A new bookstore is opening in one of East Bay’s busiest shopping districts.
Tally Ho! Books at 3941 Piedmont Ave. in North Oakland is the passion project of two friends, Lilah Hinde and Bianca Salaverry, who worked together at Pegasus Books in Oakland.
“We’ve been talking about it for a while,” says Hinde, who said the two are ready to tackle a new project. “I’ve done everything in a bookstore except own one… and Bianca (also) has experience in bookselling and management.”
Coincidentally, the owners of the previous bookstore at the same location, Owl & Co., also wanted to move on.
“It was fate,” says Hinde. “Our needs matched, and we didn’t have to tell the locals that this was a bookstore.”
Piedmont Avenue is a well-known literary street where neighbors enjoy browsing and purchasing books locally.
“Basically, it’s one big bookstore on this street,” says Hinde.
Tally Ho! Books, like other stores of its kind, stocks books that reflect the personal tastes of the owners – and also books that reflect the interests of the customers. The store’s name and its logo, a fox, reflect the spirit of “onward and upward” and the pursuit of pleasure through reading. The store’s website is tallyhobookstore.com.
Tragic fire: Just as a new store opens, another nearby is forced to close after a devastating fire. The East Bay Booksellers store at 5433 College Ave. in Oakland’s Rockridge neighborhood was destroyed in a fire late last month.
Friends have already raised more than $200,000 to pay the salaries of laid-off employees and find a temporary home for the popular bookstore. Customers can still order books online at the store’s website at ebbooksellers.com.
Birthday greetings: Parishioners at Corpus Christi Catholic Church in Piedmont celebrated more than just Mass last Saturday. Presiding priest Father Basil De Pinto turned 94 over the weekend, and the service was followed by a potluck dinner for the congregation. Father De Pinto has been a priest since he was 28 and lives in the parish, where he helps out when needed in retirement.
Change locations: Two popular Montclair businesses are relocating their wares following the closure of Swiss Valley Cleaners at 2220 Mountain Blvd. in Oakland. The mall’s management offered Sola Lucy “a great deal and free renovation” to move into the dry cleaners’ space, says owner Lucy Ross.
“It’s pretty much the same size, but sooooo much better,” she says.
Meanwhile, Miette Patisserie and Confiserie is expanding into two branches next door (more on that later). Ross says the building will also be painted soon and tenants are thrilled with the improvements.
Fitness comes first: CRUfit in Oakland’s Montclair Village has seen a surge in interest in exercise since the pandemic. Their women’s fitness program, M-POWER, combines health, improved energy and spiritual well-being in a yoga session and group meeting every two weeks. Participants say the benefits include more restful sleep, improved focus and increased strength. There’s a free demo at CRUfit on August 27 from 7 to 8 a.m.
You can reach Ginny Prior at [email protected] and follow her on X (formerly Twitter)Instagram, Facebook and ginnyprior.com.
Originally published: