Old Spaghetti Factory Starts Moving In; Captain's Opens

Welcome to Redwood City Patch’s newest column, Sprouts and Shutters, bringing you the latest in business news for Redwood City.

Now, you can find Sprouts and Shutters on our site every Monday! Check back each week for the latest news on which businesses are closing their shutters, and which new businesses are sprouting up around town. Plus, we will be doing "get-to-know-you" profiles on different small businesses that have been around for a while, occasionally with special deals just for Sprouts and Shutters readers!

Got a small business news tidbit to share? Tell us in the comments, we love to hear from you!

This week, we bring you news on two new sprouts!

SPROUTS: Captain’s, 2066 Broadway St., Redwood City

As husband-and-wife owners Casey and Jody Zelinsky will tell you, there is no easy way to describe what their new downtown store, Captain’s, sells. There is no definable theme or style to put your finger on, but if one thing can be said for the store’s clothing and accessories, they are definitely unique, ranging from skateboarder, to cowboy chic, to vintage biker, and everything in between, in sizes for newborns to toddlers, teens, and adults.

One thing that makes the store unique is its mix of both popular mainstream brands, as well as handmade, local creations. Jody Zelinsky said they carry several big brand-name clothing lines like Bandit, Creature, Independent, Rebel 8, Brixton, and Loser Machine, as well as jewelry and art from local artists, both new and old.

“It’s about 90 percent new stuff, and we’ve mixed in a bit of vintage, like leather boots and old belt buckles,” Jody describes.

The store’s décor is something you don’t see at most clothing stores, either—such as old bicycles hung on the wall, and the large vintage motorcycle parked in the front of the shop. The store’s products themselves lend a unique look to the store as well, such as the rows of brightly colored helmets that line one set of shelves.

Much as it would be hard to pinpoint one easy way to classify Captain’s, it would be equally as hard to name one group of customers it targets—there’s definitely something for everyone, which was one of the couple’s goals for the store when they opened it.

“We wanted the store to have the feel of something you’d see in San Francisco or Santa Cruz, where anybody can find something,” Jody said.

Though nothing is officially on the books yet, Casey and Jody are hoping to have a grand opening event soon, and are considering tying it in with an art show featuring a local artist. Stay tuned to “Sprouts and Shutters” for the announcement!

For more information on Captain’s, visit www.captainssk8.com or call 650-568-1931.

SPROUTS: Old Spaghetti Factory to Open Soon in Downtown

If you’re a fan of the San Jose location, then this will be music to your ears— Old Spaghetti Factory will be moving to downtown Redwood City in the fall!

A location has already been nabbed by the company, at the corner of Jefferson and Broadway.

“We like the area, and we thought it was a great opportunity to locate ourselves in a market where people would really enjoy eating at our restaurant. It’s a neat downtown area and we like the space,” said Chris Hein, vice president of marketing for the restaurant.

Old Spaghetti Factory serves up authentic Italian fare. Everything from the sauces to the meatballs and even the salad dressings are made fresh daily, on site, Hein says, and, you get a great meal for the value—absolutely everything on the menu comes as a three-course meal, at reasonable prices that range from just $7.99 to $14.99 for adults. Choose your entrée, and it comes complete with fresh bread and a soup or salad to start with, and vanilla or spumoni ice cream for dessert. You also get a complimentary drink such as coffee, hot or iced tea, or milk.

And, for those always on the lookout for a kid-friendly restaurant, Old Spaghetti Factory was recently named one of the top 10 winners for “best kid’s menu” by the Bay Area magazine, Parents. A complete kid’s meal is just $5.25 and also comes with a drink as well as an ice cream or frozen juice treat for dessert.

Just as good as the food, is the décor of an Old Spaghetti Factory. The elegant fixtures, chairs and linens are complimented by unique features like life-size trolley cars families can sit in to dine.

Look for Old Spaghetti Factory to open its doors in the late fall. In the meantime, check them out at www.osf.com or visit the downtown San Jose location.