Expanding in the new year

The holidays are behind us—phew! I can’t express enough how much I enjoy the post-celebration sigh of relief. I’m not one for resolutions, but there certainly is something about getting back to life as usual, especially with the days getting longer, that gives me new energy and new perspective.

Obviously, I’m not alone. Turning over that calendar does wonders for getting people motivated, whether it be to start new projects or abandon old ones. So, there’s no shortage of business news right now. Here goes.

Going big After selling at farmers’ markets and on local store shelves for the past six years, Beber Fresh Almondmilk took a leap last month and opened up its Grab and Go Cafe at 144 Meyers St., Ste. 140, in Chico. It’s open Monday-Friday, 8 a.m.-noon.

In other expansion news, TrailBlazer Pet Supply is opening its second location, in the Safeway shopping center off of East Avenue. Its flagship store, by Safeway on Mangrove Avenue, has been a regular Best of Chico award winner—it’s great to see good local businesses flourishing.

After over a year of being closed on the Ridge, Hudson’s Appliance Center is gearing up to reopen its Paradise shop on Pearson Road. The timing seems perfect, with the rebuild effort just starting in earnest. The store is now hiring for a bunch of positions, so stop by the Chico location off of Dominic Drive for information on job openings.

And those who frequent downtown Chico bars may have noticed one of the go-to spots for sports, Bella’s Sports Pub, has closed its doors. But not for long. The staff is preparing the bar’s new, much bigger digs—on Main Street by the Garden Walk Mall—so expect grand-opening announcements in the coming weeks.

Sayonara After the Camp Fire, three pharmacies quickly reopened in Paradise—CVS, Rite Aid and Walgreens. Well, apparently the Ridge population isn’t large enough to sustain them all. CVS shuttered its doors last Thursday (Jan. 2), citing poor performance.

Considering the building that housed CVS is intact and in operating condition, I’d say it’s a safe bet another business will swoop into that space pretty quickly. The Kmart spot is another piece of prime real estate, and I’m curious why it hasn’t been snatched up (at least to my knowledge). It’d be great to get a general merchandise store like Target up on the Ridge, even if it’s a smaller version of its Chico counterpart. Another idea would be a building supply shop—one that wouldn’t compete with the well-loved and surviving Ace Hardware but that could complement it with materials and large equipment rentals.

Also closing up shop is Curvy Gurlz, a Chico boutique geared toward plus-size women. Apparently the owner had tried to sell the business, but didn’t find any takers. So, get on over to 1376 Longfellow Ave. before Jan. 24, when it’ll shut for good.