Autumn may be in the air; but flowers are budding like it’s spring in the Oakland hills’ Montclair district.

A mural of wildflowers has been painted on the wooden outdoor dining parklet put up during the COVID-19 pandemic by the now-closed Perle Wine Bar. The formerly weathered and drab structure has been transformed into a painted garden as part of a new initiative by the Montclair Village Association (MVA).

Montclair Blooms is a community-led effort, says Daniel Swafford, the MVA’s executive director. The goal is for more public art to “sprout up” in the Village to attract business and bring the community together. The inspiration for the project comes from cities like Copenhagen, Denmark, where studies have found that public art increases overall happiness and improves the business climate.

Indian Paintbrush, California Tidytips, Lupine and more grace the murals that celebrate California’s bounty of flowers, trees and other native foliage. There’ll be more information in the days ahead online at montclairvillage.com, including ways for the public to volunteer and donate.

Around town: The lights are on, and merchandise is filling the shelves in the former Rite Aid location at 1991 Mountain Blvd. in Montclair Village. CVS Pharmacy has leased the 27,000-square-foot space that Rite Aid gave up when it closed in July 2025 as part of a bankruptcy liquidation. The move by CVS should reportedly be complete by December, leaving it’s relatively small space across the street vacant.

Meanwhile, anticipation is building as a new restaurant gets ready for business in Montclair. Sandwich boards around the Village are teasing the opening of Piggie’s, a mother-daughter bistro set to open in October. The owners are affiliated with the popular Daughter Thai, and will start serving brunch before easing into lunch and dinner service in the space recently vacated by Pagarung Thai behind Safeway.

Blight watch: The pumps at Montclair Gas & Auto Care on Thornhill Drive are still shut down, awaiting state-mandated upgrades, but neighbors are concerned with more than just the loss of a discount place for fuel. The green fencing in front of the gas station, which is only open for vehicle repairs, is covered with graffiti, making it an unsightly addition to the small business district.

Ginny Prior can be reached at ginnyprior@hotmail.com and followed on X (formerly Twitter), Instagram, Facebook and at ginnyprior.com.