The East Bay-owned Highwire Coffee remains closed in the Oakland hills’ Montclair district after the shop shut down suddenly at the beginning of March. Highwire has several locations and has operated in the high-profile corner building at 2059 Mountain Blvd. in Montclair since September 2020.
An update on Instagram says that “isolated operational issues have caused us to shut our doors at this time.” The social media post added that all employees have been offered transfers to the company’s other area locations as they continue to negotiate a new union contract.
Also in Montclair: A spotlight will be on food and drinks this spring as Oakland wraps up its annual Restaurant Week (March 12-22) and tickets go on sale for the Taste of Montclair Village event on April 7. The annual dine-around next month is always a hot ticket, letting guests sample food and drinks at more than 30 Oakland hills establishments.
An adult “passport” (ticket) with access to all the eateries is $50 and kids younger than 15 can get passports for $20. There is a small processing fee with each ticket, which is waived if you buy an adult four-pack for $200. This year’s tasting menu includes clam chowder, Nepali Indian food, pot stickers, pizza, tacos and more. You can wash it down with everything from samples of Guinness beer to artisan wines and even milkshakes.
Over the years, the Taste of Montclair Village has taken on a festival vibe, with picnic-table seating and live music from the Jazz Education Ensemble on Antioch Court. Kids can make crafts and get their faces painted as they stroll with their families. Proceeds go to the nonprofit Montclair Village Association for future events and things like extra security for the holidays. For more information, visit montclairvillage.com online.
In memoriam: Longtime Montclair optometrist Richard Jue, 67, passed away Feb. 28. He owned his Viewpoint eyewear and optometry practice for 39 years and was active in the community, including as president of the Montclair Lions Club.
Jue was an inspiration to his friends and family as he shared details on Facebook about his long battle with cancer. He was always upbeat and his Facebook page now acts as a tribute to his kindness and courage.
Montclair lost another beloved neighbor, last week, with the sudden death of sports writer Dave Newhouse, 87, from heart failure. Dozens of tributes have been written about Newhouse, who covered sports for the Oakland Tribune for 47 years. A tireless advocate for sports, education and Oakland, he was often a guest in my sports journalism class at Saint Mary’s College and was considered one of the preeminent Bay Area sports historians.
After he retired in 2011, he put even more time into writing — penning a total of 19 books — including “Goodbye Oakland: Winning, Wanderlust and a Sports Town’s Fight for Survival” — which he co-authored with sports executive Andy Dolich. Many of his books are available in the Oakland Public Library system.
Ginny Prior can be reached at ginnyprior@hotmail.com and followed on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and at ginnyprior.com.