owning her own store. She said, "We were transferred to California four years ago by our respective companies and were immediately smitten with the charm of Los Gatos." Interesting side note, Trebor is Robert spelled backwards and, of course, Cole are the last four letters of Nicole.
Musical chairs ... Ariana Rug Gallery at 457 N. Santa Cruz Ave. is expanding to include 459; Fashion Cleaners & Draperies is moving from 455 to 461 and Stewart Title of California will take over the 455 spot. The renovations in the four store fronts building are anticipated to be completed in mid-January. Siamak Shamouilzadeh, owner of Ariana Rug Gallery, has lived in Los Gatos for 21 years and is a graduate of Los Gatos High School, class of '81. Shamouilzadeh owned a rug gallery on Santa Cruz Avenue in Menlo Park for three years when the opportunity to move his store to Los Gatos presented itself. "I moved my gallery here almost three years ago because I consider this to be my hometown and I named it after my daughter." All rugs in the gallery are handmade and come from places such as Persia, China, Pakistan India and Turkey. As a full service gallery, Ariana's does cleaning and repair of rugs.
Chuck Boyle opened Fashion Cleaners & Draperies in the 455 location 32 years ago. Two years ago Boyle suffered a pretty severe stroke that created paralysis on his right side. For his customers; he is doing OK and is in rehabilitation programs to help his mobility. In the meantime, his daughter Katherine Boyle has returned to Los Gatos--born here and moved away at the age of 6--to operate the store for her dad. Although there will be less available space, the move to 461 N. Santa Cruz Ave. will still allow all dry cleaning to be done in-house.
Out on Friday, in on Monday ... The Good Earth Restaurant pulled up stakes and left town on Friday, Dec 1. By Monday, Dec. 4, Craig Uyeda, also known as "Stovie," was in making renovations for a new restaurant, Stovie's Pizza & Pasta. Uyeda, owner and operator, had been employed by Tony & Albas Pizza for 10 years, winding up as general manager. This experience and the sudden opening of the space at 206 N. Santa Cruz Ave. led Stovie to open his own restaurant. "I want this to be known as a gathering place for families. My byline will be 'We'll treat you like family.' When groups come in, we'll shove some tables together for the whole group." Renovations are estimated to be completed by the end of this month.
1947 ... That's when Bill Kooper opened University Avenue Style Barber Shop at 606 University Ave. In 1959, his son, Jim, Los Gatos High School Class of '58, started to help his dad on a part-time basis while attending college. "My dad became ill in 1960, so I had to hire a journeyman barber because I was still an apprentice. Dad passed away in 1961. I began to like the barber business and have been going full time ever since." Kooper says that the growth of the town has brought an increase in his business to the point where he needed to bring in another barber on a part-time basis. Enter, Tony Pollino. Pollino, San Jose High School Class of '51, was working at the barber shop in Downing Center and wanted to reduce his hours. This filled the needs of both men. Interestingly, this may be the second oldest continuous family business, at the same location in Los Gatos, following the Macabee Gopher Trap Company. The building on University Avenue was built in 1947 by Tony Mattiuz, father of Toni Blackstock, LGHS Class of '57, and assisted by Rudy Mesa, father of Gilbert Mesa (Mesa Floor Covering on Los Gatos Boulevard), also a LGHS grad.
Rumors ... Renovation work is under way at 122 N. Santa Cruz Ave., the site formerly occupied by James Bond Gallery. Although corporate headquarters did not return calls to confirm or deny, the smart money is on the kitchen boutique shop, Williams Sonoma, as the new occupant.
Got a business news tip for Don Callahan? Fax him at 408.354.3907 or email him at decallahan@home.com.
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Los Gatos, California Since 1881
