Why hello there: These new businesses, restaurants opened in Modesto, valley in 2019
Sure, Modesto experienced all four seasons this year. But it felt like perpetual spring as new businesses sprung up throughout the Central Valley.
After looking at the bad news of this year’s major closings, here comes the good news, with a celebration of some of the major retailers, businesses and restaurants to open in Modesto and the surrounding area in 2019.
This year has seen a slew of new, independently owned restaurants and businesses open in the area. And some national chains also came into the region, a few for the first time. A look at all the exciting openings this year.
Openings:
Ike’s Love & Sandwiches: A Bay Area cult favorite, this Northern California-based sandwich shop cemented its Central Valley status this year. The company opened its second shop in the region and first in Modesto, at the corner of McHenry and Briggsmore avenues. Last year it opened the first Ike’s in the Northern San Joaquin Valley in Turlock’s Monte Vista Crossings.
Blades & Bottles: One of the first new bars without a restaurant attached to open in years in downtown Modesto, Blades & Bottles led a mini-wave when it opened in late January. The combination barber shop and full bar offers a unique day-and-night experience on 15th Street. It was the first of three new bars to open in the downtown area. Lo-Fi, a craft cocktail lounge, opened in late May on J Street and The Terrace by The Vault, a wine bar in the old Portofino’s bar, opened in June on lower McHenry Avenue.
Salvation Army Family Thrift Store: The Salvation Army closed its small, Yosemite Boulevard thrift store this year and reopened in the former Simi Floral Supply Center space in April on north McHenry Avenue. The new, much larger store offers a wider selection of clothes, home goods, kitchen appliances and more.
Modesto Mazda: The first Mazda dealership to open in Modesto since the Great Recession, Modesto Mazda debuted in April. The new, from-the-ground-up space features a state-of-the-art showroom. The business is part of the Central Valley Automotive group, which also includes the Modesto Chrysler, Dodge, Hyundai, Jeep, Nissan, Ram, Volkswagen and next-door Infiniti dealerships.
Modesto Grub Hubs: Modesto’s very first food truck court, Grub Hubs opened in May. What started with a handful of food trucks has grown to become a full and lively spot filled with diners day and night. The lot is now at capacity with trucks serving everything from Mexican food to barbecue, burgers to kebabs and a lot in between.
Ten Pin Fun Center: After nearly a decade of planning and more than a year and a half of construction, the massive Ten Pin Fun Center opened in May in Turlock’s Monte Vista Crossings shopping center. The new family entertainment center offers 34 lanes of bowling, arcade games, a full-service restaurant, three bars and private space for rental and parties. Then in July the last of the center’s attractions, a two-story laser tag arena, opened, completing the project.
The Village Butcher: Modesto’s popular McHenry Village shopping center saw the addition of the city’s first artisan, nose-to-tail butcher shop in late May. Modesto native Matt Soderstrom opened the shop on the Briggsmore Avenue side of the center, offering freshly butchered, dry-aged and otherwise prepared meats from largely local farms. You can also grab housemade sandwiches and sides in the airy, bright shop.
Ace Hardware: The loss of Orchard Supply Hardware in 2018 hit many a do-it-yourselfers hard in the Central Valley. But this year Ace Hardware stepped in to fill the void — and many of the company’s former buildings. The local family behind Escalon’s long-running Strand Ace Hardware opened a new Ace in the former OSH site on Oakdale Road in early July. And Turlock’s former OSH on Geer Road opened just before Christmas in December.
Lee’s Chinese Kitchen: Two years after a fire destroyed its kitchen and forced it to close, the popular Modesto restaurant reopened in the same north McHenry Avenue spot in July. One of the oldest Chinese spots in the city, Lee’s first opened in 1973. Owner Henry Ma’s family took over the restaurant from its original owners in 1977, and has been running it ever since.
Icon at Inspiration: The first new housing development to be constructed in northwest Modesto in more than a decade, Icon at Inspiration sprung up this year and opened in July behind the Vintage Faire Mall in a long-vacant lot along Dale Road. The new project from Florsheim Homes will feature 154 single-family homes when finished.
Contentment Brewing: The valley’s thirst for craft beer showed no signs of slowing and instead added major new watering holes this year. Contentment Brewing, named after the iconic Modesto arch and situated behind Modesto Junior College’s East Campus, was the first not-micro-scaled commercial brewery-taproom to open in the city in decades when it debuted in late July. Earlier in the year in March, Oakdale’s Last Call Brewing opened its new taproom as well.
Fina: Popular Modesto chefs saw their food empires expand this year. Leading the charge was John Surla, who opened his new upscale Italian eatery Fina in Ripon in early August. The unique circular construction and open window wall into the kitchen makes it an architectural as well as culinary standout. This year also marked the 10th anniversary of his original restaurant, Surla’s in Modesto, and the closure of his Hilmar site Lola Bistro.
Food Fix Butcher & Baker: Also opening a new spot this year was Food Fix Truck’s Hank Olson, who opened his first brick-and-mortar restaurant on 11th Street in downtown Modesto’s former Cobblestone Bakery spot in late August. The eatery builds on the popular food truck’s success, adding more menu items and then expanding to serve dinner in October.
Dutch Bros Coffee: A Western states favorite finally found its way to the Northern San Joaquin Valley this year. Dutch Bros Coffee, an Oregon-based drive-thru chain, opened its first Stanislaus County location in August. The drive-thru kiosk, in the former Pete’s Joe & Snow coffee and shaved ice stand, offers coffee specialty drinks and other beverages in almost every imaginable color.
First & Main: The team behind Turlock’s long-running Bistro 234 — Jennifer Doerksen and LeRoy Walker — returned with a new restaurant serving new cuisine. The fusion Asian-inspired menu brings new interpretations to popular dishes from Japan, Korea, India and more. The new downtown Turlock restaurant on Main Street opened in September.
Save Mart: The Modesto-based valley grocery chain opened its new flagship store at the corner of Oakdale Road and Sylvan Avenue at the start of October. The from-the-ground-up construction was the first business to open in the new The Marketplace shopping center. The new location includes The Tipping Point, the first in-store restaurant to serve alcohol and beer in the chain’s history.
Mad Monk: Iconic Berkeley based brand Rasputin’s Music has been reborn in Modesto. The store moved in August from its small Dale Road site to the much, much larger former Babies R Us building on Sisk Road. Then in late November it unveiled the second part of its new combined store, bringing in clothes from Anastasia New & Vintage Clothing. The enormous new store has been rebranded Mad Monk, and Rasputin’s/Anastasia owner Ken Sarachan said it’s the model for all his other stores to come.
Bauer’s Downtown Gastropub: And three makes it a trend. In December Tye Bauer became the third Modesto-based chef/owner to expand his brand with another restaurant. The new Downtown Gastropub is his third Modesto restaurant, behind Bauer’s 66 1/2 Skillet & Grill and Bauhaus Tapas Lounge. Opened at the start of December in the former The Burnt End space on Ninth Street, the new eatery offers bold flavors and wild game, among other favorites.
This story was originally published December 30, 2019 at 10:53 AM.
