Alert WGx reader Jim Routh noticed something amiss in Downtown Willow Glen a few weeks ago:

—–Original Message—–
From: Jim Routh
To: WGx@willowglenextra.com
Subject: Three Dogs Bistro

Any idea what became of Three Dogs Bistro? It was supposed to go in in the space where Sharky’s used to be between Aqui and Blockbuster. I’d heard that it was going to be run by the same folks that run Aqui but would be a bit more upscale. Paper went up on the windows at the end of last summer announcing it was coming in March of ‘08, which at the time seemed like forever away. But March is here and nearly gone and nothing seems to be happening.

Any news? JMR

WGx had also noticed that the signs announcing the new restaurant had been taken down over the last few months, so Jim’s question spurred a little investigation.

Actually, it was a very little investigation. Aqui executive chef Ron Francis replied to our simple email inquiry:

—–Original Message—–
From: Rob Francis
To: WGx@willowglenextra.com

We decided to pass on the deal. The new Aqui in Campbell has our hands full!

Thanks, Rob

So there you go. … No landlord-based intrigue, no surprise “quiet opening” on the horizon, no alleyway reconstruction a la Msr. Beans, no health department conspiracy to ban dogs from eateries. Nothing.

But don’t worry, City Council representative Pierluigi Oliverio provided another exclusive update to WGx. He says there’s another restaurant in the works for the location, but nothing is public yet.

By the way … WillowGlenExtra welcomes your content suggestions, including questions, WG FAQs, news tips, and promotional announcements. Just leave a comment to any post, or email your stuff directly. If you want to blog yourself, you’re also invited to join WGx!

Another fire station might be coming to Willow Glen. SJFD Fire Station #37 — proposed to replace the parking lot along Lincoln Avenue next to the Willows Senior Center — will be the topic of a preliminary community meeting on Thursday, March 27.

The City of San Jose invites you to a Community Meeting regarding new Fire Station #37

Please join the City of San Jose Fire Department for an overview and community discussion regarding a new Fire Station proposed to be located adjacent to the Willows Senior Center.

Thursday, March 27, 2008 @ 6:30 p.m.
Willows Senior Center

But it’s only in the site selection stage, so don’t go counting your emergency response times just yet … although a closer fire station would have been helpful last summer. And the new fire hydrants along Curtner are just a coincidence of course.

At this community meeting, City and SJFD staff will present their plans for existing City lands. The proposed site fronts Lincoln and is a portion of the Willow’s Senior Center site currently used for parking. The Senior Center and adjoining park will remain intact. Staff will present a diagram of the proposed land use and describe the general project scope, timeline and operational benefits on Thursday.

But according to Pierluigi Oliverio’s office, the new station would occupy a portion of the Willows parking lot (facing Lincoln to the left), and would require voter approval since it would replace set-aside park land. The new station would augment or replace existing Station #6, and add an additional fire fighter (from 5 to 6) to the neighborhood service.

While any talk of a “capital project” is at least two-year’s premature, the City does list Station #37 on its Capital Project Management System.

There will undoubtedly be lots of questions:

Aside from the cost of the property, why wouldn’t the City consider acquiring the parcel on the corner of Curtner & Lincoln, and put the new fire station there? That corner has hosted a school, a grocery store, and most recently a gas station. Anything would be an improvement over the vacant lot and chain link fence.

Where will SJPD set-up their Senior Center speed trap, if the fire station occupies the parking lot?

So, we’ll wait for the meeting. … and then the political process? (more…)

The Willows Senior Center has been undergoing an extensive makeover during the past few months, including gardening and the restoration of the center’s street sign.

But first the best news … the Multi-Purpose Auditorium has reopened after last summer’s fire. The room is open and sporting fancy new Christmas decorations — just in time for the rest of the facility to close for installation of new carpeting and flooring.

Other changes have been underway, too. While a few other parks and facilities have been getting completely new signs, Willows simply spruced-up their old one last month … with bright white paint and some much-appreciated landscaping underneath.

WGx stopped by to take a picture recently, and learned that the freshly bright sign hasn’t increased the center’s visibility very much, at least not enough to stem the tide of speeders along Lincoln Avenue. It’s a 25 MPH zone out front, and caught in action behind the new sign is one of SJPD’s finest, using his radar gun to catch drivers going much faster.

