OB FLASHES: News, Calendar, and Whatever – January 8, 2011

The Dream is Over at Dream Street – but Not For the Mothers

Earlier this week, the San Diego Reader reported that:

Dream Street talent-buyer Drew McDaniel posted on the bar’s website that the venue was finished. Neither McDaniel nor bar owner Billy Savino was available for comment. Shelby Wickersheim, who owns and operates a Pacific Beach hair salon, has taken over the business and the liquor license and will rename the Bacon Street bar Mothers Ocean Beach. She did not return a request for comment.

New Bo-Beau’s Reveals Its OB Bohemian-ness

The former Thee Bungalow – now rechristened Bo-beau’s – has opened dah-tah! And it has told the world where it got its new name: the “BO” stands for “bohemian Ocean Beach.” Its website advertises that the Cohen family restaurant is “a casual, neighborhood bistro in the heart of bohemian (BO) Ocean Beach.” OB may be bohemian but the prices aren’t that bohemian. Here’s a review from SignOnSanDiego .

Starbucks Changes Its Logo – Who Cares? The OB Fight Is Acknowledged.

A local, online website SanDiego.com while announcing the coffee giant Starbucks’ new design, took a swipe at both the coffee brewer’s designs for world domination and its Ocean Beach detractors and protesters. In a headline such as this: “Starbucks: New Logo, Same Global Domination – Not even Ocean Beach protesters could fend off the coffee magnate,” the article goes on to say (San Diego News) :

Even Ocean Beach lost its famous Newport Avenue battle with the green beast in 2001. Hundreds of locals protested against the coffee store; its opening marked the first chain ever to take up residence on the indie avenue. Even today, haters take to yelp.com and other social sites to show their aversion to the large brand’s OB location. And yet it survives.

It is true that at the beginning of this century (that sounds so long ago) hundreds of OBcians and others did protest the Starbucks on Newport Avenue, both before it opened, on the day it opened (9-11 – yes, that day), and for a while after. And yes, the protesters “lost” – but many, many locals will not step foot into the shop, and many folks around the County heard about the battle. Starbucks has more than 50 stores within the San Diego area, and

The downtown 92101 area clocks in with 15 Starbucks spots–two at Horton Plaza, in case you need a java boost asap while shopping and don’t have the strength to walk across the mall. And there are at least 22 Starbucks within the city limits of San Diego–two of those within the San Diego Airport. La Jolla boasts seven more Starbucks within its city limits.

At one point not too long ago, Starbucks had to close like 400 of its locations around the country. Locals even pleaded with the coffee giant to close its OB store – but to no avail. The corporation is so large that it could even run its Newport Avenue location in the red – which was rumored to be true – as it did not wish to backdown from the OB fight. (And oh, BTW, La Jolla is not a separate city but is part of the City of San Diego.)

Other Media Coverage of the Saving of the Torrey Pine

Here are two links to coverage by other media around town about the campaign to save the Torrey Pine on Long Branch Avenue.

O.B. activists save sidewalk-buckling Torrey pine by Christopher Cadelago – at SignOnSanDiego.

Ocean Beach Torrey Pine Tree Spared Dave Rice – San Diego Reader

Pacific Beach Residents Want to Restrict Their “Out-of-Control” Bars

By Christopher Cadelago / SignOnSanDiego / Jan. 5, 2011

PACIFIC BEACH — A group of residents convinced that a lack of enforcement has contributed to out-of-control bars in Pacific Beach has begun pursuing a new strategy.

The group is trying to build support at City Hall and in the Police Department for requiring businesses to obtain a conditional-use permit before they can secure a liquor license. The permit would come with a litany of requirements. Violations of any of those requirements could lead to the loss of the permit.

Currently, bars and restaurants need only to obtain an Alcohol Beverage Control license to sell booze. A number of Pacific Beach residents complain that the ABC is lax in its regulations.

For the remainder of the article, go here.