Andrea Martinez-Wells has lived in Pleasanton for seven years, and lately she's been eyeing a new store on Main Street.
It took attending her first Summer Wine Stroll to meet the owner of Main Street Meat & Fish Market and discover he sells the flank steak she used to buy in her native Argentina.
"Come see us," co-owner Tony Nora said while serving her a mini-pulled pork sandwich by Murphy's Paws, a pet accessories store where barrels of dog biscuits sat near Nora's dishes.
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"I will," said Martinez-Wells enthusiastically.
She went back to meet her friends to tell them about the new market. "I never expected he would be here."
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Martinez-Wells' discovery is what local businesses hoped yesterday's event bring. Create a chance for some of downtown businesses to show residents what's new.
Thirty eight local wineries poured and restaurants served everything from chocolate dipped strawberries to homemade pasta in the hopes that downtown's 575 businesses could keep a foothold on local commerce.
Melanie Sadek, co-owner of Murphy's Paw, invited Nora to introduce him to the neighborhood.
"It's just a great way to get people in the store and a wonderful way to socialize with my customers," said Sadek.
Out of 38 businesses that participated, nearly 95 percent are owned by small business owners, said Alisha Perdue, Pleasanton Downtown Association event coordinator.
From super local Savvy Seconds consignment store displaying second- hand handbags to MD Laser Spa raffling a session on a new non-invasive slimming technology being touted nationally, the event showcased businesses that ran the gamut.
"They are trying to promote as local as they can because they realize that thousands of people are downtown," said Perdue.
Nine hundred tickets were sold for Thursday night's event, with guests coming as far away as the South Bay and inland.
"I come every year," said Jackie Fratangelo of Pleasanton with mom Gail Shinn and her aunt Kathy Carrasquilla in tow. "You find out about shops you never knew about,"
"But I keep my check book and my credit cards at home," she said.
The snaking lines outside of the businesses didn't always translate into shopping bags. However, many Stroll participants received discounted deals on everything from cooking classes to cook books.
A live band was playing at Your Stage Toys, but owner Dee Nitzsche says the down market, combined with the 1,800 square foot space on West Angela, was hard to keep up with. The store is closing at the end of this month. Your Stage Toys had hoped to use some of the space for birthday parties.
"But it just didn't fly," she said.
Yet even in the face of closing, Nitzsche says the Summer Wine Stroll was the most successful in their three years of business. Ever the optimist, she and her husband Rob used the opportunity- and a 20 percent discount coupon- to get the word out about their online store.
"This stroll is by far the busiest," said Nitzsche.
Two other empty retail spaces next door to Your Stage Toys are for lease on West Angela Street. If anyone knew the effects of the economic slowdown it was the winery pouring there.
Bill Webster of Little Valley Winery used to be based in Sunol and more recently started growing grapes in Livermore. He has since opened a community tasting room in Pleasanton on Main Street and supports the Summer Wine Stroll every year.
"It helps us out and we want to help everyone else out," he said.
