College Avenue @ Elmwood: A Neighborhood In (Rapid) Transition
Another venerable retailer is calling it quits on the Elmwood stretch of College Avenue — Health & Mercantile, the old pharmacy on the corner of Russell, is having a closing down sale, 8 months after the beloved Ozzie’s Soda Fountain, which the pharmacy used to house, also called it a day for the final time.
This is an area I know well as it’s in my back yard so to speak — and even in the short three years I have lived in Berkeley it has seen dramatic change. After more than 80 years in business, Bolfing’s Hardware recently closed its doors — and, although renovation works appears to be in full swing, nobody is really sure what form the store will take when, or if, it reopens.
Red Oak Realty moved out of the neighborhood a little while ago to be replaced by natural cosmetics place 100% Pure, the photography store became What The Traveller Saw; the refurbished Victorian on the corner of Ashby is now home to chic yoga apparel supplier LuluLemon; “I don’t remember what” became gourmet ice-cream store Ici, and home decor shops Lola and Treehouse. While the health food market property has been vacant for a long while, although work seems to be progressing.
Going going gone: the pharmacy, market and camera shop on College that are no longer.
You don’t need a PhD in urban planning to spot the trend — the place is undergoing full-blown gentrification. That usually means frippery at the expense of usefulness. And I do miss having a good hardware store and soda fountain within walking distance of home. But I like Mrs Dalloway’s, the bookstore, which feels like a veteran even though it only opened in 2004. And you can’t argue with a scoop of honey saffron and pumpkin ice cream on a balmy autumnal evening after browsing the bookshelves — although you might flinch at the cost. That’s the price of going up in the world I guess.
The cost of homes in the area have been on the high side for a long time and are staying up there, recession or not. Here are three new listings:
2813 Kelsey Street: Two interesting properties for the price of one. A golden duplex of architectural interest on a lovely, quiet street. Price: $1,295,000.
3154 College Avenue: a 1/1 condominium with private patio and carport parking. Price: $485,000.
6422 Benvenue Avenue: a 2/1.5 two-level condominium on another great street (featuring on this year’s BAHA spring house tour — not this condo though). Price: $649,000.
Philip Kaake said:
Tracy: 3 years? You should have seen it 20 years ago. I grew up in Berkeley just about every shopping district has been transformed into a bastion of upscale heaven. Solano Ave (upper & lower), Hopkins Street, 4th St. (Although this was created to be a shopping district) Shattuck and Rose, (Walnut Square), Dwight Way and San Pablo, you name it and these areas all reflect the Berkeley consumers appetite for high end goods and services. I don’t remember a single spa when I was growing up. I do remember people giving away kittens at the Co-op on Shattuck & Cedar, which is now Andronicos. My wife is a bodyworker at Elixir Salon on Hopkins St. and she has a thriving practice. Even though it would be easy to wax nastolgic for the loss of the good old days and slam the upscale yuppification, I would have to admit I like it. I do miss McCallums Ice Cream Parlor on Solano Ave. The once bullitproof Berkeley housing market may be softening and creating a situation of being just slightly more affordable. I write about some of this in my blog.
http://www.kaakeproperties.com/blogs/home.aspx
April 17, 2008 9:20 AM
Philip Kaake said:
P.S. Thanks for the post. I do like hearing about the details of these neighborhoods.
April 17, 2008 9:21 AM
tracey.taylor said:
Philip: I appreciate that as a newcomer I know little about these neighborhoods compared to most of you out there. Still, it’s fascinating to me to watch how they are evolving. And I agree that there’s good and bad about an area going “upscale”.
I am amazed at the number of hair and nail places that run the length of College — dozens, literally. And they’re usually pretty busy. A lot of people needing to be buffed and manicured I guess.
April 17, 2008 2:08 PM
Jim Broshar said:
i think ici may have been the organic grocery. or the shoe shop?
April 17, 2008 4:59 PM
tracey.taylor said:
Jim: I thought it was the grocery too but I think that store is the one currently being renovated. How quickly we forget… There was another shoe shop? That I did not know.
April 17, 2008 9:10 PM
curious said:
tracey:
what about a report on the businesses that have been in Elmwood for years and continue to thrive — say la mediterrane — and others?
there have been huge changes over the years, but some businesses seem to thrive.
April 19, 2008 1:00 AM
Toady said:
That reminds me of King Yen. I’m not sure how long it’s been there, but it’s been quite some time. It’s quite a schlep across town for us, and parking is always a chore, but it’s far and away our favorite Chinese restaurant. The food is OK, and the prices are not too bad, but their staff is really really great with little kids. They’re super friendly and very accommodating of the noise and the mess. They rank right up there among the most family friendly restaurants in Berkeley.
April 19, 2008 7:15 AM
tracey.taylor said:
Curious: You’re right — there are many businesses in The Elmwood that continue to trade after many years, some probably more successfully than others. I try to support them because they give the area its soul and I like the personalized service — I bought all my kids’ school supplies at the stationers for example even though it would have been cheaper at Office World (but talk about soulless).
Toady: I like King Yen and you’re right they are great with kids. We are Shen Hua fans for the food — the fact that you can’t hear yourselves think let alone talk does favor take-out though unfortunately.
April 19, 2008 11:36 AM
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