A new bistro: There’s another empty storefront in Henderson Center now that the Stuft Potato has moved to the old Babetta’s site on Broadway. The old venue, in the Steve’s Coney Island next to Norman’s dry cleaners, could charitably have been described as “cozy” but it was definitely too crowded for a business lunch or anything else you didn’t want to include the whole world in on. The new place is spacious and downright elegant and advertises itself as a European Bistro. The menu has been expanded to include vegetarian options such as strudel and continues to offer sandwiches, the “stuft” potatoes with a myriad of toppings including meatloaf, and dinner selections including schnitzels, rouladen and goulash. I’ve always liked their food but the experience should be a lot more pleasant now and I would recommend checking them out. No word on what is happening to the old place.
(We apparently have a problem with the link to their site. Try going direct to “stuftpotato.com ” till we get it fixed. Sorry!)
By the way, can anyone remember the location of the ORIGINAL Steve’s? I can. Let’s hear from you!
More busses! In transportation-starved Humboldt County any news is good news. On Hallowe’en, Bolt Bus , a subsidiary of Greyhound, will start thrice-daily service between the Bay Area and Los Angeles. Oddly, they won’t serve San Francisco directly but will be doing curbside pickups at the Diridon Station, 75 Cahill Street in San Jose and at the West Oakland Bart station on Seventh Street, with the LA hub at Union Station. Fares are still being evaluated according to demand; check their website. Like other “premium discount” services, they will feature wi-fi, power outlets, greater legroom, and online ticket purchase although walkup tickets can be purchased depending on availability.All tickets are nonrefundable. I notice they are also serving Eugene, a handy connection to Amtrak, but of course by way of LA. Someday, will we at least have an express bus to SF? Anything would help.
Next week: lessons from “Catfish” for Redwood Coast Business.
http://www.northcoastjournal.com/Blogthing/archives/2013/11/25/get-your-greyhound-ticket-early
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Monday, November 25, 2013
Community
Get Your Greyhound Ticket Early
Posted by Heidi Walters on Mon, Nov 25, 2013 at 4:05 PM
Wanna ride The Dog? Well, fine. But you have to buy your ticket first, and we don’t mean directly from the Greyhound bus driver. Says a news release from Larry Pardi, the City of Arcata’s public transportation superintendent:
“Gone are the days when one could flag down a Greyhound bus and pay the driver or ride to the next station to purchase tickets there. Now Greyhound customers must have a ticket or reservation in order to hold a seat. In most cases, if passengers do not check in prior to the scheduled departure time, tickets can be cancelled with no refund given.”
This means you must get your reservation and ticket online (Greyhound.com), by phone ((800) 231-2222), or by marching yourself down to the station — in Arcata, that’s at the transit center bus terminal on E Street between 9th and 10th.
Do it. Or, suffer a fate similar to that of roughly 100 people so far, says the release, who’ve recently tried that old flagging-down, buying-later method and been turned away. You could miss your flight, or that appointment with your doc, or maybe Thanksgiving dinner.
Thanks for the update, Rick. Our limited transportation options are not just few in number, but in capacity.
SP had a tiny parking lot but GoGo had nothing and parking on Henderson Street is pretty dicey. I parked around the corner on G when I went to GG. Guess I didn’t go often enough. I always feel guilty when a worthy business fails and I know I didn’t patronize them much.
According to the wife, GG closed because the cook found a different job elsewhere and moved out of the area- or so she told me. If true, it had nothing to do with lack of business.
I know most of the times I drove by there it had customers visible in the window.
I’ll admit it seems rather odd a place would close because the cook moved, but it could be the cook was also the owner of the business. I’ll have to ask a friend. She lives next door to the owners, or what I was told were the owners. I actually did some work for them some time ago but can’t even remember their names. I’ll ask.
I’d appreciate that. Seems like an odd reason to close.
My mistake. She just e-mailed me back and said they owned Brick and Fire, not GG. I had it wrong all this time.
OMG Did Brick and Fire close? They looked open when I drove by the other day. Say it ain’t so!
No, at least not that I know of. The people I thought owned GG owned Brick and Fire instead.
Oh, my GOD! Stuft Potato moved to Victoria Place??? Bad move.
I guess Stan and Babs threw in the towel. He told me for some time it looked like they would since business really went downhill once they moved to Victoria Place. I had to confess to him that when I first heard they were moving there (from the place on Myrtle Ave.) I thought it was a bad move.
Can’t believe Stuft Potato would make the same mistake. It’s one thing to be on Broadway next to the road where people will see you. It’s another entirely to be back away from the road mixed in with Social Security and military recruiting.
Yes, this definitely makes the Stuft a “destination dining” spot since no one’s going to find it by accident. But I have to say it looks so much better than the old place they just may develop of following. It helps that they’re open for breakfast, lunch and dinner. I hope she makes it.
Let’s hope they make it. I think that’s a horrible location.
I can’t help but wonder why they didn’t move into the now vacant Bistro? The wife says it’s not that big, but it’s bigger than where they were and almost just around the corner.
Either that, or any number of other places in town. Nobody’s going to even know they’re there, where they’re at now.
Are you speaking of the Go-Go? I suspect parking may have been a negative.
Yeah, but that’s a general problem in Henderson Center. It didn’t seem to be a problem for either Stuft Potato or Go- Go before.