Nevada City Scene, Fall 2007

For advertising information, contact Kim James at The Union, (530) 477-4249. For editorial information, contact chamber publicist Dave Carter, (530) 265-NEWS.

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Business News

 

Business Cycles - In Good Times, Down Times, They've Found the Nevada City Secret
By Dave Carter

Small town business can be fickle. There are good years and there are down years. There is competition from down the highway. Economic factors and the price of gasoline also have affects.

Towns such as Nevada City feel these cycles. We see merchants come and go and businesses change hands. Owning a Nevada City shop or restaurant may be a dream for many but as many local merchants will tell you, it has to be a real commitment.

What does it take to make it in Nevada City today? It easier or tougher than 10 years ago, 20 years ago?

Nevada City has more than its share of success stories, people who have put their faith in themselves and their town and done very well. A few of them share their thoughts here.

Friar Tuck's
Greg Cook came to town in 1973 and opened up a funky little restaurant with burlap wallpaper. He called it Friar Tuck's and specialized in fondue. Today, Cook employs 44 and runs one of the county's most successful upscale restaurants.

“If you have a good idea, you can make it work,” says Cook. “If you want to be in Nevada City, look around, see what's missing. See what the people want.

“In the restaurant business, the endless hours are the toughest part, the 9 a.m. to 2 a.m. days. We called it boot camp. It was tough getting up and getting the kids off to school.” Even so, Cook thinks the restaurant business is tougher today, with its increased costs and regulations.

Cook remembers a Nevada City that was more like Downieville and Sierra City, with far fewer dining and shopping options. “But we're still a rural area, we're not like Roseville where thousands of houses are going in. It's still the kind of area where you have to find yourself a job, to do it yourself.”

Utopian Stone
Pat Dyer opened a little jewelry shop in 1974. Today, Utopian Stone Master Goldsmiths is located on the corner of Broad and Pine streets.

The former hippie jeweler, city councilman and mayor has seen his share of business ups and downs, although today one or two nice highend jewelry sales can perk up an otherwise slow month.

“In the 70s, you could pick your location; most of the town was boarded up,” Dyer recalls. “Nevada City wasn't yet the tourist town, the restored mining town, that it wanted to be.”

Dyer grew up here, wanted to do business here and put his faith in the town. “In Nevada City, we don't all get rich, but we get by, we make a living. We're rich in other ways,” he says.

“We're in a slow time now, there's some uncertainty around and people are a little reserved in their spending,” he observes. “But it always fixes itself. You have to be patient. We just show up every day with a smile on our face and hope it's just around the corner.”

Cirino's
Jerry Cirino bought an old Broad Street saloon called Duffy's Success and opened his first Italian restaurant in 1983. Cirino's is now preparing for its 25th anniversary celebration.

“It wasn't a restaurant; we had no clientele. We built it one customer at a time,” he says. “My philosophy is to treat everyone like your neighbor and that you will be able to build the type of atmosphere that will project good will. Business goes where it is welcomed and appreciated.”

Cirino places high value on consistent quality food and customer service. He pays particular attention to attracting quality employees. His Nevada City and Grass Valley restaurants employ 75.

“Nevada City is a good place to do business,” says Cirino. “A business person has to have something that is needed and wanted.”

“I've never looked at competition as something bad,” he noted. “It's something you learn from.”

Mountain Pastimes Kathy and Terry Hillis bought an old building on a very quiet Spring Street and in 1989 opened a game and puzzle shop called Mountain Pastimes.

“We did a lot of research and went to all the other stores; no one was really doing this,” said Kathy Hillis. With her off-the-beaten-path location, Hillis soon took to the streets, greeting visitors and handing them flyers to her shop.

The business has grown through years and now features a magic section known far and wide.

“When people come to our shop, we want them to come back with their friends,” she says. “We try to be as friendly as we can be. When I hire a new employee, I take them to all the businesses around town so they'll know what everyone has. We refer people to other shops and they refer people to us.”

