Danville Gluten-Free Publisher is No. 1 in the U.S.

Danville is home to the "ESPN of the celiac world," Triumph Dining. Learn how Triumph's publisher and Danville resident, Dave Morris is taking the company to the next level.

Odds are if you aren't living "gluten-free," you know someone who is.   As little as five years ago if you told someone that you were living “gluten-free,” you were likely to get a puzzled expression. Times have changed. The products designed for those eliminating gluten has become a billion dollar business, and it's growing fast. To give a sense of how strong the business is, in 2010, the market segment accounted for $2.6 billion in sales; a strong 30 percent gain for the period spanning 2006-2010. In 2015, revenues are expected to pass $6 billion. In the world of gluten-free living, Triumph Dining is “like the ESPN of the celiac world,” said Triumph's owner, and Danville resident, Dave Morris. Morris added the publisher -- currently the …

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Kirsten Branch

4:09 pm on Tuesday, March 13, 2012

I've wondered about that! I have several people who are gluten free, but are do the annual deed of selling the cookies. Seems like such a natural thing to produce, given that so many kids and adults are now on gluten free diets.   more ›

Pete's Brass Rail & Car Wash Closed for 'Spring' Cleaning; Reopens Thursday

Pete's is putting on a new coat of paint, resurfacing the bars, and will be doing a little deep cleaning over the next few days.

Next time you go into Pete's Brass Rail & Car Wash, you'll see a new coat of paint, a fresh coat of lacquer on the bars, and, maybe, you'll notice that it had a deep cleaning. But, unfortunately, you won't be able to visit Pete's until Thursday. Owner Dave Homer is shutting the place down for a few days to get this "spring cleaning," as he called it, done. It will open up again, regular hours, on Thursday at 11 a.m. "We're going to paint the interiors and resurface the bars," Homer said. "It's winter time, but we're going to do some spring cleaning." Workers were buzzing around Pete's this afternoon, removing various things from inside as well as power washing the exterior walls. So, when Pete's opens back up, what's the first thing you'll…

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Sprouts & Shutters

Sprouts & Shutters: New Mexican Restaurant, Salons, Floor Store and More

Here's the latest roundup of retail, restaurant and other business news in the Tri-Valley area.

Wondering what’s moving into your neighborhood shopping center? Our Sprouts & Shutters column highlights the latest Tri-Valley restaurant, retail and other business news. Diablo Flooring opened a new showroom in Danville on Dec. 1 on West Linda Mesa Avenue next to Pete's Brass Rail. The locally owned residential and commercial carpet and flooring company also operates showrooms in Pleasanton and Walnut Creek. Tips N Toes Spa on Bollinger Canyon Way opened in mid January in the Canyon Lake shopping center on Bollinger Canyon Way across from Club Sport. The full-service nail salon offers manicures, pedicures, nail enhancement and waxing services for men and women. Wrapping up its short seasonal closure, San Ramon’s Windmill Farms Produce …

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Norm's Place Owner Honored as a Woman Entrepreneur of the Year

Cindy Walsh, co-owner of Norm's Place in downtown Danville was honored along with eight fellow female entrepreneurs by the Women's Initiative for Self Employment.

Cindy Walsh, co-owner and founder of Norm’s Place on Hartz Avenue, has many hats she juggles, but she is particularly proud to have been recently recognized for one of her hard-earned hats — successful serial entrepreneur. Walsh received a Woman Entrepreneur of the Year in Contra Costa County award from the Bay Area nonprofit, Women’s Initiative for Self-Employment, on Nov. 14 at an award ceremony held at Round Hill Country Club. Eight other local women were recognized along with Walsh, including Danville’s Tiffany Stuart, founder and president of Dynamic Office & Accounting Solutions, and San Ramon’s Dawn Serpa of Lea Journo Cosmetique. The honor recognizes women entrepreneurs who succeed and innovate despite barriers that exist for women…

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Blackhawk Salon Closes Its Doors

Salon Forty Sixty Two closes in Blackhawk Plaza. The reason why is unclear.

