Local Buzz covers new businesses, restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Local Buzz covers new restaurants, closures, local politics, goings on around town and other buzzworthy items in the Conejo Valley and Greater Ventura County. Have a lead? Contact us. Click here for an archive of Local Buzz postings.
Post other items directly to the Community Announcements section of the site.
The Staples store in Newbury Park (between Home Depot and Target) is closing its doors on September 16, 2017. The nearest Staples stores to this one are in Camarillo, Westlake Village and Oxnard. www.staples.com
The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division (EHD) protects public health and the environment by ensuring conformance with State laws and County ordinances pertaining to food protection, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, individual sewage disposal systems, land use, medical waste, ocean water quality monitoring, recreational health, solid waste, underground fuel tanks and vector control.
The EHD publishes food facility closures at www.ventura.org/rma/envhealth/community-services/consumer-food/closures.html.
The following facility closures (exclusive of mobile facilities) were noted in August 2017. Keep in mind when reviewing this that there are many possible reasons for the closures, most of which are very temporary issues.
Corner Pocket 7th & A St Billiards, 658 S. A Street, Oxnard;
Rodent infestation; unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/31/17; Date reopened - 09/01/17
The Galloping Hen, 305 Borchard Dr., Ventura;
Sewage overflowing inside the facility;
Date closed - 08/28/17; Date reopened - 08/28/17
Ranchero Restaurant, 131 W. 2nd Street, Oxnard;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/24/17; No reopen date
Barrera's Restaurant & Bakery, 644 S. C Street, Oxnard;
Equipment is inoperable resulting in food temperature violations, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/21/17; Date reopened - 08/23/17
Ameci's Pizza, 151 Ventura Street, Suite A, Fillmore;
Sewage overflowing outside of the facility; not able to use sinks in order to not generate more wastewater and prevent further sewage discharge;
Date closed - 08/21/17; Date reopened - 08/22/17
Veggie Grill, 3825 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd, Thousand Oaks;
Inoperable refrigeration resulting in unsafe food temperatures;
Date closed - 08/18/17; Date reopened - 08/21/17
Happy Place Pizza, 1255 Saviers Rd., Oxnard;
No valid permit to operate;
Date closed - 08/18/17; No reopen date
Chinaland, 543 S. Ventura Rd., Oxnard;
No water available for hand and utensil washing;
Date closed - 08/17/17; Date reopened - 08/17/17
Big Z, 2428 Stearns Street, Simi Valley;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/17/17; Date reopened - 08/25/17
La Central Bakery, 600 Meta St., Oxnard;
Rodent and cockroach infestation resulting in unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/16/17; Date reopened - 08/17/17
El Dorado Mexican Restaurant, 601 S. Oxnard Blvd., Oxnard;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/15/17; Date reopened - 08/16/17
Casa de Lago, 715 E. Ojai Avenue, Ojai;
Sewage overflowing outside the facility;
Date closed - 08/11/17; Date reopened - 08/14/17
Lombardo's Deli & Meats, 695 Mobile Ave., Camarillo;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 08/10/17; Date reopened - 08/11/17
Tillie's Hot Dog's & Snacks, 921 Richmond Ave., Oxnard;
Operating beyound the permit limitation;
Date closed - 08/05/17; Date reopened - 08/07/17
Saigon Express, 437 S. C St., Oxnard;
Operating without a valid permit to operate, no plans submitted for changes in menu and equipment;
Date closed - 08/02/17; Date reopened - 08/04/17
The Apple Store at the Simi Valley Town Center, which has been in operation for 10 years, has announced that it will be closing its doors at the close of business on Friday, September 15th.
As a result, Ventura County will be back down to one Apple store. The Apple Store at The Oaks Mall was expanded and remodeled in 2016.
The Apple Store at the Topanga Plaza in Canoga Park has been closed for renovations and will re-open on Saturday, September 16th at 10am according to Apple at www.apple.com/retail/topanga.
