Biz Beat: Noodle house replaces Modesto's Lollipop Cafe

Say hello to the new iPho Cafe.

The Vietnamese noodle house and restaurant opened last month in the former home of the Lollipop Cafe. The restaurant's name is a playful take on the word for Vietnamese soup and the famous Apple phone.

Husband-and-wife owners Huey and Ann Tran previously ran a small food truck along Carpenter, but jumped at the chance to open a brick-and-mortar spot of their own. They made an offer to the Lollipop Cafe's owner in May.

"I love this location. It's downtown and central. And we thought Modesto needed more ethnic food," said Huey Tran, who cooks in the restaurant alongside his wife.

The iPho Cafe serves pho, rice plates, noodle dishes and Vietnamese sandwiches. It also makes smoothies and specialty drinks. Other menu items include lemon grass chicken, wonton soup, chow mein and spring rolls.

The iPho Cafe, at 330 Needham St., is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m. Beginning in October, Tran said, the cafe will be open Saturdays as well. For more, call (209) 529-1935 or visit www.modestopho.com.

Elsewhere around the Business Beat:

Cigar aficionados have a new location to light up.

The Cigar Club, formerly on McHenry Avenue, moved to a building on Standiford Avenue last month. Owner Adam Aprim said he wanted to move to a larger, more comfortable location.

The new spot, next door to Pura Vida Shaved Ice in the Frontier West Shopping Center, is about 40 percent larger than his old place, where he opened four years ago. The move allowed him to make a larger walk-in humidor and lounge seating area, as well as expand his selection by 20 percent.

The store also has longer hours, staying open daily from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m.

The lounge area features 70 seats, leather chairs and flat-screen televisions, and soft drinks are served.

For more on the Cigar Club, 1407 Standiford Ave., Suite C, call (209) 557-2500.

And, finally, Vintage Faire Mall has added two clothing stores.

Foreign Exchange opened in July on the lower level near Sears. The men's and women's clothing retailer took over the old Anchor Blue and Vintage Furniture spaces. On the upper level near JC Penney, women's clothing and accessories ANGL is set to open soon.

Have an item for Business Beat? Contact Marijke Rowland at The Modesto Bee, P.O. Box 5256, Modesto 95352; (209) 578-2284 or mrowland@modbee.com.