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Quail State owners debut second Downtown Business

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

Josh Islas and Hayley Islas-Wolf have done it again and despite the challenges of a global pandemic and the red tape associated with opening Fresno’s very first rooftop bar, the Islas-Wolf duo has not only successfully launched Quail State, but they’ve also been preparing to bring us a second Downtown hangout spot with all the coolest vibes… Saint Joaquin Natural Wine Bar!

Where to find and what to expect from St. Joaquin Natural Wine Bar

St. Joaquin is located at 1755 Broadway Street, #106 in the popular, red brick Peerless building Downtown. Inside, you’ll find the walls adorned with the work of talented local artists, fantastic vintage leather couches, a row of small tables along one side of the room, and rows of natural wines to peruse, learn about and enjoy. A small tasting menu of wine pairings such as charcuterie, local fruit, and salads are also available.

Image credit: St. Joaquin
Image credit: St. Joaquin (follow for more! www.instagram.com/st.joaquin)

What makes them unique

St. Joaquin is the first natural wine bar in the Valley. What’s the difference between natural wine and conventional? According to Rawwine.com, “Natural Wine is farmed organically and made (or rather transformed) without adding or removing anything in the cellar. No additives or processing aids are used, and intervention in the naturally occurring fermentation process is kept to a minimum.”

According to Vinepair.com, natural wines are often cloudier and offer a wide range of funky and unique flavors, which come from the native yeasts in the fermentation process, and the lack of preservatives used.

When it comes to knowledge of the goods they specialize in, Josh and Hayley always dive in deep – so talking with them when you visit St. Joaquin is sure to grant you an experience that isn’t just an adventure for your taste buds, but an expansion of your viticulture knowledge as well. Want to celebrate with them? Read on…

St. Joaquin’s is celebrating its grand opening this weekend, and typical hours will be Wednesday through Sunday from 12-11 pm. No reservations are required. To stay up to date on all things St. Joaquin, be sure to follow along on Instagram.

Full Circle Brewery Welcomes You Back!

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

They have planned all sorts of Beertainment in their new location

Full Circle Brewery has been known not just for great beer but great entertainment for years at its Downtown Chinatown and Olympic locations. That was, until COVID-19 hit and forced the team to completely shift gears and adapt to keep the business alive through a global pandemic.

In a recent video interview (which you can view here), Full Circle CEO Arthur Moye shares that the brewery had to make major changes to get through the past 12 months and continue bringing its beer to consumers. With great sadness, the team closed the Olympic location. They also converted its Chinatown location production-only moving in new equipment to maximize brewing capacity.

Sadly, these changes left no room for the former stage and event venue space that had long been home to live bands, performers, events like Swedefest and Cumbiatron!. On the bright side, the increased production capacity and the pressure to find a way to sell product without the ability to sell direct to consumers ended up working in their favour. This led to Full Circle focusing its energy on updating their packaging and marketing their beer to new carriers from the North Bay to LA, and even as far away as Ohio!

With the reach of Full Circle’s product footprint now spanning multiple states and a much larger swath of its home state of California, an opportunity to occupy the former Zack’s Brewing Co location in the Brewery District in Downtown arose. The Full Circle team knew it was time to once again create their entertainment space and prepare to serve their guests again.

An overhead view of the patio at Full Circle’s New Location: 712 Fulton Street (Image credit: Full Circle Brewery)

The new, state-of-the-art venue and brewery offers an expansive outdoor seating area featuring well-spaced picnic tables so those starting to socialize again (now that COVID rates are on the decline) can enjoy a Full Circle Brew or two and some great live music with friends.

A new and very welcome addition to Full Circle is Smushburgers from Grumpy Burger Lady, Des Washington. Grumpy Burger Lady’s Smushburgers are made with your choice of toppings. The whole burger including bun is smashed into the grill surface for extra delicious caramelization and flavor. It’s served with her signature pink slaw and fries.

Full Circle Brews and Grumpy Burger Lady Smushburgers
Full Circle Brews and Grumpy Burger Lady Smushburgers, Fries and Pink Slaw (Image credit Grumpy Burger Lady)

Full Circle began its soft opening week last weekend, and will officially celebrate the opening of its new space with cold brews, live music and Smushburgers this weekend (May 7th and 8th). So if you’re ready to get out and have some fun again – mark your calendars and celebrate the return of live entertainment with the Full Circle crew!

Full Circle Brewery New Location – 712 Fulton Street

For more FresYes blog posts – CLICK HERE!

Quail State’s Groundbreaking Rooftop Bar is Open!

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

Quail State owners Josh and Hayley Islas-Wolf have worked long and hard for this moment since announcing their plans to open a rooftop bar in Downtown Fresno over three years ago with their first post on Instagram. They’ve faced challenges in many arenas including working to get permissions in place with the City to open a first-of-its-kind rooftop bar in Fresno, as well as dealing with the trials that come with renovating an historic building and then, to top it off – a global pandemic.

This week’s official opening of Quail State’s rooftop is a true testament to Josh and Hayley’s grit and commitment to bringing their exciting and unique vision to life in Downtown Fresno.

While Quail State has been serving delicious cocktails, natural wines and most recently gourmet meals prepared by local Chef Matthew Lee on it’s ground floor patio for the past few months, this Wednesday marked Quail State’s first official opening of their rooftop bar including both indoor and outdoor seating areas.

COVID precautions and guidelines remain in place, however, thanks to all of Josh and Hayley’s work there is an expansive patio and well-spaced tables for guests to enjoy the view from as they sip top-quality cocktails in small groups.

My husband and I recently had the opportunity to enjoy a first date night out in over a year and we chose to visit Quail State. We experienced excellent and attentive service, fantastic drinks and delicious and unique food. My personal favorite cocktail was the bright and effervescent Pixie (which is made with tequila, grapefruit, lemon, elderflower, honey and champagne) and my husband’s favorite was the Smooth Move (made with bourbon, blood orange and maraschino cherry heering).

We also really liked the unique appetizer we tried, which was a flavored popcorn duo featuring both savory (nori butter) and sweet (spicy caramel) sides. For dinner we ordered the Quail Egg Burger which was perfectly prepared and juicy and the Braised Beef Short Rib that was incredibly tender and tasted like it had been slow-braised all day.

Popcorn appetizer at Quail State
Quail Egg Burger at Quail State

We are very much looking forward to our next opportunity to return to Quail State and to officially enjoy the roof top! We highly recommend you add it to your list of activities to enjoy soon as well. You can make a reservation online here.

Congratulations to Josh and Hayley Islas-Wolf on reaching this major achievement and thank you for bringing something so unique to Fresno!

Quail State Launches New To-Go Food Options

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

Quail State is Fresno’s first rooftop bar, located on the corner of Fulton and Mariposa at the top of the Pacific Southwest Building in Downtown. The rooftop bar has been a long time coming, and has been the passion project of Josh and Hayley Islas-Wolf. After hosting pop-ups events throughout 2019 serving up delicious craft cocktails and classics with new twists, Quail State took up a residency at Los Panchos restaurant and cantina, also located on Fulton Mall while they awaited the completion of all of the hard work that went into preparing Quail State’s rooftop location.

Quail State owners Hayley & Josh (Image credit & property of: Quail State Fresno)

Quail State was officially ready to open its doors with COVID precautions in place just before the 2020 holiday season, when virus numbers spiked and bars were required to shutter once again. Josh & Hayley made lemonade out of lemons however, converting their space into a bottle and spirits retail shop just in time for holiday gifting. Their knowledge of different spirits and what makes them unique and special, along with their exclusive selection of natural wines made them a great gift spot.

Soon we will all be able to enjoy the beautiful new Quail State rooftop location (Image credit & property of: Quail State Fresno)

Now, as we head into another period of time in which bar owners find themselves awaiting word of it being safe to re-open, Josh and Hayley have pivoted once again and have partnered with Chef Matthew Lee and across-the-sidewalk restaurant, Cocina de Mama, to offer delicious, to-go friendly meals that pair perfectly with the wine and spirits offered in the Quail State Bottle Shop.

