Health & Fitness
Stash's Palaver
Lunch in memory of Sewall. Planet Fitness lands at old Macdonald Safeway. Lawrence Labs will create big opportunities for El Cerrito business. Visit the Mechanics for a great October mixer.
THERE WAS NOBODY who worked harder for the El Cerrito Chamber of Commerce than former manager Sewall Glinternick. He was known throughout El Cerrito. Stop by for a memorial lunch at the Hotel Mac (second floor dining room) in Point Richmond on Sunday, October 21st, between noon and 4 p.m.
BUSINESS-WISE there is news just outside of our small town borders. Whole Foods dropped their plan to build a store in Albany. That’s just fine as El Cerrito merchants can easily accommodate those shoppers; Safeway and El Cerrito Natural Grocery are both Chamber members. Just across the north city limits Planet Fitness will be opening soon in the former Macdonald Avenue Safeway building. Construction is underway and the gym hopes to open its Richmond location before the end of the year. Meanwhile, back here in El Cerrito on Stockton Avenue, Jenny K made a short move to larger quarters on the opposite side of Well Grounded.
RICHMOND scored big time snagging the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory in their search for a new campus. LBL will be a major source of new employment and their location at UC’s Richmond Field Station is less than two miles from Potrero and San Pablo Avenues in El Cerrito. Think of that as economic development for both Richmond and El Cerrito. When up and running in 4-5 years many workers at the new campus will likely come through the Del Norte BART station. There is so much potential business to be shared that our Chamber of Commerce should have a plan for members to get a piece of the action. This is something future Chamber leaders need to focus on. I’ll bring it up at a board of directors meeting.
WE HAVEN'T HAD many mixers this year. But a lack of quantity doesn’t mean we’re short on quality. The Mechanics Bank invites one and all to their mixer on October 25th at 5:30 p.m. at the El Cerrito branch. The “Mechanics” who run the local bank are not afraid to actually meet and mingle with the customers. I really have a lot of respect for the staff. Edward Downer III, Chairman Emeritus of the bank, has attended past mixers. I was personally solicited for a new checking account by a guy who introduced himself at Steve Buster. Steve didn’t mention that he was President and CEO of the bank! What a great group of people. Can you imagine anyone from the big national banks even coming to El Cerrito?
