The 3-year-old Ikon Cycles bicycle shop recently relocated from its 18th Street location to a new spot on J Street, finishing construction last week. Owner Adrian Moore, originally from Portland, came to Sacramento in 2004 and shortly thereafter decided to open a shop similar to the ones in his hometown. “In Portland, there’s a lot of fiercely independent local stores,” he said. “I think of this shop as being like some of the locally owned ski and snowboard shops.” The original location, 1126 18th St., was a 500-square-foot space, and Moore said some were skeptical that he could fit a bike shop inside, but it worked well. Deciding to move to the new location, at 2318 J St., took the sh

Black Friday: To some, it’s THE day to kick off the Christmas shopping season and snag unbelievable deals on high-end items, even if it means camping overnight or cutting a Thanksgiving meal short. To others, it’s a day to avoid shopping centers at all costs. The Sacramento Press asked locals to share their Black Friday plans, strategies and experiences. Here is what they had to say: Ramona Powell, a 54-year-old transportation consultant from Sacramento, said she plans to do some shopping on Friday. “I’ve looked online at what Wal-Mart, K-Mart and Target, JC Penney’s and Macy’s have,” she said. “My tradition has been to go out at about 10 p.m. on Thanksgiving and camp out.” She said h

Local watering hole Pangaea Two Brews Cafe recently expanded its operations to include a bottle shop with about 200 beer selections. The bottle shop opened earlier this month, and owner Rob Archie said he has plans to add a delivery service in the Curtis Park neighborhood in September. “We had our grand opening Aug. 6, and it was full in here all day,” Archie said. “The response has been really positive.” Pangaea, located at 2743 Franklin Blvd., is marked by its selection of Belgian beers on tap, and Archie told The Sacramento Press in a previous article that he has long wanted to bring a bottle shop to offer those beers at to-go prices. Beers are stored in a refrigerator spanning much

A request for an expedited hearing by two shoppers suing the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op was denied Thursday, according to court documents, meaning that the case will not be heard before board elections this fall. The lawsuit was brought against the co-op earlier this month and claims that the co-op is not following its bylaws as board members refuse to ban Israeli-made products from the store’s shelves. According to the documents released Thursday, the plaintiffs, Maggie Coulter and Robin Kristufek, “will not suffer irreparable injury if the hearing is heard according to the Court’s normal procedures.” It was unclear Thursday evening when the case will be heard. Had the expedited h

A new “boutique” Goodwill store has opened its doors on L and 16th Streets, offering area shoppers a well organized, eco-friendly retail experience and deals on merchandise like books, lamps, shoes and purses. Store manager Noelle McCrea said the L Street location is unique in that its stock is handpicked from Goodwill locations across the country. While other Goodwills accept and sell most all donations, a “boutique” Goodwill strives to feature name brands, high-quality and vintage goods. Clothing is centrally located and sectioned into garment-specific, labeled racks, like: women’s plus size tops, long sleeve knit tops, lingerie, men’s jackets and men’s dress shirts. The women’s sect

The proposal for redevelopment of the 700 block of K Street received the nod of approval from City Council Tuesday night, opening the way for developers to move forward with the $47.7 million project. With close to 64,000 square feet of retail space and more than 130 housing units, the project is designed to revitalize a long-ignored section of K Street with a diverse tenant mix of restaurants, boutique shops and a live music venue. If all goes as planned, developers expect to begin construction in late January or early February of next year. With their unanimous vote, council members approved the environmental impact and planning commission reports, and formalized a Developer Dispositi

Vintage clothing store Bows and Arrows opened in its new Midtown location June 4, and the space is fitting the shop’s needs perfectly, according to co-owner Trisha Rhomberg. Located at 1815 19th St. across from Safeway, the store now includes Fat Face cafe and is being called Bows Collective overall, so customers can pick up vintage clothes, sandwiches and something to drink – including beer and wine – at the same location. Also incorporated in the new space is an art gallery. The custom-made wooden bar is a focal point at the rear of the store, surrounded by rustic tables made by a friend of co-owners Rhomberg and Olivia Coelho from salvaged wood in front of the doorway to a patio, whe

A proposed amendment to the Sacramento Natural Foods Co-op bylaws is being seen by some as a necessary procedure to ensure equality, while others see it as an attempt to take the members’ voice away on certain issues. All 12,000 co-op members will have the chance to vote on the amendment, which must pass with at least a two-thirds majority in the next election cycle, scheduled for late summer or fall, said Board Member and Policy Committee chairwoman Michelle Reynolds. According to Reynolds, the amendment proposed at the June 7 board meeting is a procedural process designed to ensure that the co-op has written anti-discrimination policies in its bylaws after a restructuring of its polici

Will Westfield Downtown Plaza be put up for sale? According to the Wall Street Journal, Westfield is testing the market for a buyer for the mall, which has been plagued by empty storefronts. In August, when the mall underwent a remodel, General Manager Russell Dougherty said it was only 65 percent occupied. Westfield officials did not return phone calls for comment on their plans for the mall this week. “The Mayor remains committed to working with Westfield and finding ways to make the plaza a viable entity in Sacramento,” said Joaquin McPeek, press secretary for Mayor Kevin Johnson. “At the end of the day, this is such a critical piece of downtown and we’ve all got to work together to