Quail State has been revealing menu items each day since the start of the week which include dishes such as: Pan Roasted Squash Salad with delicata squash, jicama, apple, chèvre, and an apple-tarragon vinaigrette; Cauliflower a la Plancha, a beautiful steak of cauliflower poached in olive oil, roasted and nestled in a bed of romesco sauce, and topped with crispy herbs; Citrus Marinated Half-Chicken with roasted fingerling potatoes, wild fennel, blistered cherry tomatoes, and pearl onions; and the Quail Egg Burger, 7oz of beef topped with quail eggs, gruyere, caramelized onions, butter lettuce and tomato atop a toasted potato bun. (More items available on the Quail State to go menu.)

Food service will be offered Wednesday through Sunday from 5-9pm, and Quail State’s Bottle Shop is open Wednesday through Saturday from 12-6pm and Sundays from 12-4pm.

Downtown Fresno Welcomes New Frida Café

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Natali Carrera
Natali Carrera is a devoted coffee addict who also loves her teenage son, her husband of 19 years and shopping small & local. She is the founder & CEO of parent support non-profit Success Together, Inc. and has been a freelance content creator for FresYes.com for 7 years. Natali is an unrelenting cheerleader for and lifelong resident of Fresno, as well as a Fresno State grad.
Latest posts by Natali Carrera (see all)

As your resident FresYes coffee-obsessed blogger, you have to know that if a new coffee shop opens in town, I will absolutely be visiting as soon as possible to share all the details with you, dear FresYes readers!

Los Panchos Mexican restaurant located on the northeast corner of Fulton and Tulare in Downtown Fresno has done some really innovative things under their roof in the past year. Their beautifully remodeled tequila bar has hosted an ongoing pop-up (prior to COVID closures) for Quail State, the upcoming rooftop bar going in on the top floor of the Pacific Southwest building. And now, as of this month, Los Panchos is also serving as home to Fresno’s newest coffee shop, the Frida Café.

My mini concha from Frida Café
Frida Cafe’s counter/Los Panchos tequila bar

Frida Café is the brainchild of Albee Sanchez, who wanted to create a coffee experience as exciting to the eye as the taste buds. The café, which is now located at the tequila bar inside Los Panchos, features images of legendary Mexican artist Frida Kahlo, who was best known for her self-portraits, featuring bold and beautiful colors. Sanchez carried bold and beautiful colors throughout the décor of the café area, and even into the drinks he prepares – as each milk used is dyed with natural, organic food dyes.

Frida Café’s community Ofrenda (visitors are encouraged to honor their own departed loved ones by adding a memento to the ofrenda, a Mexican tradition that is part of the Dia de los Muertos cultural celebration)
Frida Café’s menu

Frida Café’s menu consists of six specialty drinks and mini pan dulce (Mexican sweet pastries). Their drink menu includes:

  • Agave Chai – An earthy chai made with agave nectar, cinnamon and pale blue milk
  • White Rose – A white chocolate and rose latte with pink milk
  • Almond Citrus – Latte featuring natural orange and almond extracts with fresh orange zest on top
  • Smoked Vanilla – a smoked vanilla late with Saigon cinnamon and red milk
  • Lavender Cream – a creamy, light and sweet latte with lavender flavoring
  • Mayan Xoco – a spicy, intense natural hot cocoa with cinnamon and shaved chili

On my recent visit, I tried the Smoked Vanilla and it was very tasty and served piping hot and “made with so much love”. The welcome and customer service I received was exceptionally great.

Los Panchos serves a full breakfast and lunch menu in their adjacent dining room. The fenced outdoor seating area is very nice and features plenty of shade, and if you order your Frida Café drinks to enjoy on site, they’ll be served in glass mugs on a wooden tray.