As far as Nevada City, Hillis says she is an optimist. “I think our town has plenty of good shops, services and products. I'm still out on the streets. I enjoy being a concierge for Nevada City. I like telling people where they can find what they need.”

A Secret Hideaway in the Heart of Downtown Nevada City

How many swimming pools are there in Nevada City's downtown historic district? Let's see....there's one at The National Hotel. There's also one in a secret little hideaway at 309 Commercial Street.

This vacation rental is among Nevada City's most unique lodgings. A historic brick facade is trimmed with original iron doors that lead into to a warm and cozy 700-square-foot vacation apartment with an upstairs loft.

Stepping inside, your eye is drawn through the living area to wide French doors that open to a private outdoor swimming pool surrounded by ivy-draped walls.

All of this might come as a surprise here in the business district of upper Commercial Street, an area that used to be part of Nevada City's Chinatown and is now known as the Chinese Quarter.

Longtime Nevada City resident Joleen Borba is the creative force behind the new vacation rental. She says the building dates to the 1890s and the site has seen a variety of uses and may have even been an opium den in its early years.

Borba bought the place last October and spent several months restoring, remodeling and decorating the building before opening on Aug. 1.

“It's a new venture for me,” said Borba, who works as a trustee for a large agricultural trust. “I showed it to a lot of my friends, both men and women, and they all loved it. They all said it was the kind of place they would stay.”

So, with the assistance of a designer friend, Borba set out to update the apartment, which had been a vacation rental known as Le Petit Chateau and The Loft but inactive in recent years. She named it 309 Commercial Street.

Antique furnishings and fixtures, fireplace, fully equipped kitchen, one and a half baths, upstairs master bedroom, HD television, wireless Internet service, all of the bells and whistles. Luxury and privacy just steps from downtown shops and restaurants.

Borba has designed the unit as a smoke-free adult environment, perfect for use by one or two couples. It rents for $225 per night (plus tax) with a two-night minimum. Discounts are offered for four or more nights.

For information and reservations on 309 Commercial Street, call (530) 274-0309 or toll-free (866) LOVE-309 or see www.309commercial.com.

Nevada City Charm, Elegant Setting and a Proper Tea Room

When a visitor to Shaw's Antiques remarked to Susan Shaw- Teasley that she loved Nevada City but that the town lacked “a proper tea room,” it sparked a new idea for the owner of one of California's oldest antique shops.

That inspiration has become Shaw's Top Floor Tea Room, which now occupies the entire second floor of Shaw's Antiques, the venerable antique shop located since 1934 at 210 Main Street.

Shaw-Teasley and her husband, Chuck Teasley, spent months on a complete renovation of the second story space. Today, with its European touches, French toile wallpaper, chandeliers and antique furnishings, the Tea Room offers what may be the most elegant atmosphere in downtown Nevada City.

As they prepared the Tea Room, the couple researched and educated themselves in the ways of tea. They traveled to the World Tea Expo in Las Vegas, and came home with new ideas, excitement and enthusiasm.

“We have teas from all over the world, more than 50 varieties,” says Shaw-Teasley. There are green, black, white, estate, Tisane herbal, Rooibos and other teas. One very special white tea arrives at $400 per bag and is sold for $5 per cup.

Shaw's Top Floor Team Room, which opened in July, 2006, specializes in lunch and afternoon tea.

Soups, salads, sandwiches, quiche, desserts, coffee and tea are among the specialties. The menu is seasonal and the emphasis is on healthy and local organic foods.

The kitchen is under the direction of chef Barbara Bjorn, a graduate of the Peter Kump Culinary Institute in New York City.

Guests especially enjoy the Old World three-tier traditional lunch, which is served with scones on the top tray, assorted finger sandwiches in the middle and assorted desserts on the lower tray.