Willow Glen seems to be lacking a small neighborhood hardware store, which some might find to be a little more convenient than the Home Depots and OSH’s that have us surrounded (with another coming soon).

Get ready for ACE Hardware … coming soon to the corner of Lincoln & Curtner.

With prominent “LEASED” signs decorating the old Silverleaf Antiques outlet, the corner might be ready for a little renaissance, although there is no news on the deserted gas station. (permits, anyone?)

As for the veracity of this WGx report … Let’s just say it’s more probable than the Tomato Thyme rumor, which turned out to be merely wishful thinking.

It has begun. Or, at least … it’s about to begin.

The lights will go on once more in the former Albertsons site in Willow Glen as a British supermarket chain prepares to move in.

The store at 1409 Bird Ave. was one of 37 underperforming Albertsons in Northern California. It closed in August 2006.

Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market, owned by British grocery company Tesco, will move into the existing building and will make a few changes along the way, including installing energy-efficient equipment.

“I think that they’re unique,” said Ted Peterson, vice president for the San Diego-based Asset Management Group, which manages the property. “They offer a great representation for the needs of the community.”

The first milestone along the path to the new “Fresh & Easy” store at Bird & Minnesota/Alma has been reached. Applications for development permits required to complete the conversion from Albertsons to Tesco have been submitted, and the standard notification sign has been posted along Minnesota Avenue.

For those of you who drive too fast along that stretch of the road, here’s what you can’t read. Mostly, it’s the preliminary permitting to allow the store to get its liquor license:

Determination of Public Convenience or Necessity to allow off-sale of alcoholic beverages at a retail grocery store on a 3 gross acres site

Insert your favorite “should alcohol be fresh and easy” joke here …

While her name remains private at the request of her family, the 12-year-old girl who survived the brutal car crash and kidnapping earlier this week is foremost in the minds of lots of people in San Jose.

As we learn more about the strong spirit that helped her escape her attacker, the soccer-playing community has rallied around her. She is a longtime participant in PAL Soccer, but her injuries have ended her season with the Cambrian Blue Crush U14 Girls team.

Her coach of five years has worked with her family to establish a P.O. Box for the community to send cards and inspiration:

By now I am sure you all have heard and read about the 12 year old girl who was abducted in Willow Glen and even though she was seriously injured, had sense enough to fight off an attempted sexual assault and was able to escape. That incredibly brave and gutsy little girl, has played on my team the last 5 years. I consider her like one of my own kids.

Until the attacker is apprehended, it is not appropriate to go into much further detail, other than what is reported in the media. Suffice to say, I have visited her, she is doing as well as can be expected.

One of the parents from my team has set up a P.O. Box so that everyone can send her get well wishes and praise her for her courage. I am sure it will make her feel so much better and help the healing process knowing so many are thinking of her.

I am asking that all of you pass this along to your parents and kids and ask that they make cards, pictures and write letters and send them to her. We are planning to go down to the post office every day and deliver the letters to her home, along with some other means of support.

Blue Crush Girl
14938 Camden Ave. #74
San Jose, CA 95124

There are trophy houses, and there are Trophy Houses. … But have you seen the animal trophies inside this house on Lincoln Avenue, across from Willow Glen Elementary?

It’s unusual architecture raised a little suspicion back in March, but not enough to prompt a full-blown WGx post. But this picture foreshadowed something fairly unique for WG.

While it didn’t require the crane-assisted delivery of the modular home on Lincoln or an old train car as a home office, the display of exotic animal taxidermy visible through the front window of this new house is noteworthy nonetheless.

It’s not clear if the homeowner wants you to blatantly ogle the collection, but it’s hard not to do a double-take when you see it. It may even be worth taking a little stroll a few blocks south the next time you are in Downtown WG. If you see the collectors, tell them you read about it on WGx!

The news is becoming more clear. In an email this morning to the WGNA eList, Zanotto’s announced that their detailed plans to open a store on the corner of Bird & Minnesota/Alma have been derailed by the arrival of Tesco in the U.S. market.

Tesco is an international grocery and general merchandising retail chain based in th UK. It is the largest British retailer by both global sales and domestic market share, is the world’s third-largest grocery retailer. The chain plans to open 100 new stores in the United States by 2008, including several across California.

