Reflecting on the past

Another year come and gone—where does the time go? Of course, in 2019, we had the fallout from the Camp Fire, which hurt some businesses but helped others. And we had the continued slide of retail, which claimed Kmart and Forever 21, to name a few of the major outlets to go in Chico.

We also said hello to some new businesses, the biggest of which were Hobby Lobby and Tilly’s. I’m partial to mom-and-pop shops, though, and we got a number of them, too, including some Ridge favorites that made the move down the hill.

As a recap, here are the businesses we gained and lost in 2019:

Allies Pub, the taproom for British Bulldog Brewery, opened in a swanky spot downtown serving up proper English ales and meals. Ace Hardware opened across the street from the locally owned True Value Hardware, also new this year. The Brew Kettle came and went—a fun concept, the lounge/beer shop is shutting its doors at the end of 2019. Insomnia Cookies opened up downtown, and its local rival Midnite Munchies opened a physical location in the shack in the Nord Safeway parking lot. (Incidentally—or not—Cream, the cookie shop by the movie theater, closed.)

While we said goodbye to some longtime local favorites—Zucchini & Vine, Leon Bistro, Pete’s Restaurant and Brewhouse—they made way for some new faces. Z&V became Little Red Hen Home; chef Ann Leon opened Burban Kitchen in Meriam Park; and Pete’s, on the Skyway, was the perfect spot for Casa de Paradiso to reopen after losing its home on the Ridge. While Old Barn Kitchen’s spot on Clark Road didn’t burn, the owners dove into the space left open by Urban Fresh Fuel in downtown Chico and have fit in quite well.

In other movement downtown, Woodstock’s Pizza suffered a major flooding incident in the spring that closed the restaurant. While renovating, it jumped at the opportunity to take over the larger, more visible spot vacated by Crepeville. And Doc Burnstein’s Ice Cream Lab slid right into Cold Stone Creamery’s empty space.

I’m still lamenting the loss of two of my favorite radio stations, 101.7 (which went easy listening) and 93.9 (now conservative talk radio). I’m now left with ZROCK, which at least plays a decent amount of Tool, and 100.7, whose ads for “La Sales” drive me bonkers.

We also said goodbye to a number of other businesses, both chains and mom-and-pops, this year: 15th Street Cafe, Aaron Bros., Avenue Plus Size Clothing, Bamford Family Farms, The Buzz, Chico Coffee Co., Cocina Cortes, Five by Five Tonics, Great Northern, Hibachi Grill, Hooker Oak Distillery, Milestone Technologies, Panighetti’s Eatery, Payless ShoeSource, Red Fly, Roots Catering, Rouse and Revolt, Tacos Pepe.

There also were some big changes for some local businesses this year. Namely, Sierra Nevada Taproom & Restaurant got a major makeover; Cali’Flour Foods went from online sales only to being stocked in over 700 retailers; and Jeramie Sabelman, owner/chef of Japanese Blossoms, expanded yet again and opened Synergy inside In Motion Fitness.

Now, what will 2020 bring?