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North Parker Lofts
30th @ Upas
Mixed use (8k sq. ft. retail and 27 apts)
Target date of December 2013
Jonathan Segal Architects


North Park Post Office
North Park Way @ Grim
Mixed use (5k sq. ft. retail and 32 apts)
Target date of June 2014
Foundation for Form Architecture

Hess Brewery
3812 Grim near North Park Way
Brewery, tasting room, canning facility
Target date of April 2013

Pigment
North Park Way @ 30th Street
Expansion in to Pacific Drapery space
Target date of May 2013


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Bottlecraft opens new North Park shop

Bottlecraft interior

Boutique beer shop Bottlecraft has opened at 3007 University, next door to Heaven Sent Desserts. Bottlecraft specializes in curating San Diego craft beers plus selections from the rest of the world.

The new store has a great vibe, with exposed ceilings and cement floors, and greatly improves the space that once housed a run of the mill liquor store. In addition to craft beers, we saw a fair selection of wines and special sodas. Plans call for Miho Gastrotruck to sell food here as well, so you can pair a meal with a beer.



Graceful Living
North Park's retail scene just got a sizeable addition in the form of Grace-ful Living Home Furnishings. Owned by Mark Matheson, formerly of Metropolis in Hillcrest, the new store occupies the former Old Time Music store at the corner of University Avenue and Utah Street (2852 University Avenue, phone (619) 399-3460).

The space is huge, with two equally large showrooms. The ceilings have been stripped down to the rafters and walls down to the cinder block, creating a high-end industrial vibe. The furniture and lighting are combinations of distressed metal, wood, and other hard surfaces with luxurious fabrics, creating a mix of contemporary and old-world furnishings, and are much more unique than what will find in a chain store.


Seven Grand Interior
Seven Grand has opened their husky lodge-themed San Diego outpost at 3054 University Avenue at Ohio Street (the original Seven Grand is still in downtown Los Angeles). Serving over 140 whiskeys, with mint julips, old fashioneds and whiskey sours as starters, the gorgeous space is decorated with real (deer) and not so real (jackalope) taxidermy against swank wallpaper, studded leather seating, and moody low-level lighting.

While they have two pool tables and a jukebox, the audio level is low enough to have true conversation with your compatriots without straining your vocal cords (quite a departure, and refreshing, from so many recently-opened establishments). Another refreshing break from San Diego's sometimes too casual nature is an actual dress code: no flip-flops or shorts for men.


Miss Vintage Clothing Boutique
Casa de Luz has opened their plant-based cuisine (nay macrobiotics) restaurant at 2920 University Avenue, just two doors down from Claire de Lune, and what a beauty of a space.

Formerly a Salvation Army outlet, the entire space has been gutted and reimagined, with community tables installed to encourage interaction with others; a self-serve soup and salad line; and a cooking school upstairs that includes UCSD as a partner.

Their menu changes daily so visit their website to find out what's cooking for your visit.


Miss Vintage Clothing Boutique
Asian-infused Wang's North Park has opened their doors. Located in the old JC Penny building at 3029 University Avenue at Ray Street, the huge space has been transformed in to a modern and swank restaurant and bar. The motif here is centered around trees (their Palm Springs location is centered on water), with a large metal tree standing as the centerpiece, and individual elements throughout the space echoing tree branches. While there's nary a carpet thread to be found, the high ceilings dissipate the noise level so it's possible to have a conversation without having to scream (as too many other restaurants suffer from).

Most rewarding however is the food itself. Our party of four loved each of the dishes we sampled (with the Korean ribs a particular stand-out). Staff are still working out the kinks, as to be expected with a soft opening, but were stellar in their attitude and attempts to please.


Miss Vintage Clothing Boutique
Ms Vintage Clothing Boutique is now displaying her wares at 3011 University Avenue. The interior looks like it was plucked straight out of Valley of the Dolls (in a completely retro fantastic way). It carries women's vintage clothing with focus on the last few decades. Being next to Home Mercantile Company, across the street from Mimi & Red's, and around the corner from Pigment, the east block of University Avenue at 30th is becoming quite the retail corridor.


Aloha Sunday
Two New Retailers Open in North Park
Hot new retailer Aloha Sunday Supply Company has opened its doors at 3118 University Avenue. The retailer offers a mix of mostly new with some vintage clothing, shoes, and accessories, with a major focus on supporting local based clothing designers and manufacturers.

The store also carries beautiful leather satchels, jewelry, surfboards, and accessories.

There's a well-produced video about how the new interior has largely been constructed using materials reclaimed from Northern Origine over on Vimeo.

Hunt & Gather
Previously located in University Heights, and now just five blocks to the west of Aloha Sunday, Hunt & Gather has opened up at 2871 University Avenue in the Granada Building. Owned by Zoe and Lee Reynolds, the store carries vintage men's and women's clothing, and accessories.

The store also has a robust collection of vinyl records and carries vintage jewelry as well. The shop has a quite the fan club over on Yelp, and should be a hit with the hipster crowd in the neighborhood.