Technical issues this morning delayed an email message sent to a store-controlled email list by Dale Tibbils. Readers who got that email did not get the full story, which was successfully emailed to the eList at about the same time:

—– Forwarded Message —-
From: Dale Tibbils
To: elist@wgna.net
Sent: Wednesday, June 13, 2007 8:47:04 AM
Subject: [WGNA] Zanotto’s in Willow Glen–Not Looking Good

This is probably the toughest email I’ve ever had to write — we’ve had such great support from so many people in the Willow Glen area. After nearly a year’s effort the landlord has informed me he is negotiating with a company from Great Britain for the old Albertson’s site.

To say I’m disappointed is a huge understatement. We had obtained funding of $2,500,000 to totally revamp the site. We had reached agreement on the lease with the landlord. In short, we were ready to start work.

Our plans included new tile floor, complete painting of the interior and new low energy lights for the entire store. Plans included a new HVAC and refrigeration system — both low energy. In addition, we would install new bakery, meat, deli and seafood cases for our fresh meats, seafood and deli offerings. The frozen food, dairy, beverage, and produce cases would also be replaced. All this equipment would also include the latest innovations in low energy consumption. New checkstands would be moved back to open the front of the store for tables and chairs.

Our plans included a significant increase in wine selections, organic produce, cheese bar, hot food case, expanded Grab n Go meals and a number of other specialty items. All this along with membership in a grocery co-op that serves over 800 stores providing us an excellent completive buying position.

With the discussions we had held with the city, county and several contractors we were confident we could open a store in September or early October.

The company the landlord is negotiating with is Tesco. Tesco is the largest retail company in Great Britain where they have large supermarkets. They are the third largest retail grocery company in the world and fourth largest overall retail store. They are in Eastern Europe and the Far East and have targeted the U.S. as their next market. Their primary focus is grocery although they have grown into numerous other retail offerings within their stores.

While Tesco is very secretive it appears they are going to offer a 12,000 sq ft store that emphasizes organic produce, no trans fats and “convenient” meals for the busy family. The stores are modeled after their convenience markets in Great Britain. We’re not sure about what they will offer for meat. Their distribution center is in LA and their products will come from there.

They have been compared to Trader Joe’s and 7-11. Their plans for Bird appear to be a 12,000 sq ft store — not a full-service store. The existing building will be demized (either totally gutted or torn down) and Tesco will lease the space they don’t use to others. The landlord hopes to have something to work with in two months. From that point forward I can only guess how long it will take to gut or tear down the existing building, erect a new one and open a store, but it will be a long time.

For the landlord the decision appears to hinge on potential rent they can receive. Tesco has indicated they would be willing to pay a premium although no specifics have been discussed.

Troy — troyt@zanottos.com

It’s not exactly a fixture of WG yet, but most neighbors seem to have enjoyed the mural that was emerging on the south-facing wall of Calee’s Lilies flower shop. But you might not want to get too fond of it.

As publicized a few weeks ago in the WG Resident, Calee’s lease has been terminated, based at least partly on a disagreement over the mural.

According to Calee’s business partner Kim, “We’ve moved on from the disagreement, but we’re really adamant about hoping to save the mural.” They’re hoping community support will save the painted flowers, even if other portions of the wall get painted over by any new tenant.

If you’d like to voice your support, swing by the Minnesota & Lincoln location to sign a petition to keep the mural. Calee and her friends also plan to circulate the petition at the upcoming Dancin’ on the Avenue on June 16.

If you haven’ t had the chance to swing by the store since their departure was announced, here’s what’s posted on the windows of the “old” Calee’s Lilies corner store:

Custom Wall Mural $4000
New Florist Cooler $5000
New Awning $4000
Losing Your Lease After 5 Months … Priceless!

(more…)

Parking your big fancy truck — conveniently labeled with your business’ phone number — is nothing new on the streets of San Jose, but Jerry Toste’s “Cheap Hauling” truck fleet has elevated the cheap advertising to a new level. Their trucks seem to be everywhere … and often parked illegally.

This one was labeled by police last month, although it probably should have been ticketed for parking beyond the stop sign inside this intersection, too. WGx would like to humbly suggest SJPD put the pink violation notice conveniently over one of the digits, at least minimizing the value of the parking billboard.

For the purposes of today’s post, WGx has taken the liberty of marking over the phone number with some digital graffiti … but if you want to call and complain, it’s not too hard to figure out …