The patio outside Frida Café
Pieces honoring Frida Kahlo are on display for purchase on consignment at the café

Frida Café is open 7 days a week from 7am to 2pm. It becomes quite busy on the weekends, so plan to go early or be aware that there may be quite a wait for this special new coffee shop. Street parking is metered and both coins and cards are accepted, however parking is free on weekends.

Call the sitter: it’s Fresno Adult Prom night

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
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Have you ever wished you could go back in time and relive your prom? Or at least try again with better hair and makeup? Now’s your chance!

Taking place at The Grand 1401 on Fulton St., Fresno Adult Prom will be a classy and elegant evening dedicated to downtown Fresno and the Downtown Fresno Foundation. The event is hosted by Monisha Edwards, founder of Truth Branding Agency, and our good friend Desirae Washington, co-owner of Take 3 Burgers—both of whom live and run businesses in downtown Fresno.

The theme for the night will be “A Moment Back In Time” to reflect on past high school prom memories and to cultivate nostalgia. 

Fresno Adult Prom

Event details

Fresno Adult Prom will take place Saturday, Dec. 9. There will be a VIP cocktail hour and red carpet starting at 6 p.m. A VIP dinner will be held at 7 p.m. The dance will take place from 8 p.m. to midnight. There will be a bar, light refreshments, loft lounge, and a photo suite with a selfie booth and photographer to capture your moment back in time.

Tickets for singles, couples, VIP, and tables can be purchased at www.fresnoadultprom.com.

Have fun and don’t do anything I wouldn’t do, you crazy kids!

More signs added to downtown Fresno, and they look awesome

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Jason Farris
Head YES man at FresYes.com
I grew up in Fresno. Relaxed in its calm breezes, listened with my dad to the crack of the bat at little league baseball games when I was a kid and now take my son to do the same at minor league games. I broadened my mind at its schools (I went to high school right here at San Joaquin Memorial, and to college at Fresno State!) I love that if I drive for two hours in one direction, I can be in the mountains. For two hours in another, luxuriating on a California beach. I can enjoy the cosmopolitan atmosphere of San Francisco or Los Angeles, but still be able to come home to relaxation, calm, and quiet.

I love where I live, and I also love what I do. I'm lucky to be able to work in a profession in which I get to build relationships; one that has me meeting new people each and every day and helping them to build new lives in my beloved city. I'm lucky enough to work in a profession in which I can marry cutting-edge technologies and marketing techniques to good, old-fashioned, nose-to-the-grindstone work. I am lucky enough to work in a profession that allows me to work as an advocate for my clients; to use every tool at my disposal to get a job done well for them, and with as little stress and expense as possible.

I love my city. I love my job. One inspires my excellence for the other.

Fresno? I say FresYES
Latest posts by Jason Farris (see all)

With the grand (re)opening of Fulton Street a mere month away, things are really starting to happen on the former pedestrian mall. One of those things is new signage in what is now being referred to as the Fulton District.

downtown Fresno signs

New street sign at Fresno and Fulton. Notice the graphic of the Pacific Southwest Building on the sign matches its namesake in the background.

In June, new street signs were spotted at the intersection of Fulton and Tuolumne. At the time, I talked to the designer of these signs, Suzanne Bertz-Rosa of Bertz-Rosa Strategy + Creative, who said that they were part of a larger signage system that would eventually include monument and wayfinding signs (read my interview with Bertz-Rosa here).

Well, eventually has arrived, because the new signs were spotted in the area late last week. I went to see them for myself over the weekend and I have to say, they look pretty legit. Check them out for yourself and let me know what you think in the comments.

downtown Fresno signs

Wayfinding signs direct visitors to notable locations in downtown Fresno. Bertz-Rosa says there are larger signs directed at vehicle traffic, and smaller, more abundant signs for pedestrians.

downtown Fresno signs

The monument sign in the background announces your arrival in the Fulton District while the wayfinding directs you to parking and the Cultural Arts District.

downtown Fresno signs

Sign at Fulton and Tuolumne, looking west toward the Tuolumne Street bridge

downtown Fresno signs

Another wayfinding sign, this one at Merced and Fulton

Downtown Revitalization Part 2: Revitalization Begins October 21

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Craig Scharton
I’m a weirdo. I’m a downtown revitalization, old neighborhood, old houses weirdo.
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(Read “Downtown Revitalization Part 1: Damn You, Dan Whitehurst!” here.)

