Pretty amazing what the Founder’s Day celebration has become, isn’t it?

The once defunct event is a big draw downtown this weekend, and Saturday’s parade was noticeably more crowded than last year — both in the marching units and along the sidewalks. The combination with the Italian Festival has been powerful, and the event is clearly a driving force in downtown business schedules.

Despite a parade of store closures this summer, this weekend produced some suddenly quick grand openings. The new restaurant Opa! opened to good preliminary reviews this week, even if it is Greek instead of Italian.

The Treehouse in the Glen toy store took several months to open despite original predictions that it would open its doors in May. It opened just two weeks ago — and not even early cash register computer glitches could keep the store from having its own unit in the parade.

Most curiously, though, is the lightning-fast opening of the Athletic Performance, which replaced Urban Sports almost overnight. The WG Resident on September 16 that landlord Michael Mulcahy had not confirmed rumors that another athletic store was in the works. But on September 18, he published the name of the new store online:

Athletic Performance from Los Gatos will open a new athletic footwear and clothing store in the former Urban Sports …

As one of the building’s owners, I am very excited to have AP come to WG. So if you have athletic shoe needs, especially running shoes and attire, get in their soon. They hope to be open by September 27 when the Founders Day Parade and Italian Family Festa hit WG.

That was quick … although the store is open with very little stock on its first weekend.

Sure, the Parade was simulcast with online video, but WGx was also there to take some close-up photos of (almost) every marching unit. Enjoy!

Check back as more pictures are added!

Got some photos to share? Email them to WGx@WillowGlenExtra.com!

Of course, since WillowGlenExtra is an official sponsor of the Booksin Walkathon, there are more pictures of that Booksin’s parade unit available on that group’s Website by WGx.

As a follow-up to last winter’s WG jewelry scandal, NBC-11 is reporting that Dan Mokma has been arrested by SJPD, and was being held in the Santa Clara County jail yesterday:

Mokma, the owner of Willow Estates Jewelry in San Jose, said he was desperate for cash to pay his bills.

“I regret that. I did do that. And I deeply regret that. And I’ve been doing everything I can to make it right,” Mokma told NBC Bay Area reporter George Kiryama in February.

Detectives say they have found 20 victims since the investigation began in February.

Apparently, it’s National Free Movie Week … but no one told WGx.

No, it’s not actually free movie week. But an amazing confluence of free cinema events aligns over the next few days.

Two of them are tonight … so you’ll need a flux capacitor if you want to see them both:

For you history buffs, the Preservation Action Council of San Jose (PAC SJ) will be hosting their “Fruit Cocktail Clubs” free food and movie night, tonight at 5:30 pm at the historic Le Petit Trianon Theater in Downtown SJ. The movies are about the early days of “The Valley of Hearts Delight” and the food features dishes from the past.

Looking for something more current? The West Wind Capitol Drive-In is hosting Customer Appreciation Night with free drive-in movies. You can choose between “Iron Man”, “Kung Fu Panda,” or “Indiana Jones and the Kingdom of the Crystal Skull.” Gates open at 6:30.

Speaking of that flux capacitor … WG’s Garden Theater returns to its historical roots with a full length feature presentation of “Back to the Future” on Sunday, September 21, at 8:00pm. They’ll have free popcorn and beverages, but seats are limited to first come first serve.

Since someone on Willow Glen 2.0 asked …

As originally reported on WGx via Twitter … Fire trucks were summoned to Fairview Avenue (east of Lincoln) Sunday morning in response to an electrical fire that attracted the attention of neighbors. The fire started while the family was out for the day. Alert neighbors and a speedy response from SJFD kept the damage to a minimum, although smoke and water damage has rendered the house unlivable for the time being.

It was way too much excitement for a sleepy Sunday morning in WG, but at least the family was safely out of the house when the fire started.

WGx knows it can take a long time for a tree to grow to maturity, but the Treehouse in The Glen has been a longtime coming.

The natural toy store finally holds its Grand Opening this Weekend, with festivities on Saturday, September 13:

Treehouse in the Glen, an earth-friendly children’s toy store, is pleased to announce its grand opening! We’ll begin the day at 11am with a free puppet show by Njeri McGillicuddy and end the day with a reception featuring organic strawberry lemonade and cookies for the kids and wine and cheese for the adults. Meet and chat with the Treehouse creative team!

Hey! Just in time for the holiday season! Imagine that!

Even though our community doesn’t bat an eyelash when Starbucks Coffee Shops open across the street from one another (until they close, that is ), it’s a little surprising to see two bootmakers going head-to-head so close to each other.

But that’s what’s happening on the corner of Hamilton & Meridian, where “The Good Cobbler” now sees some competition opening up across the street. M Herrera Bootmaker returns to the neighborhood next door to Goodwill, replacing the dollar store that came and went a few months ago, next to San Jose Cafe.

So, if your shoes are so worn that you can’t cross the street, you’re all set!

In fact, there have been a plethora of bootmakers in WG over the years, including an earlier Herrera Bootmaker location further north. The older of the two shops at Meridian & Hamilton also used to be known as AAA Bootmaker (and maybe even Quality Bootmaker). And don’t forget the bootmaker located next to Elva’s Coffee Stop, at WG’s Four Corners, which was Lincoln Avenue’s second cobbler before Amato’s Shoe Repair shop closed south of Malone.

Who says the commercial real estate market is terrible? So what if you can drive west on Hamilton Avenue and see five different properties for sale or lease?

The market must actually be great! Because developers put a sign up this weekend offering new “Office Condos” on the property immediately east of Safeway near Hamilton & Meridian – and they don’t even have a permit yet!

Obviously feeling neglected while the western side of the street got new sidewalks and landscaping earlier this year, the long-suffering weed patch on the southern side of the split between Hamilton Avenue & Hamilton Way may be about to get its long-await upgrade.

Fruitdale Associates LLC (in the form of Dan Hudson from Los Gatos) has applied for a permit to build a two-story office building, which they are calling “Office Condos,” a growing trend in San Jose and across the country.

Although actual residential condos were proposed for the site last year, that project appears to have been halted in favor of business zoning. Although it isn’t clear from the project documents yet, it appears as though the existing office building might be torn down to make way for the new one.

Oh, Nevermind. … The USPS had announced earlier this month that the Philatelic Office at the Meridian Branch would be closing in mid-August. In an amazing bureaucratic about-face, they’ve changed their mind.

So the office remains open. The office has faced the chopping block before — even closing for real a few years ago — but has so far defied the odds by remaining open for stamp collecting enthusiasts.

So, why did they change their minds? Was there a vociferous public groundswell of opposition? Demonstrations? Major hobbyist revolt? Online Petition? Is there a lesson to be learned?

Staff at the regular Postal Counter don’t know exactly: “They just changed their mind.” …

Maybe those who worry about the closing of Fire Station #6 should figure out how the office was saved? The lessons may apply?

Legitimate door-to-door fundraisers can be hard to find these days, so WGx is happy to confirm that players from the WG High School Rams Football Team are selling their “Rams Season Pass” again this year.

The players typically work in small teams, usually wearing their jerseys when they come to your door. In exchange for a $20 donation, you get a coupon book that includes food discounts at Fresh Choice, Florentine Restaurants, Tlaquepaque, Mexico Lindo, and a few others.

You also get a handy 2008 Season Schedule, so you don’t miss the home games. For the record, the season starts September 6 (away against Santa Teresa HS) and the first home game is September 26 versus Del Mar.