Downtown moving and shaking

Remember when Crepeville and Burgers and Brew joined forces to transform that old bank building at the corner of Third and Broadway into a dual restaurant? It was weird, to be sure. Then the respective owners had a falling out and B&B stayed put while Crepeville got to work on its own spot. Not to be outdone, it was nearly the same size, patio and all, and just a block away.

But while Burgers and Brew is consistently filled with patrons, Crepeville is not. With such vast divided dining areas and a strange open kitchen, I dare say I’ve never seen the place full. That’s not to say that the food wasn’t good—I had several meals there that I thoroughly enjoyed. But, it’s not really all that surprising to learn of its recent closure. I’m happy to report that that huge restaurant space won’t be sitting vacant again.

That’s because news hit this week that Woodstock’s Pizza, which was damaged during the spring storms, will be relocating there (240 Main St.). No firm opening date yet, except I’m told it will be in September. I have to assume it’ll breathe some new life into that corner. And maybe into Woodstock’s, too.

Sayonara There is more news in the restaurant-closure world. This one also comes with few surprises. Hibachi Grill Buffet had decent food the one time I went there, although I’m generally skeptical of large-scale buffets outside of, say, Vegas. But it had taken over the space abandoned by the abysmal Hometown Buffet—and it had done little to nothing with the ambiance. It closed without fanfare. We still have Kwando Buffet—this town just wasn’t big enough for two Asian buffets.

Expansion time The Axelssons, who opened up Old Barn Kitchen kitty corner to Crepeville early this year, are expanding their footprint downtown. While Anton is the mastermind behind the restaurant, Chrystal’s passion is in interior design. So, in that vein, she’s opening up Old Barn Milk Paint—a business she’s run online for some time—just a few doors down East Third Street.

According to their website (oldbarnmilkpaint.com), Chrystal discovered milk paint because she was searching for a paint that was chemical-free. It worked wonders, so now she has her own line of it, with a variety of colors, topcoats, waxes and oils. Look out for a grand opening soon.

Building time Clayton Homes recently opened an office on Feather River Boulevard in Oroville and is offering a $15,000 incentive to Camp Fire survivors whose homes were destroyed. While the company specializes in all types of building—from traditional homes to tiny ones—the $15,000 only applies to modulars built off-site. Even so, every little thing helps. Go to claytonhomesoroville.com for more info.

Good riddance It’s tire amnesty time at Neal Road Recycling and Waste Facility. That means it’s time to clean up all those old tires junking up your yard. Those interested must make an appointment for Aug. 9 or 10, but the drop-off is free. Call 879-2352 Tuesday-Friday to make a reservation.