I know, I know. We’ve been talking about downtown revitalization for decades. But now it’s about to actually start. It couldn’t happen without our main street being a main street, no matter how many other things we tried. So I’m going to climb out onto a limb and say that downtown revitalization will begin on the day that Fulton Street re-opens.

Fortunately that day is coming and we have a date. The big launch party will be Saturday, October 21. It is the day that our downtown will function again. Downtowns have a certain form and ours evolved as a main street, with densely packed buildings and sidewalks lined with storefronts. People could drive up to a business, could find nearby parking, could see the action, and could walk to their destination. Once this functionality is returned, life (vitality) will return.

Fulton Street Grand Re-Opening Bash

A group of volunteers is now planning for the grand re-opening party for Fulton and we’d love it if you’d join us. We are meeting every Monday night at Los Panchos (1000 Fulton Street) at 6:30 p.m. This is a fun group who is going to throw a big bash to kick off this new day for our downtown. You can be a part of this historic event by volunteering, taking a leadership role, or becoming a sponsor.

The opening day is a new beginning. When Raleigh, North Carolina re-opened its main thoroughfare, Fayetteville Street, to traffic in 2006, 80,000 people showed up to celebrate! While it’s just one day, it is an important starting point.

We’ll start the celebration with an official ribbon-cutting at 3 p.m., but get there early and we’ll have some local youth playing music to warm up the crowd. At 4 p.m. the party starts! We’ll have a cruise night with cars that are 1964 or older (1964 was the year the Fulton Mall was put in and cruising on Fulton ended). If you have an older car and would like to be among the first to drive on Fulton with your family and friends, send an email to events@downtownfresno.org.

We’ll have multiple beer and wine gardens. Bands will be playing throughout the night. Fulton restaurants will have their outdoor dining set out on the new wide sidewalks and businesses will stay open late.

We’re also looking for businesses, artists, nonprofits, and churches who would like to set up a one night pop-up business in one of the vacant (for now) storefronts. Set up your own art gallery, black box theater, vintage store, blues club, or comedy shop. The Downtown Fresno Partnership will help to find a location.

Revitalization Depends on You

How quickly will downtown revitalize once the form and function of our downtown has been restored? That is anyone’s guess. It will happen as quickly or slowly as our community rallies around our businesses. Ultimately it will be up to the people of the Central San Joaquin Valley to decide.

The City of Fresno has done its part. They have changed the outdated planning rules that held downtown back for so long. The new rules make good development easier by allowing mixed-use buildings, outdoor dining, and rooftop restaurants. They did the planning and environmental studies that led to the funding to renovate Fulton Street. The City helped with the formation of a property owners’ association (PBID), which is the Downtown Fresno Partnership. Those are the steps that only the City could accomplish, the steps that so many other cities have done to prepare the way for their downtowns to revitalize.

Now it’s up to everyone else—the community of business owners, property owners, and customers—to do their part. If people choose to support the businesses in the new Fulton Entertainment District, then those businesses will thrive. Once those businesses are bustling, more businesses will follow. This is the simple formula for success.

In June, I led the FresYes Realty | FresYes.com staff on a tour of Fulton, and someone asked a very astute question. “With all of the difficulties that brick-and-mortar businesses are facing from competition from the internet, how will downtown revitalize?”

We will thrive in the areas where the internet cannot compete. People still want to come together to hear live music, to dance, to see art, to watch sports, to eat, to stroll, to people watch. Downtowns function as gathering places, which becomes even more important when so much of life happens in the digital world.

 

If you have a group who would like a tour of downtown before the street opens, please send a message to me at fresnocraig@gmail.com. To join the Fulton Street Grand Opening Volunteers Facebook group, click here.