Closed: Tuttimelon

As it began, so it ends - Tuttimelon will miss the summer season. For that matter, Tuttimelon in Noe Valley will miss every foreseeable summer season. We walked by today and they were loading refrigerators into small pickup trucks. They've had all sorts of issues, so we assumed a remodel. When asked? "We're shut down and clearing out."

Sorry, kids - no more Strawreo flavored Fro-Yo.

NVV: We Read It So You Don't Have To

The Noe Valley Voice is published ten times a year and has been a neighborhood fixture since 1977. Here are highlights from the latest issue. Links are to stories we've covered at NVSF.

September 2009

Front page: Whole Foods opening; Blue Church on outer Church inches closer to demolition (and condos); Senior lunch program extended at NV Ministry; local artist maps her NV memories; librarian Carol Small retires.

Letters: A plea to allow parking in driveways as long as a potted plant is in the car; an open letter to the annoying woman who leans on her horn whenever drivers stop for pedestrians; an appeal to neighbors to shop at local stores once Whole Foods opens to avoid transforming Noe Valley "into a cookie-cutter, third-rate Union Street"; and a reminder that Valencia St stores are open for business during the Streetscape Improvement Project.

Op-Ed: Farewell to Noe Valley Pizza founder Tony Vozaites. Following the La Boulange buyout, Tony and his wife are going on an extended vacation back to their native Greece.

Obits: Remembering longtime Noe Valley resident Mary K. "Micki" Ryan and musician Bruce Sherman.

Cost of Living in Noe: 37 single-family homes sold in June and July – the 2nd highest tally in 10 years according to Zephyr Real Estate. Rent: Still expensive.

Short Takes: The Noe Valley Association is holding a survey to see what businesses residents want to see on 24th St. Take the survey online Sept 7-21 or email suggestions to Debra Niemann at debra@noevalleyassociation.org. (Ed--The survey was not online yet as of this posting but here's your chance to veto any future title companies, banks, nail salons, psychics or pawn shops.)

Store Trek: Bistro 24, Successories in the Button Box.

Traveling Voice: Spotted in Turkey, North Carolina and Edinburgh, Scotland.

Rumors: Camel's milk chocolate at Chocolate Covered; Circle Bank fills the Aveda spot; Green 11 comes to former Ritz space; Deep restaurant opens in place of Deep Sushi; Noeteca soft opening Sept. 9; Noe Tuttimelon finally gets froyo; Accent on Flowers at 24th and Castro is bought by Flowers of the Valley across the street and will soon carry gardening supplies like soil and tools; a plant nursery and garden store called Independent Nature will open behind When Modern Was on Church St on Sept. 21; Glow Day Spa and a psychic are now open on 24th Street; the old Streetlight building and the vacated Phoenix Books building are both for sale ($2.2 million for Streetlight, the other undisclosed).

[The Noe Valley Voice]

Grand Opening: Tuttimelon. Again.

The Coming Soon signs are still posted inside, but there are banners all over the outside of Tuttimelon/Belgano announcing a "grand opening" this weekend - more than 9 months since they first opened their doors.

Festivities begin this Saturday at noon with free froyo. The first 50 people will get a door prize, and the first 500(!!) customers will be eligible for a raffle (Apple iTouch, Nintendo DSi, gift certificates). No word if the first 500 from last year are eligible (the counter help didn't know).

What: Tuttimelon Grand Opening
When: Saturday, August 8, 2009
Where: 3901 24th St @ Sanchez
Bonus: Free froyo from 12:00-2:00PM

[NVSF: Tuttimelon: What Gives?]

Tidbits: 24th St. Is A’Changing

Riki (4037 24th St.): Under construction with a big debris box and permit in the window. And even though we’ve seen people going in and out of there, the FOR RENT sign remains. Previously.

Glare (4010 24th St.): A sign in the window says it's now an outlet store "by appointment only." Does this mean they're stuck in the lease? Previously.

The Jewelry Box (3904 24th St.): Big red FOR RENT sign in the window. Guess hijacking someone else's business isn't working out. Previously.