The Top Floor Tea Room encourages private bookings for birthday parties, bridal and baby showers and other special occasions. Up to 38 guests may be accommodated for special events.

Shaw-Teasley says visitors have offered many positive comments to her food, service and setting. “People will often say they feel transported back in time,” she says.

Lunch and afternoon tea are served from 11-4 Tuesdays through Sundays (closed Mondays) For information and reservations, call 265-2668 or see www.topfloortearoom.com.

It's a Fantasy World at Tanglewood Forest Gallery

Marci Wolfe and her band of wizards, elves, fairies, gnomes and assorted fantasy characters at Tanglewood Forest Gallery have been part of the local art scene for 20 years.

As part of her anniversary celebration, Wolfe has moved the business from Commercial Street to a bigger, brighter store at 313 Broad Street. “I saw the building and instantly envisioned how the shop would work,” said Wolfe, who operates the store with her mother, Anita Wald-Tuttle.

With help from designer Michael Baranowski and others, Wolfe transformed the store interior into the fantasyland world known as Tanglewood Forest. The shop spreads around a giant tree and is highlighted by the massive Grandfather Tanglewood chair.

The shop showcases fantasy art and imaginative treasures of the fairy genre. Items in the store range from $5 gift items to $2500 collector pieces. The shop displays Wolfe 's own art as well as top fantasy artists mainly from the U.S., Asia and Indonesia.

Tanglewood Forest has done well with its line of Christmas ornaments; this year's 19th anniversary ornament is due soon. The store also features a Christmas section.

In her career as a doll artist working in the fantasy realm, Wolfe has developed 64 original Tanglewood Forest characters, ranging from doll-size to life-size. These characters are in collections far and wide.

Wolfe opened her first shop in Grass Valley, then moved to lower Broad Street 18 years ago. She then relocated to upper Commercial Street for nine years before her July move to Broad Street. In recent years, Wolfe has been very active with the Center for the Arts, playing important roles as a founder and board member.

“I'd like to thank the community and our clients for the past 20 years,” Wolfe said. “I am very grateful to be doing business here.”

Stop by the new expanded gallery at 313 Broad Street. It's open daily 10:30-6 and until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays. Call 478-1223. The Tanglewood Forest family of characters and other gift items may be seen at www.tanglewoodforest.com.

Nevada City's fine Reataurants - Dos Banditos Adds Latin Sushi

Latin sushi is the next big thing at Dos Banditos, the popular Mexican restaurant and bar overlooking Deer Creek at the foot of Broad Street.

Owner Eric Engstrom and chef Antonio Ayestaran are putting the final touches on their newest venture, Dos Banditos Krudos, which is scheduled to open in early October in a section of the building that formerly housed a retail shop.

“It's a fusion of Latin and Japanese foods, sushi with a spicy Latin twist,” said Ayestaran, who gained a strong following during his six years as executive chef at Alta Sierra Country Club.

Ayestaran brings another impressive credential; He's a three-time member of the California Olympic Culinary Team in world cooking competition. He medaled each time, bringing home gold, silver and bronze awards.

Engstrom, who joined Dos Banditos last year as a consultant and eventually took over ownership of the restaurant, is excited over the new plan. He said the sushi idea is really catching on in Mexican resort areas. “It's a fairly new concept,” he said.

The new sushi room features a 17-foot granite sushi bar and seating for 28-30. Guests will be able to pick from choices including various seafoods, ceviche, sashimi, rolls and more.

Dos Banditos offers authentic Mexican food, creekside dining, an expansive bar with musical entertainment Thursday through Saturday nights and wide screen TV for sports

Visitors will find three entries, including one on Broad Street, which provides access to the bar and sushi bar. The main dining room is situated downstairs. It's an expansive 99-seat room that opens out onto the 41-seat deck beside the flowing waters of Deer Creek.

Dos Banditos is open daily for lunch and dinner and also offers a Sunday brunch. The business also features a catering service. For information or reservations, call 265-4840.