  

May 4, 2013
A rendering for The North Parker Lofts has been posted over at SD Urban's website. Looks like there will be overhangs on the first floor that will provide shade for outdoor dining.
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April 26, 2013
Hubcap Burgers
A new burger lounge called Hubcap has replaced El Take It Easy. After a quick visual refresh, changing out some of the wood exterior for shiny metal and some new paint, the restaurant launched on April 23rd. The menu includes a selection of burgers (beef and vegi), salads, and cocktails (sadly we don't see a requisite milkshake listed). We tried the burgers and found them extremely good.
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Stopped by the new Pigment location this past weekend and Chad (co-owner) mentioned they hope to be open within 10 days, which would land around May 8. They've completed refurbishment of the exterior stucco and plan to add 3 living walls to finish it off. The interior space, which looks to be double or triple the size of their current location, is looking fantastic as well.
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April 22, 2013
Project Updates: In preparation for the new North Parker Lofts, the demolition of the building at 30th & Upas (where Pat's used to be) has commenced. Most of the structures are already flattened. Target opening date for the lofts and ground-level retail is Fall of 2014.
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Foundation for Form's development at the old post office at Grim is moving along at a clip, with foundation and framing already far along.
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Pigment's relocation continues, with the exterior of the building at 30th & North Park Way getting an application of stucco over the weekend.
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March 14, 2013

Belching Beaver Brewery
A tipster sent us word that Belching Beaver Brewery is getting ready to open an outpost at 4223 30th Street near Crazee Burger.
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Ripe North Park
Apparently they've been open for nearly a year, but a tipster also just let us know of a new neighborhood store named Ripe North Park, located at 3302 32nd Street, between Thorn and Upas Streets. Reviews on Yelp for their deli (with Boar's Head meats) are good. We'll definitely be checking them out soon!
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February 9, 2013
North Park Festival of the Arts
The 17th Annual 2013 North Park Festival for the Arts has been set for Saturday, May 18th.
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Demolition of the parking lot behind the North Park Post Office has begun, with machinery prepping the development for 5,000 square feet of retail space and 32 apartments in a 4 story building. See the Project Tracker below for additional details.
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influx
We heard a rumor that influx is eyeing one of the new retail spaces on the bottom floor of the North Park Lofts, at 30th and Upas. See more details of this development at the Project Tracker below.
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February 6, 2013
Sustainable North Park recylcing cans
North Park recently had new recycling cans, branded with signage that echo the North Park sign, installed throughout the neighborhood. It's another example of the Sustainable North Park initiative being coordinated by North Park Main Street. Good job!
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January 22, 2013
Swoon Dessert Bar
Swoon Dessert Bar has announced their grand opening for February 9, 2013, from 6-9pm. Located at 3139 University Avenue, in the Art Produce building, the fabulous new space is designed so customers can watch as their dessert, sourced with local seasonal ingredients, are created by chef Ian Smith and his staff.
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January 14, 2013
North Park Bikes has opened at 3022 North Park Way, next door to Pacific Drapery (nay Pigment's new location). Phone is 619.255.3100.
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First the New York Times, and now the Los Angeles Times is highlighting North Park as a travel destination. The locations in the article don't cover a lot of the fantastic options to be found, but there's still plenty of love.
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Pat's Corner has left the building, and now a banner adorns the building at 30th Street and Upas way that Jonathan Segal has bought, announcing The North Parker Lofts coming soon. It says that construction will begin Spring 2013 with completion in Fall 2013. Seems like a pretty tight deadline to demolish and build a new structure with 27 apartments units sitting on 8,000 square feet of retail.
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This-n-that... The Endzone Sports Bar looks to be quickly nearing completion. There's a new faux brick back wall and mural being painted that's looking pretty cool... Hess Brewery installed their huge beer making vats this past week and it's incredible how such a large space has been filled to the gills with the equipment... We hear that George's Camera may be opening a small specialty store in the old Chester's Furniture location next to Chito's Shoe Repair on University... Swoon Dessert Bar is ever so close to opening, putting the finishing touches on the interior... a mini-parklet project is being proposed outside of Caffe Calabria... Imig's Kitchen, in the Lafayette Hotel, is now open for dinner...
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January 5, 2013
The Costume Shop has closed their brick and mortar location in the North Park Parking Garage complex. A sign on their door indicates they'll soon open an online presence.
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Eater San Diego is reporting that Jay Turner, owner of The Linkery and El Take it Easy, is moving up to San Francisco. He'll be keeping the restaurants in his stable, while opening a new place in the Bay Area. They also report that Caffe Calabria is busy installing a brewery in their basement.
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December 14, 2012
Looks like The Foundry is undergoing some plastic surgery. The exterior sign is gone and the interior is torn apart. The sign on the window says it's undergoing remodeling, but there's also an application for change of ownership under the name "Endzone Bar and Grill" (sounds like a sports bar?).
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Chester's Furniture, on University Avenue next to Chito's Shoe Repair, has a going out of business sign.
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December 11, 2012
Pigment is moving their store two doors down to the much larger space currently occupied by Pacific Drapery. The new space is almost completely cleared out with rafters and beams exposed.
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The news that the building at 30th and Upas has been purchased by Jonathan Segal seem to be bearing fruit. San Diego CityBeat recently ran the story that the ICE Gallery would be closing soon because of the purchase. Now the San Diego Reader is reporting that Pat's Corner has been served eviction papers for January 1.

The CityBeat article also says that Segal's office confirmed that a new development with 8,000 square feet of commercial space and a 27-unit apartment complex are planned for the space.
 
   
   
                         
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The opinions expressed on this site are those of the owner (except those expressed on the blog), and have no connection to any city or community entity.