Salon Forty Sixty Two has cut its last locks of hair, at least in Blackhawk Plaza. The doors to the upscale salon were abruptly closed this week for unspecified reasons. Surprised customers were greeted Tuesday by a sign on the door from a Los Angeles law firm representing the landlord, Blackhawk Centercal. The letter warned the salon owners to not remove any fixtures inside or law enforcement would be called. It stated another salon would be moving in and the fixtures had to stay. Inside, a representative of the landlord supervised a cleaning crew. A message left on the salon's voice mail for Salon Forty Sixty Two's owners, Jamie and Adrian Schabbing and Denica and Chris Ruggieri, was not returned. Betsy Penson, manager of Centercal, said…

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Danville-Based Everloop Is Leading the Way for Safe Social Networking for Kids

Huffington Post today honors three local moms as "Greatest Person of the Day" for their work starting a technology company to safely empower kids online.

Patch is republishing this feature today to honor the subjects of this story, who were named Huffington Post's Greatest Person of the Day. When you first taught your children to ride a bicycle, did you launch them down the street without training wheels and a helmet? Would you hand your car keys over to your new 16-year-old without any practice behind the wheel? While it seems foolish at the least and downright dangerous at the worst to do such things, those who study children’s Internet usage trends, and particularly their participation on social media networks such as Facebook, say that often parents are letting their kids into the virtual driver’s seat with little to no preparation, sometimes with devastating results. Everloop, a …

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Kim Estes -The Savvy Safety Mama

8:24 am on Tuesday, November 22, 2011

Congrats! I love to hear about other moms out there stepping up and filling in a "gap" of needed services! I am going to feature you on the Savvy Parents Safe Kids facebook fan page today as one of our "thankful heros"!   more ›

Triumph Over Tragedy

When the Going Gets Tough, Eat Brie

A new business – and hope – springs from a job loss.

In this trying economy, many people find themselves out of work because of layoffs and high unemployment rates. That’s where Leslie Bowers found herself. Leslie lost her job and had no prospects that were panning out for future employment. But she did not give up hope. Instead, she decided to look at the loss of her job as a huge opportunity. She saw the silver lining to what could have been an economic tragedy for herself and her family. Leslie drew on years of experience in the corporate world as well as her own talent and love for entertaining. That’s when she began a company called “Elegant Brie” with her sister, Linda. “That would mean trading in my corporate wardrobe for an apron," Leslie said. "Not so glamorous or 'elegant' but I …

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Dozens of San Ramon Valley Businesses Named 'Best of the East Bay'

Zachary's Chicago Style Pizza and Uncle Yu's were among several local establishments featured in Diablo Magazine's annual Best of the East Bay listings.

Diablo Magazine named several San Ramon Valley businesses in its yearly Best of the East Bay edition. The list includes everything from best personal shoppers to specialty grocers, salons, gyms and eateries. Uncle Yu's Chinese restaurant in San Ramon won for best Asian food. Rich Red Velvet From Miglet's in Danville was runner-up in the cupcake category. San Ramon's Zachary's Chicago Style Pizza was named best gourmet pizza place in the East Bay. Many more local businesses made the cut. The Diablo issue features the best places to "eat, shop and play" in the region, according to the magazine's readers who were asked to vote for their "favorite, can’t-live-without-’em Best of the East Bay foods, shops, services, kid-friendly places, fun …

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Marie Callender's Closed for Good

The family-style eatery out of business; its parent company files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy.

Marie Callender's restaurants in Walnut Creek and on Diamond Boulevard in Concord, in San Ramon and other Bay Area locations abruptly closed their doors Sunday afternoon — without informing staff that the closure was coming, the blog Claycord is reporting. Close on the heels came news that the corporate parent of Marie Callender’s and the Perkins chain has filed for bankruptcy in a Delaware court, citing weak sales in a poor economy, according to Reuter's. Claycord quotes a reader whose friend was eating at the restaurant:  "A friend of mine was just at Marie Callender’s and mid-lunch the restaurant shut down. Didn’t even let them finish eating or pay. Apparently they got a fax from HQ that said they had to close immediately." A waitress …

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