The former Albertson's and short-lived Haggen Grocery store at the Oakbrook Plaza, at 1736 E. Avenida De Los Arboles, Thousand Oaks is in its final stages of transformation into Gelson's. Planned grand opening data is Friday, September 22, 2017.
There will be a ribbon cutting at 9 am and the first 50 customers will receive a gift bag valued at $20. The first 25 customers to purchase items the next six days will also receive $20 gift bags.
According to Gelson's:
The Gelson’s Thousand Oaks store features an emphasis on fresh, great-tasting food across a broad spectrum, including grass-fed beef, organic and non-GMO items, local products, and vegan, vegetarian and raw food options. The full-service deli will offer signature creations along with healthful and delicious salads from Gelson’s Registered Dietitian, for the benefit of Thousand Oaks residents, employees and visitors alike. Gelson’s Thousand Oaks will include a carving station (selected hours), gourmet cheese section, olive cart, soup and salad bar, hot food bar, fresh sushi and poke bar, kosher foods and bakery, along with a coffee bar, dining area, floral department, custom and ready-made gift baskets, and free gift wrapping. In addition, Gelson’s is excited to bring an in-store pharmacy department to the Thousand Oaks community.
Learn more at gelsons.com.
Gelson's bought this former Haggen location nearly two years ago.
No word yet on timing but Tuesday Morning looks to be "coming soon" to the Conejo Valley Plaza, in the space next to the Marshalls store (formerly Sport Chalet space).
This is going to make some people happy who enjoyed shopping at the small Tuesday Morning store at Janss Marketplace until it closed on June 30, 2012.
Did you know...Tuesday Morning Corporation is a publicly-traded company listed on NASDAQ under symbol TUES. Tuesday Morning "is a leading off-price retailer specializing in selling deeply-discounted, upscale decorative home accessories, housewares, seasonal goods and famous-maker gifts." Based in Dallas, Texas, the Company opened its first store in 1974 and currently operates over 720 stores in 40 states. More information and a list of store locations at www.tuesdaymorning.com.
UPDATE 2/5/18: Now open!
Well this is good news! The spot formerly occupied by Subway in the Newbury Square Shopping Center, near Smart & Final Extra! at 2110-C Newbury Road will soon be the home of The Sandwich Spot. Anticipated grand opening date is in October.
The Sandwich Spot's Simi Valley location at 3060 Cochran Street has earned a very solid 4 1/2 star Yelp rating based on over 350 reviews.
The Sandwich Spot bakes fresh breads from the world famous Boudin Bakery in San Francisco in their stores daily. Offering 24 "Signature" sandwiches as well as basic sandwiches with a variety of meats.
Learn more at www.thesandwichspot.com and stay tuned for the official grand opening date (or let us know if you hear).
Shout out to Steve C. for the heads up!
A friend who was enjoying a meal at Cafe Bizou in Agoura Hills informed me that Niroj Kurdish Cuisine in the Reyes Adobe Plaza, 30313 Canwood Street, has closed its doors. A visit to its website and Facebook page confirmed that Niroj served its last kebab on Sunday, July 31st. Niroj opened here in early 2013.
A Thai restaurant will be coming to this space.
Azi Grill closed its doors in 2020.
Janss Marketplace is proud to announce the opening of Azi Grill on Wednesday, August 16 at the shopping center, located off the Moorpark exit on the 101 Freeway at the intersection of Moorpark Road and Hillcrest Drive in Thousand Oaks.
The newest restaurant at Janss Marketplace will feature authentic Mediterranean cuisine. Owner Mazen Nadour has been in the culinary world since he was a young man working for his father in Homs, Syria. His culinary ancestry comes from a long line of chefs dating back to his great-great-grandfather. The menu at Azi Grill features family recipes passed down from generation to generation.
Nadour owned some of the best shawarma and falafel restaurants in Syria before the war forced his family to leave the country. After arriving in the United States, he worked at the Santa Cruz Market and Beverage Company in Ventura where he learned to speak English and to prepare classic American food.