Gary Wright Brings Edgar Allan Poe to the Nevada City Stage in ‘Evermore'

Gary Wright has written a new play for the Foothill Theatre Company. “Evermore,” a play based on the life, death and writings of Edgar Allan Poe, opens Sept. 27 in Nevada City.

Wright, a familiar face on the FTC stage since 1994 (over 50 productions), also directs occasionally, and has written several literary adaptations for FTC: The Diary of a Forty-Niner and Dracula. Forty-Niner was subsequently produced in Sacramento, and Dracula was translated into Russian, and performed at the Maxim Gorky Theatre in Vladivostok, Russia – where it remained in the repertory for two seasons.

Before landing his associate artist position with FTC, Wright spent two summers with the Oregon Shakespeare Festival, and acted professionally in Sacramento.

In recent years, he has focused on writing. His spec screenplay, The Riggs Translation, was a semifinalist in the prestigious Nicholl Fellowship contest (top 3 percent of about 5000 scripts) and was optioned earlier this year by a Canadian production company, Original Pictures, Inc.

“I'm certainly maturing as a writer,” Wright said of his most recent effort, the 80-page “Evermore” manuscript. “I think if you've seen my other work, you'll probably agree that I'm becoming a better storyteller.”

Wright has developed “Evermore” over the past 10 months, devoting considerable time to researching Poe's life and work.

“My original plan was simply to write a stage adaptation of Poe's stories and poems,” he said. “But as I researched Poe's life, looking for material to connect the poems and stories, I learned about his wife, Virginia (whom he adored), and his editor, Rufus Griswold (a friend who turned into a bitter enemy). I found those two relationships so compelling, that they kind of took over the play. I discovered that Poe wrote some of his most haunting love poetry – Annabel Lee and The Raven – while Virginia was dying of consumption in the next room. And I learned that he wrote his classics of betrayal and revenge --The Tell-Tale Heart and The Cask of Amontillado --as his friendship with Griswold was falling apart.

“So, suddenly I had a gripping dramatic context for Poe's work – it wasn't just a simple adaptation anymore! The classic poems and tales are still in the play, but now they're interwoven with fascinating glimpses of Poe's personal life. It's gonna be a powerful piece of theatre!”

Weight Loss is Focus of New Nevada City Enterprise

Mike Carv i l l e , c o - owner of Nevada City's popular South Yuba Club, is a guy who stays on top of the trends and changes in the health club business.

He cites statistics that show many people, especially older folks, won't go to health clubs, often because they are intimidated by the gym atmosphere. Carville also notes that about two-thirds of us feel we should lose some weight.

Where do these people turn? They might visit a new business called Healthy Now, the latest addition to the South Yuba Club family of health-related enterprises.

Healthy Now, located at 569 Searls Avenue, near the South Yuba Club, in Nevada City's 7 Hills Business District, is a stand-alone, dedicated facility for those who wish to improve their lives through weight loss.

“Weight loss is usually a byproduct, not the focus, at a health club,” said Carville. “Here our focus is on weight loss.”

The new club is off to a great pound-shedding start. General Manager Jenn Cox keeps a progress chart. From the club's July 14 opening through Aug. 20, members had shed 190 pounds.

“Our membership was up to 80 in the first month,” said Cox, who works with a team of coaches, called “guardian angels,” who help clients develop their own individualized success plans, which include exercise programs, diet consultation and menu planning.

The colorful new 3700-squarefoot club offers a comfortable social atmosphere with separate bays for reception and metabolic series programs and fitness equipment.

Prospective members are invited to visit the club for a free consultation, which includes a metabolic profile, goal weight determination and individual program details. Members may join Healthy Now or choose a dual membership with the South Yuba Club.

“In losing weight, small changes can make a big difference,” says Carville. “If you cut 300 calories a day and add exercise to your life, you can see a net decrease of 500-700 calories a day. We can help you reach your goal.”

