What's Missing from College Avenue's Retail Mix?

Long known for its restaurant scene, Rockridge’s regional rep as a destination for foodies will rise a notch in 2013. That’s the assessment of Barry Kaufman, the Rockridge News's restaurant writer, who points to the debuts of a ramen shop run by ex-Chez Panistas, an Italian bistro from the owners of San Francisco’s SPQR and A16, as well as the new restaurant slated for the old Somerset location from Oakland’s homegrown culinary star, James Shyabout.

These new names will join already existing restaurants like Wood Tavern and Oliveto. "Destination College Avenue" is the apt title of Kaufman's column. But is there such a thing as too many restaurants in a neighborhood? Over in the West Bay, a merchant’s association on Valencia Street is mobilizing to block new restaurants from opening.

"Valencia needs to be a cohesive neighborhood for people who live in it...We have no florist, no hardware store, no large grocery store," Valencia Street Merchants Association President and Glama-Rama Salon owner Deena Davenport told Uptown Almanac in November.

That certainly doesn’t describe College Avenue, which boasts a florist, two big grocery stores, two butchers, two bookstores, three bakeries, a bike store, a cobbler, a library, not to mention a bunch of family-friendly restaurants. Still, do you worry that the neighborhood may lose its neighborhood-y feel if College Avenue becomes a bigger star in the Bay Area foodie firmament? What sort of business would you like to see open on College Avenue apart from another restaurant?

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