The new Azi Grill will feature healthy, delicious food including shawarma, falafel, and kabob, served with Nadour’s signature hummus and salad. Azi Grill will also offer some American items as options to the international cuisine.
In celebration of the restaurant Grand Opening, the first 100 diners will receive a FREE menu item. Guests will also have the opportunity to win prizes:
Like the Azi Grill Facebook page @azigrill for auto entry into a contest for the chance to win two airline tickets to fly anywhere in the United States. The Winner will be announced on the restaurant Facebook page on September 18.
Post a picture on the Azi Grill Facebook page enjoying a delicious meal at Azi Grill for auto entry for the opportunity to win a FREE menu item. Weekly winners, selected from September 18 – October 31, will be announced on the restaurant’s Facebook page.
For information contact Azi Grill at 805 370-1470. The website is www.azigrill.com.
NewMark Merrill Companies
Azi Grill is the newest restaurant at Janss Marketplace, part of the NewMark Merrill Companies LLC owned or managed portfolio of over 80 shopping centers. Since 1984 Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Sandy Sigal has led NewMark Merrill in a community leadership role at the company’s shopping centers in more than 45 cities throughout California, Colorado and Illinois. For more information, visit www.newmarkmerrill.com. For more information about Janss Marketplace and NewMark Merrill Companies, contact Heather Danko, Senior Marketing Manager, at hdanko@newmarkmerrill.com or at 818.710.6100.
The County of Ventura Environmental Health Division (EHD) protects public health and the environment by ensuring conformance with State laws and County ordinances pertaining to food protection, hazardous materials, hazardous waste, individual sewage disposal systems, land use, medical waste, ocean water quality monitoring, recreational health, solid waste, underground fuel tanks and vector control.
The EHD publishes food facility closures at www.ventura.org/rma/envhealth/community-services/consumer-food/closures.html.
The following facility closures (exclusive of mobile facilities) were noted in July 2017. Keep in mind when reviewing this that there are many possible reasons for the closures, most of which are very temporary issues.
Little Caesar's #5847, 1450 W. Doris Ave., Oxnard;
Inoperable plumbing resulting in sewage backing up inside the facility and inoperable sinks;
Date closed - 07/31/17; Date reopened - 07/31/17
Cho Cho San, 400 E. Thousand Oaks Blvd., Thousand Oaks;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions:
Date closed - 07/25/17; Date reopened - 07/26/17
Disgustingly Delicious Coffee House, 252 W. Los Angeles Ave., Moorpark;
No hot water available for handwashing and utensil washing;
Date closed - 07/24/17; Date reopened - 07/28/17
Lalo's Fast Food, 1580 N. Ventura Avenue, Ventura;
Fly infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/17/17; Date reopened - 07/18/17
El Huarache de Mexico, 1486 E. Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley;
Inoperable plumbing resulting in sewage backing up inside the facility and inoperable sinks;
Date closed - 07/17/17; No reopen date
Subway, 51 W. Main Street, Ventura;
Inoperable hand washing sink in the food prearation area;
Date closed - 07/17/17: Date reopened - 07/17/17
Panaderia La Mexicana, 515 Colonia Road, Oxnard;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/13/17; Date reopened- 07/14/17
Szechuwan Garden, 1407 E. Los Angeles Avenue, Simi Valley;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/12/17; Date reopened - 07/13/17
Gourmet Oriental, 67 W. Main Street, Unit C, Ventura;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/10/17; Date reopened - 07/11/17
Little Caesar's #5953, 67 W. Main Street, Unit A, Ventura;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/10/17; Date reopened - 07/17/17
Tacos Mi Pueblo, 2851 Rose Avenue, Oxnard;
Cockroach infestation, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/06/17; Date reopened - 07/07/17
Cold Stone Creamery, 215 N. Moorpark Road, #A, Thousand Oaks;
Sewage overflowing within the facility, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/05/17; Date reopened - 07/07/17
Cisco's, 925 S. Westlake Blvd., Westkake;
Bar area only: sewage overflow, unsanitary conditions;
Date closed - 07/3/17; Date reopened - 07/06/17
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