Comments on: Wine Spectrum: No more nibbles

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 08:41:43 +0000

Thanks for the update on the Wine Spectrum in RR Square – great place to branch out in the sphere of wine, as well as relax. Time to go back and savor anew!

By: anonymous

anonymous — Sat, 08 Nov 2008 09:35:24 +0000

My boyfriend and I walked down to the candy shop one night after dinner to get ice cream. The man behind the counter was more interested in talking to his friends than serving the customers in line. He also said f*** several times, loudly, while serving us and there were little kids behind us! I’m not really surprised they closed if thats the kind of service and people that were being hired!

By: Wojamo

Wojamo — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 13:36:26 +0000

I agree with emmajay. Unfortunately, another otherwise very good restaurant in that same area suffered the same short-sightedness: Vivere. Are they open? Are they closed? Well- now they’re closed…for good.

By: emmajay

emmajay — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 12:44:02 +0000

It never ceases to amaze me how people can spend their hard earned dollars to be in the food business without doing their research. After my 3rd trip to the “candy” shop only to find out they were closed I never went back. The owner may have been the nicest guy on the planet but that doesn’t pay the bills. It WAS a dumb location but not because of parking! Parking doesn’t seem to be an issue with Powell’s on the Healdsburg square. Been there many times and walked a block or 2. True chocoholics & dessert foodies will come to the merchant who offers quality and consistancy.So BOO-HOO.No sympathy. A note to all you foodservice wannabees… DO YOUR HOMEWORK! MJ.Santa Rosa

By: Wulfstan10

Wulfstan10 — Fri, 07 Nov 2008 09:22:44 +0000

That’s too bad about the cany/ice cream store. I was always hoping it would work out and we would often stop there in the evening for ice cream, which was a ncie treat with the kids. The place was nice, the owner friendly, and the ice cream good. I never had a problem with it being open, though, and it stayed open late, which was nice. Many times at night, say 9pm, my wife and two small kids and I would walk past there and stop for a treat on our way home.
However, aside from the ice cream, it was a little patchy, with a small, unreliable selection of baked goods (they they seemed good), and only a small range of candy.
As far as parking goes, as I repreatedly say, I think people need to get beyond that: it’s downtown! In downtown, you WALK. The problem with the location is that it is not the most pedestrian-friendly spot of downtown. I walk along Mendocino all the tiume, but relatively few people do, in part I think because of the relatively high auto traffic and smallish sidewalks. Compare 4th St or RR Sq., which always have many pedestrians. That portion of Mendocino should be made more pedstrian-friendly since trying to compete qwith shopping centres on “convenient” parking is ultimately self defeating and destructive of the essential character of downtown.

By: jimmy

jimmy — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 09:13:44 +0000

like i always have said… if you have to pay to park.. why pay to shop… wish the city would figure this out… GIVE US FREE PARKING>..and the revenues will pay off…

By: Sean Thorniley

Sean Thorniley — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 00:03:41 +0000

Hmmm,
It is kind of sad to see the “candy shop” go, but if you can’t decide on what you are selling, or when to sell it, you can’t keep your customers. A nice idea from nice folks, but not “there” for you with what you wanted/expected when you needed it.
As for Wine Spectrum closing its kitchen, well, their food was inconsistent (a little over priced, but often really good), but the space was quite poorly designed and that change was much more needed than not spending money on food. Times are tough and tough decisions must be made, but carefully.
Many bars/lounges have “trouble” selling food because they all to often don’t have a good focus; consistent food, folks who know how to “sell it”, or a menu that their customers like and that works with their beverages. La Dolce Vita Wine Lounge (LDV) is a good example of a place that sells food and wine well because Sahar knows what her business is; her food is consistently excellent, she changes things in response to her regulars feedback and her and her staff know what they are doing and can guide you to a nice combination of food and beverage (she has good beer too!). Oh, and the atmosphere is much more comfortable at LDV than any other bar/lounge around.

By: Wojamo

Wojamo — Wed, 05 Nov 2008 13:18:40 +0000

That’s a bummer about Wine Spectrum since they had some nice food options. I just won’t be able to have more than one glass there anymore if I don’t have some food with it, unfortunately. Maybe that’s the idea?
Also a bummer about the ice cream parlor/bakery- but, it’s true: that’s such a bad area for parking.

By: fred dodge

fred dodge — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 18:02:27 +0000

Oh Hell, no Double Rainbow down the street. That was the best part of what they were doing. Yes, it was an eclectic offering to the downtown audience. Didn’t quite seem to know where it was headed. And, yes, the constant tease of not being open was frustrating. That was at the beginning. While they where open, they really tried. Sadly, they lacked a ‘star*ucks’ appeal to the masses. And yes, Since the passing of the Burlington Bakery, and the move of Patisserie Angelica ( doing very good work in sebastopol, go support them, please!)away from downtown. Lot’s of Food, no wonderful homegrown pastry shop. Until we can support such an enterprise, we are, sadly, a Subourbon entity in the northbay. We have an amazing downtown. If we can unite the square, we have a chance at being a very unique destination.
Wah. Double rainbow ice cream rules!

By: fred dodge

fred dodge — Tue, 04 Nov 2008 17:55:20 +0000