The Upper Playground clothing store on J Street has closed, and a new store owned by a former Upper Playground manager will take its spot. Aaron Hearing will open a new store in the same location, but he refused to comment on Upper Playground, saying, “It’s none of my business.” Upper Playground, located at 2524 J St., was a locally owned franchise with corporate offices in San Francisco. Other locations for the clothing store are in Seattle, Portland, Berkeley, Mexico City and London. When The Sacramento Press contacted Upper Playground’s corporate office Dec. 15, officials claimed no knowledge of the store’s closing, though an employee who answered the phone at the Sacramento locatio

This weekend, September 17th-19th, local shoppers can look forward to great deals and steals at the Midtown Sidewalk Sale. The Midtown Boutique District in conjunction with the Midtown Business Association are sponsoring the semi-annual event that will feature 28 stores and terrific savings. So grab your comfy walking shoes and be sure not to miss this exciting shopping opportunity that begins at 10am on Friday morning and lasts until 8pm on Sunday night. Whether you are a shopaholic or a just out to find a bargain, you will be sure to come across something that meets your fancy. If you are looking to fill your closet with new fashion items for the fall, Bows & Arrows (1712 L Street) is d

The building at 3527 Broadway has been vacant for years, but is now home to a new business as of Aug. 1 – BFD. Brew, Ferment, Distill owner Tim Clark said he wants to make his store a one-stop shop for Sacramentans who like to do their own beer brewing, winemaking, cheesemaking and any number of other do-it-yourself foods and drinks. “This right here is entirely for the urban hippie,” Clark said. “It’s for the slow-food movement.” Clark spent 13 years as a mortgage banker before “being unemployed at the right time” and deciding to start BFD. “My wife is still warming up to the name,” he said with a laugh. Doors opened Aug. 1, and Clark said he immediately sent e-mails to local brewers

A trendy Midtown boutique called Beyond Gotham is expected to close in mid-September — another victim of the poor economy. Signs advertising a closing sale have already been taped to the windows of the store, which sells women's clothing and accessories at 1215 18th St. Located on a popular block in the Handle District, the boutique was going strong until about two years ago. Female customers who would buy new jewelry every time they had Christmas parties, weddings and other special occasions to go to aren't making those purchases now, said an employee. "Women are the first ones to stop buying for themselves in bad times," she said. Rebecca Polstra and the store's other owners had orig

Sacramento will be losing more than the most eclectic greeting card shop in town when Etc. closes next week. The city is also losing a one-of-a-kind neighborhood gathering spot. Owners Jeff Heald and Abdon Legrand — with help from a glittery, life-size chrome man standing sentry outside the shop — have welcomed shoppers and passersby to the corner of 21st and L streets for two decades. The pair are closing their shop — previously known as Postcards Etc. — and moving to Mexico. They plan to open a new business: Café Como No (Cafe Why Not) in Punta de Mita, near Puerto Vallarta, said Heald, 57. Heald grew up in the Sacramento area. However, 47-year-old Legrand grew up on the Gulf of Mexic

Sara and Mike Barlow are one outdoorsy couple. They carved out their own trail to the fledgling store they opened in Old Sacramento, Trailmix.Net. After falling in love in a small Idaho college town, they honeymooned in a remote cabin reached by water-taxi in Washington's North Cascades National Park. Both were into hiking and camping in the Pacific Northwest. But they actually had to relocate to San Francisco to get more hardcore. "It wasn't until we moved to California that we kind of went crazy with it," said Mike Barlow, 37. "We went though this shock of people congestion. So we would escape up into the Sierra. That was how we got our fix." She took up backpacking with him and they

Sacramento retailers are still feeling the bitter sting of the recession this holiday season. Local merchants selling everything from kids' snowshoes to William Shatner's first album are mostly reporting decreased sales — although some say 2009 holiday sales haven't been as dire as predicted. "I think the holiday season will be a disappointment to most merchants," said Ed Castro, who owns Ed's Threads at 1125 21st St. "I'm not shooting for the moon, so I'm not going to be disappointed." With the country's economy in its third year of recession, retailers operating downtown and throughout the central city are struggling the same as retailers elsewhere. Industry-wide, holiday retail sale

If you build it, they will come. What's been said about baseball diamonds in Iowa is now being said for downtown Sacramento's future retail market, according to a retail consultancy firm that has just finished a study of the J-K-L corridor. In this case, "they" represent 72 percent of the greater Sacramento area's 1.65 million population: "urban chic" Sacramentans who own homes in the central city; young, child-free metrorenters; "in style" suburbanites who love the gritty city; long-time residents and new homeowners living just outside the core; and connoisseurs who want the best of everything, said Scott Schuler with Downtown Works of Washington, D.C. "You have got to draw people from