Eats, dogs and parking

New restaurants and expansions have dominated this column space recently, but over the last few weeks there have been a few noteworthy closures in Chico.

Johnnie’s Restaurant and Bar, located in downtown’s Hotel Diamond, closed its doors mid-January, with the expectation of a new restaurant and bar heading into that space in a few months.

The owners of Annie’s Asian Grill also announced in mid-January that they will cease serving those delicious Korean tacos via their mobile food business. They closed the brick-and-mortar restaurant on Ninth Street a few years back.

All the Best Video is among the list of closures as well, though the video rental store is only shuttering its Walnut Street location. The Cohasset store will stay open.

Going to the dogs

For all of you dog lovers out there, I have an update to my most recent column. Michael Thomas of Tres Hombres followed up with me after I wrote about the new state law that allows dogs on restaurant patios. The long and narrow configuration of the Tres patio doesn’t lend itself to allowing dogs beyond service animals, but the Broadway restaurant has found its own way to share its pro-pooch position. Tres Hombres has teamed up with Partida Tequila in a fundraiser for the Butte Humane Society. All you have to do is drink margaritas.

For every case of Partida tequila sold through the month of February, a donation will be made to BHS. The goal is to raise $1,000.

Thomas mentioned that, in addition to the fundraiser, through the month of February, Tres Hombres is holding a Dog Day Afternoon photo contest. Each week, a winner will be chosen from submitted photos with the winning pup receiving a bone from Northern Star Mills and the owners snagging a dinner for two. Check out the details on Tres Hombres’ Facebook page. My pup Conner prefers to spend his afternoons bundled up on the couch (that’s him pictured) so I’m guessing we won’t be frontrunners for the competition.

Premier parking

The city of Chico municipal parking lot near City Hall has undergone a subtle, yet significant change. The signs announcing the preferential parking for City Council members nearest the entrance were recently removed, so those spaces are now open to the general public.

City Manager Mark Orme said the shifting of the spaces to general parking provides the public—oftentimes business owners—a small convenience for doing business with the city. Next time you have to take out a business license or apply for a building permit, take advantage of this prime parking.