Sprouts & Shutters: New Mexican Restaurants, Painting Studio, Clothing Boutique and More

Wondering what’s moving into your neighborhood shopping center? Our weekly Sprouts & Shutters column highlights the latest Tri-Valley restaurant, retail and other business news.

owner Rodney Worth will open his fifth Danville area restaurant later this spring. Ferrari's Cucina Povera will replace Stomp in the Blackhawk Plaza, also home to Worth's The Little Pear and the Prickly Pear. Read all about the new pizza-focused eatery in the latest Diablo Dish.

Danville recently developed a fun way to encourage shoppers to stop using plastic bags: The town launched a design contest for its “All Things Danville” reusable shopping bag. The lucky winner receives a $150 cash prize plus another $100 “carrot cash” (good at Danville’s Farmers’ Market). See the attached flier and entry form for full details.

Pazouki Painting Studio, owned by Dublin residents and artists Haleh and Houman Pazouki, opens this week next door to Yoga Fusion in the San Ramon Square shopping center in San Ramon. Starting April 20, the new studio will offer an open studio and creative painting and drawing classes like figure drawing and still-life painting for students ages seven and up. The new business also features portrait painting, painting repairs and decorative home painting. Learn more on the studio’s facebook page.

moved a few blocks to a new mall on Dublin Boulevard, opening a larger showroom near Soccer Pro. The company specializes in commercial, specialty auto and residential glass, including shower enclosures, windows and patio doors, vanity mirrors and more. Learn more at dublinglass.net.

A dollar store will soon open in Pleasanton on Santa Rita. JC Dollar Store takes over Kathy’s Health Club’s old space near the future home of the Walmart Neighborhood Market, set to open in the former Nob Hill Market building. (You can read comments about the new dollar store in Pleasanton Weekly’s coverage of the Neighborhood Market.)

Opening Update: Pleasanton’s new Baja Fresh, covered in , opened April 9 in the new Pleasanton Gateway center on Bernal Road. Pleasanton also has a Baja Fresh eatery in the Stoneridge Shopping Center.

Opening Update: Pleasanton’s new El Jarrito Restaurant, previewed in a , celebrated its opening with a ribbon cutting ceremony April 12. The new Mexican restaurant replaced Alma's Mexican Grill on Main Street.

Kali Kouture is set to open on Second Street in Livermore next to Loards Ice Cream by May 1. Livermore resident Robin Groth-Hill, former owner of Groth Brothers Chevrolet, says her new women’s boutique will offer “something for everyone for every occasion” from designer bathing suits to trendy evening wear. Kali Kouture will also sell shoes, jewelry, colored contact lenses, hair extensions, wine-themed gifts and custom gift baskets. Learn more at kali-kouture.com.

Livermore's , which changed management last August, completed its major spa renovation in mid February. The resort, located in the wine country on Cross Road in a 23-acre olive orchard, is also updating all guest rooms in its inn. You can read more in and on Livermore Patch. 

Did you miss Patch's last retail and restaurant roundup? Read about these and more in our last Sprouts & Shutters column:

• in Danville
• in San Ramon
• in Dublin
• in Pleasanton 
• in Livermore

Know of a restaurant or shop opening or closing in the Tri-Valley? Please send me a news tip at patchsprouts@gmail.com.