Amy’s Wicked Slush to Close Memorial Beach Shop
Amy Covin, who parlayed a life-long affection for Boston-style “slush”—a fruity ice confection with drizzles, sprinkles and playful attitude—into a Healdsburg dessert destination, announced over the weekend that she would be closing the flagship shop in early September.
“I think we outgrew this facility the...
Despite the Name, the Elephant Is a ‘People Pub’
There’s a widespread sentiment in the wine industry: “It takes a lot of good beer to make a good bottle of wine.”
So when Paul Stokeld suggested the name, “Elephant in the Room,” to co-owner KC Mosso for their planned watering hole in Healdsburg, Mosso...
JANE opens the door to high heaven
In this "web extra," we take readers inside the JANE Dispensary. It officially opened last week right next to the Coyote Sonoma, a tasting room for Wilson wines and live music venue (aka the “Coyote Den”).
County’s hospitality industry hit hardest in COVID outbreak
The welcome mat for Sonoma County’s wine country was rolled up several weeks ago in the midst of the COVID-19 shelter-in-place, and there is no prediction of when it might be rolled out again. Only a little over one quarter (27.8%) of the county’s 7,000 lodging rooms were occupied at the beginning of this month, down from an average occupancy rate of 78% from a year ago.
Tasting Room Closing Ending Area’s Longest Run
Simi Winery, whose signature wine-barrel tasting room was a landmark on Old Redwood Highway when it served as 101 North, will close its tasting room in February, Constellation Brands announced this month.
“As we focus on evolving SIMI into a leading premium consumer lifestyle brand,...
Taste of Tea co-owner was a pillar of warmth in Healdsburg community
Donna L. Tokugawa, the co-owner and host of The Taste of Tea, wasn’t just known in Healdsburg as a restaurant co-owner, she was known as an outgoing and compassionate community member and a friend to all, the kind of friend who accepts everyone with...
Shuttered businesses facing unmet challenges
The coronavirus pandemic is taking a devastating economic toll on Sonoma County’s economy: tourism, once a mainstay, is non-existent; 16,000 local workers have filed for unemployment; more than a thousand small businesses have applied for the federal Small Business Administration (SBA) Payroll Protection Plan (PPP). Meanwhile local governments continue to provide essential public health and welfare services, while their normal revenue sources trickle to near-zero.
Jordan Vineyard & Winery acquires Meola Vineyard
At the end of May, Jordan Vineyard & Winery announced the purchase of Meola Vineyard in Alexander Valley just north of Geyserville. The purchase price was not disclosed, according to a press release from a Jordan spokesperson.
Campo Fina to Be Empty No More
The coveted downtown restaurant location at 330 Healdsburg Ave., vacated in October by Campo Fina, will reopen this summer as Molti Amici, loosely translated from Italian as “many friends.”
“Campo was a space that I would dine at three to four times a week,” said...

