Cafe Ponte (751 Diamond @ 24th St): Still for sale. As is City Grill (4123 24th St.). Previously and previously. Update: Cafe Ponte no longer for sale.

Ritz Camera (3980 24th St): Storefront still empty. No sign of life. Previously.

Tuttimelon (3901 24th St): FroYo still "Coming Soon" and so they've turned their window into a community billboard. Previously.

Tuesday Farmer’s Market: Alive and well on 24th St. in front of the soon-to-be-Whole Foods from 3-7. We’re surprised to find how many people in the neighborhood don’t know it’s happening – spread the word. Previously.

[NVSF: Closing: More Rumors on 24th Street]

Photo: Hot Noe Valley Nights

It's a great night for a iced venti double-decaf-nonfat-frappa-mochachino at the Starbuck's on 24th St. Too bad there's no FroYo at the other end of the block.

Thanks for the photo, Bats.

[Flickr: bats1234]
[NVSF: bats1234]
[NVSF: Tuttimelon: What Gives?]

Tuttimelon: What Gives?

"Coming Soon" signs have been posted over the menu board at Tuttimelon Belgano Tuttimelon(?) since they opened. Nothing has changed since JT's comment on October 26th: "Tried going today, but there's no froyo. Supposedly froyo will be available 'next month.'" The counter staff only says "soon" when asked for details on when "next month" will be. And Tuttimelon's website still lists 3901 24th St as "coming soon" (seems to be a trend).

Last week, Gwen Sanderson (President, Noe Valley Merchants and Professional Association) left a comment asking for public support: "Regarding frozen yogurt, the new owners of Belgano are trying to get through permitting to put in the machines. But the city is holding it up. They could use community support."

We tried to get a hold of the owners to no avail. We also searched for permit records and found nothing. The only information close to useful is this letter to the GM of Tuttimelon [PDF] from Larry Badiner (Zoning Administer for SF). In brief: "An operation of this type is very close to that of an ice cream store, which Planing Code Sections 790.90 and 790.91 consider to be large fast-food or small self-service restaurants, depending on the size of the use."

If the same information applies to Noe Valley's location, Tuttimelon/Belgano will need a conditional use permit to operate a restaurant and that means Noe's Neighborhood Commercial District would have to approve more restaurants. The three CU's approved in 2006 (after a 20-year moratorium) have been claimed: Contigo, Noe Soup, and the (stalled) restaurant from the folks at Regent Thai at Church/Jersey.

Or maybe we're wrong. Does anyone out there have better (or more complete) info? Is the City holding up the project or are existing restrictions imposed by the NV Neighborhood Commercial District? Will Noe Valley get its FroYo?

[NVSF: Tuttimelon: Open!]
[NVSF: Food Bites: What's New In Noe]
[NVSF: Blight: Real Foods]

Tuttimelon: Open!

Perfect timing (and quite unexpected)!! Harvest Festival and 80 degrees. Tuttimelon is now officially open in Noe Valley. No hours posted, still looking for employees, still says Belgano on the marquee. But at least you can cool down with some FroYo.

[NVSF: Tuttimelon Rising: Update]

Tuttimelon Rising: Update

Still no date. No grout either. Diggin' the walls.

[Tuttimelon: Missing Its Warm Weather Window]

Tuttimelon: Missing Its Warm Weather Window

Tuttimelon has removed the signs saying they'll open October 19, or any other day for that matter. All we can tell through the torn window covering is that they're not even close. And since work permits are still outstanding it's hard to say when they'll be ready - they obviously don't know when they'll open.

Those of you craving Frozen Yogurt in Noe Valley will have to wait for colder weather.

[Delayed: Tutimellon]

Delayed: Tutimellon

If you're searching for Fro-Yo in Noe Valley you'll have to wait another week. Despite progress, Tuttimellon will open a week later than planned. New target date: Saturday Sunday, October 19.

[Tuttimelon Rising]
[Belgano: Grand Re-Opening]

Tuttimelon Rising

As reported last month, Tuttimelon is taking over the Belgano's space at 24/Sanchez. We didn't talk to the crew, but it looks like they're making swift progress and may actually be ready to open on October 11 as planned.

Stay tuned.

[Belgano: Grand Re-Opening]