Carville had pursued a career in the fitness business in Portland when he and his father, Phil Carville and his wife Belinda Rush-Carville opened the South Yuba Club in 1999. They have since added the Monster Gym in Grass Valley to their operations.

With Healthy Now, they hope meet the needs of an expanding new market.

Healthy Now is open from 7- 7 Mondays through Fridays and 7-3 on Saturdays. Stop by or call (530) 470-THIN or see www.healthynowyou.com.

A Great Cup of Coffee, Nevada City Style

The patio at Broad Street Bistro & Gallery must be one of the very best places to enjoy Nevada City's passing parade. Not to mention the beautiful view down Broad Street.

Don and Theresa Vojtech purchased this classic Nevada City coffee house and restaurant in January. They have completed an extensive redecorating, expanded the menu, lengthened the hours and are hosting evening events.

“We're really enjoying it, we're feeling like part of the community, we're meeting hundreds of people,” says Don Vojtech, who has been impressed with Nevada City's spark and vitality.

Being part of the community is a welcome thing for the couple. They moved around a bit before settling in Nevada County two years ago. Don has worked as a manufacturer's representative and Theresa is a nurse. Now, they are happily putting their energy into their new business.

The new Broad Street Bistro serves all fair trade organic coffees, a variety of coffee drinks, Italian sodas and other beverages, light breakfast, salads and sandwiches for lunch, light fare for dinner, beer, wine and desserts.

The Vojtechs have opened up the interior of the restaurant to make it brighter and more inviting while preserving the nature and ambiance of the shaded outdoor patio. The gallery features rotating art exhibits.

Weekends bring soft music to the patio, poetry readings are held at 7 p.m. the second and fourth Thursday of each month and a new wine club has been started. The cafe is available for meetings of local community groups.

Broad Street Bistro & Gallery is located at 426 Broad Street, two doors up from Firehouse No. 2. It's open daily 7-6, until 9 p.m. on Fridays and Saturdays, and for special events. Call 265-4204.

The Bella Rosa Inn Luxury, Serenity at the Top of Broad Street

One of the stately and beautiful old homes of upper Broad Street has become Nevada City's newest bed & breakfast inn.

The Bella Rosa Inn opened July 14 at 517 West Broad Street. The inn is located at the site of the former Downey House Bed & Breakfast Inn, although the historic home has been used as a private residence for the past eight years.

The sparkling new lodging facility is the dream of Gina Ramos and her husband Ben Wilson, who have refurbished and redecorated the home's interior and completed an extensive landscaping project on the surrounding grounds.

Gina is the manager of Maria's Mexican Restaurant in Grass Valley, which is owned and operated by her mother, Maria Ramos. Ben works in construction. The couple is assisted at the inn by onsite innkeeper Diane Barham.

As guests step into the upscale 1885 Victorian home, they will see a large parlor, dining room and kitchen. The soothing sounds of running water emanate from several indoor and outdoor fountains.

Upstairs are five beautifully decorated rooms, each with its own theme and color. The inn features four different eating areas, including a bright sunroom. A massage therapy room and sauna are located downstairs.

Mornings include a gourmet breakfast while evenings include wine and hors d'oeuvres and complimentary chocolates and beverage bar. The room rate is $189 plus tax.

Gina, who someday hopes to operate her own resort, says the bed & breakfast inn is an important first step in that direction. “I've wanted a place, a resort, a retreat, where people can come to relax and get pampered. This is what we want to do here.”

The Bella Rosa Inn offers the best of both worlds; it provides a quiet sanctuary nestled among the pines, yet is just steps from downtown shops, restaurants and entertainment. It is sure to be a positive addition to Nevada City's lodging scene.

For information and reservations, call (530) 265-9055 or (866) 696-9055. See www.BellaRosaInn.net. or e-mail stay@BellaRosaInn.net