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1) Atwater Village: Los Feliz resident Tricia La Bell is in the process of turning Adult Jubilee Day Care Center into Bon Vivant Market, a neighborhood retreat serving comfort food inclusive of soups, panini, roasts, pasta, salads, charcuterie, cheese, and baked goods. Some vegan and gluten-free items, too. Overall La Bell wants to focus on locally-sourced product as much as possible, even for beer and wine. Bon Vivant Market should hopefully open this fall. [AVN]
2) Echo Park: The Eastsider notices that a new general store called Villainy will replace Echo Curio on Sunset Blvd. Owner Erich Schlieske and Ellen McAlister plan to sell candy, stone-ground flour, coffee, cast iron skillets, antiques, paper products and such. Look for a soft opening late August, official debut early September. [The Eastsider]
3) Long Beach: Smooth's Sports Grille shuttered in late 2010 and since then Spacecraft has signed on to handle the design for its next incarnation, Santo Charro. This Spanish-themed hacienda will serve "traditional Mexican fusion" (????) and 166 Tequilas. The two-story restaurant includes a second level patio with both interior and exterior reclaimed/recycled wood panels, stone detailing, Mexican tiles, copper details, and Old World plaster finishings. [EaterWire]
4) Pasadena: The former Dickson Podley space on S. Lake Ave will reopen as Trattoria Napolini, a new high-end Italian restaurant. [Pasadena Scoop]
5) Downtown: And speaking of new gourmet markets, Brigham Yen notices that architect George Kelly (Mozza) is working on a project temporarily titled 600 Main Market, located on the ground floor of the Pacific Electric Lofts. Alex Moradi, who actually owns the Pacific Electric Lofts, is behind this 5,800 square foot market/restaurant/deli/bar (the restaurant will serve Cali-French fare) slated to debut by the end of this year. Watch out Bottega Louie. [Brigham Yen]
6) Manhattan Beach: That New American restaurant replacing Beaches has been named The Strand House and, according to Grub Street, it will open "soon," probably late July/early August. Neal Fraser (BLD) is consulting on the menu to be executed by Gjelina vet Travis Lorton. [Grub Street]