http://www.5416BarrettAve.com

First 33 Revs, now Eclectix.  It is heartbreaking watching these small businesses continue to close.  Many of you know that I am also an artist so it is especially heartbreaking watching an art space close.  I’ve been to Eclectix, it is really a shame.

Here is what Eclectix has to say:

“Unfortunately, the economic climate to operate an art gallery has been very challenging. Thanks and appreciation to everyone for the opportunity to display all the fantastic art works and I wish all you wonderful artists lots of inspiration and success. The last four years have provided a great opportunity to contribute to the SF Bay Area art scene.

The website will evolve, into what, I am not sure. It will certainly continue to share some interesting art, commentary, events, with hopefully some additional virtual exhibits to cruise through.

A warm, warm thank you to all of you who bought art here at Eclectix and those who purchased items in the store on a regular basis. You know who you are.

The support you showed kept us going for a good bit in a hard economy.

About other small businesses: The key word here is “support” , the reality of “support” for a small business, means actually spending money there. Compliments and words are wonderful, yet do not support the unique culture of thriving, connected small businesses.

So if you like a small business, go out of your way to patronize them. Now and forever.

To those who didn’t take the plunge and add a little more art to your lives, there are still many great galleries giving you a chance to support local artists and add some personal style to your life.

And Eclectix still has available art up for sale, just follow the links on the toggle bar.

Art matters. Art makes a statement. Art influences, shapes and molds modern culture and perspectives. Some of the most significant people of each and every era became interested in art, purchased art and involved themselves in their art world. Those considered leaders in our modern culture today, whether of finance, entertainment and every other industry, understand that art is one way to explore their own unique perspective. When you take the time and effort to strengthen your own curiosity around an artist, their art or style, especially by getting to know the artist personally through various art venues and acquiring their art and displaying it on your walls, it gives you joy for years to come. As well as an inspiring conversation piece identifying you as someone in tune with what is happening around you… Art records and defines our cultural history in a way only art can.”

Why am I posting this?  Because the owners said something that I feel is so important: SUPPORT.  Support the small businesses.  If they can make it through this year, they will make it.  I LOVE Peet’s Coffee, and would go out of my way to find a Peet’s.  But I feel better supporting my local coffee shop, Well Grounded in El Cerrito, and others like it.  I want them to thrive.  I want them to succeed. 

Click here to read the article from their website.

Good by Eclectix, sorry to see another local gem go.

If you have ever driven down Carlson to head towards the freeway, you know why this is a good thing.  At any given moment, someone coming off of the 80 east side will come to a rolling stop, try to jut out into oncoming traffic swiftly so that they can get into the immediate left lane to turn onto Tehama.  Or perhaps you are heading down Carlson to get onto the 80 west on ramp, getting ready to turn left onto the freeway, and someone comes racing down Carlson at the same time you are ready to turn at the same time someone coming off of the 80 west offramp decides that they are tired of waiting and they scoot out. 

Collision.

In my opinion, this is the 2nd most dangerous intersection at a freeway on/off ramp in the area (the first being the Gilman/I-80 interchange- although that isn’t really as dangerous, just crazy congested.).  I am so relieved that this will be coming our way.

If you think there is another intersection that you believe is worse than the Carlson @ I-80 one, let me know!

33 Revolutions in El Cerrito is closing its doors.  They just couldn’t make it.  Another local gem…
g o n e. 

I have commented on them here in this blog, yelped them, and freqented them for their valuable wi-fi and tasty food.  It is a great place, shows true community. 

The economy turned and that didn’t help.  It was too big and perhaps the size is what killed it.  I once heard from a city official, before 33 Revs came in, that the rent at that space was $10,000/mo.  I never quite understood how this Cafe and Record Shop would be able to cover those costs, but they can no longer do so, whatever the rent.

So it is with a saddened heart that we say goodbye to yet another local gem.  Yes, 33 Revolutions in El Cerrito is closing on December 24th.  See more here: http://www.33revolutions.com/

One of the biggest questions I get lately is “how much have prices goine down?”  This is pretty easy to answer.  If you look at the statistical date from the height of the market (2006 – 2007) and compare it to today’s numbers you will see that Richmond has taken the biggest hit, primarily because of foreclosures.  Because of the decline in luxury sales (houses over $1 million) even cities like Rockridge, which historically holds stable, has seen a decline. 

Cities like Berkeley are starting to see more and more foreclosures and short sales, but less and less inventory.  In fact, most areas are seeing the same.  One reason for lower inventory is that sellers who are able are holding onto their property and trying to wait out the storm.  The downside in this is that buyers have less inventory to choose from so it is creating a multiple offer frenzy in many areas, which is ultimately increasing prices.  But this is exactly what sellers are hoping for, prices to go up. 

Buyers are trying to take advantage of this wave before rates creep up and the tax credit expires.  Speaking from the buyers perspective, “Sellers, bring on your house!”

EL CERRITO
El Cerrito hosts the 11th Annual WorldOne Festival featuring live reggae, dub and world music. On Saturday from 10am to 6pm there is a family festival with games for children, food, arts and crafts as well as live entertainment on two stages, Circus Imagination will amaze young children with an interactive animal-free circus show and Carnival Rides.  This is one of my FAVORITE festivals in town and I look forward to it each year.  Click here for the line up http://www.el-cerrito.org/recreation/july4lineup.html.

BERKELEY MARINA
It’s a day full of fun starting at noon on the 4th of July. The south shore of the Berkeley Marina at the bottom of University Ave. is filled with great stuff to do all day. Adventure Playground, always a favorite, is open 11am-8pm. Sign up for an old-fashioned sack race or get your face painted. Try the giant slide or splash in the water at the beach!  Plenty of fun stuff for adults, too! No need to cook – lots of international food booths. Live entertainment from noon until 9PM on the main stage. There’s art & craft booths, massages, free sailboat rides from 1-4pm, dragon boat rides from 2-6pm, and much more including the grand fireworks off the end of the Berkeley Pier at 9:30pm.  http://www.anotherbullwinkelshow.com

JACK LONDON SQUARE
4th of July 2009 Festival with music & fireworks @ Jack London Square (Oakland). Five hours of live music, plus kids entertainment and a 20 minute fireworks show at dusk Saturday, July 4, 2009 4:00 pm to 9:35 pm. The Port of Oakland and the City of Oakland will present a 20 minute fireworks show over the Oakland and Alameda estuary. Jack London Square provides a prime viewing area for watching this spectacular event. The fireworks will begin at 9:15 PM and end at 9:35 PM. Jack London Square will celebrate the holiday with live music beginning at 7:00 PM. Enjoy the big band sounds of the Ben Oni Orchestra and the Rhythm and Blues of the Blues Burners. Free bike valet will be available at 7:00 PM at Jack London Square’s newest shop, Bay Area Bikes. Jack London Square will operate during the day as usual, providing canoe and kayak rentals as well as bike rentals and retail shopping. Cost: FREE -  http://www.jacklondonsquare.com/newscenter/oakland-july-fireworks.html

(06-18) 18:55 PDT — Beer, pizza and “Rocky Horror” drag shows are likely to light up the East Bay movie landscape once more, as two shuttered theaters approach resurrection.

The Cerrito Theater in El Cerrito and its former sister theater, the Parkway in Oakland, will both probably reopen within the next few weeks, this time as competitors instead of siblings.

“I’m tremendously excited,” said Richard Von Busack, a movie critic and member of a group called Friends of the Cerrito Theater. “The Cerrito Theater gave El Cerrito a downtown, an identity. Without the theater, if the place had a center at all, it was the BART station.”

Click here to read more: http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/c/a/2009/06/19/BU6F189Q6H.DTL

The city of El Cerrito said this week that the four candidates have until Monday to submit proposals for operating the movie house, which is owned by the city.

The theater and its marquee have been dark since May 18, when previous operators Catherine and Kyle Fischer ceased operations. The El Cerrito Redevelopment Agency, acting under the terms of its lease, officially confirmed Tuesday that the couple, doing business as Downey Street Productions, had terminated the agreement and abandoned the theater.

The Fischers and the city were unable to settle on a renegotiated lease for the theater, nor was the city willing to offer financial assistance to keep the Cerrito open after the couple fell more than a year behind in making their monthly lease payment.

Representatives of the El Cerrito Redevelopment Agency are inspecting the building and its fixtures and will arrange for any cleaning or repairs that might be needed.

The city early last month appropriated $100,000 to acquire equipment owned by Downey Street Productions at the theater. The acquisition is “contingent on Agency Board approval and on Downey Street Productions obtaining a dismissal of the Agency and the City from litigation with BBI Construction, Downey Street’s contractor, to which the Agency and the City are parties.”

According to the city, the agency hopes to recommend a new operator June 15 and bring a lease agreement to the agency board – made up of the City Council – on June 29.

By Shelly Meron
West County Times
Posted: 05/19/2009 01:58:38 PM PDT
Updated: 05/19/2009 02:00:07 PM PDT
EL CERRITO – The Cerrito Speakeasy Theater is closed indefinitely, with the operators saying they have run out of cash for movies, food and payroll.

“We don’t have any money to go forward,” said Catherine Fischer, who has been operating the theater with her husband, Kyle. “Unless people want to donate food, movies and work, there’s nothing we can do.”

Fischer said she and her husband have told city officials for months they need financial help and have tried to renegotiate their lease. City officials previously said they did not receive sufficient information from the Fischers, and communication was lacking. The city’s redevelopment agency voted earlier this month to terminate the lease and find a new operator.

The trouble began about 18 months ago, when the Fischers became unable to pay their $10,000 monthly rent. They said the bad economy, unexpected constructions costs, inability to get first-run movies when the theater first opened and the Hollywood writers’ strike all contributed to the financial problems.

Albany, down 66%
Jan 2007  24
Jan 2008  43
Jan 2009  8

Berkeley, all, down 7%
Jan 2007  45
Jan 2008  43
Jan 2009  42

Berkeley Hills, up 7%
Jan 2007  14
Jan 2008  58
Jan 2009  15

El Cerrito, up 100%
Jan 2007  25
Jan 2008  44
Jan 2009  50

Kensington, up 60%
Jan 2007  44
Jan 2008  5
Jan 2009  70

Oakland, all, up 10%
Jan 2007  46
Jan 2008  53
Jan 2009  64

Richmond, all, up 15%
Jan 2007  52
Jan 2008  77
Jan 2009  60

Richmond Annex, down 21%
Jan 2007  66
Jan 2008  182
Jan 2009  53

Several factors can severely skew the days on market (DOM) statistics.  The first, and biggest, is the level of inventory.  If inventory is low and the quality of the homes is poor, then you will have a higher DOM (which is why Jan/08 in the Annex was so high).  Then there is quality regardless of inventory: high quality = quick sales, no matter the economy.  This is the reason the East Bay is desirable.  The other factor is the media and the economy.  What are the headlines saying?  Was there a wave of crime during that particular month?  How many loans reset that month?  This all affects sales, which direclty affects DOM.