November was a busy month for new business arrivals in La Jolla, with a couple of long-anticipated restaurants opening along with other establishments. Here’s a look.
Vispring
This new luxury mattress showroom is at 7464 Girard Ave., replacing Faded Awning, which opened in 2010 and closed in January this year.
Vispring officially ushered in the new business with a grand opening Nov. 4.
Vispring, a luxury mattress showroom, held its grand opening Nov. 4 at 7464 Girard Ave. (J.Dixx Photography)
The location marks “a strategic expansion into one of Southern California’s most affluent markets,” according to the business’s website. It’s one of its many expansions this year, starting with Orange County in January and New York City and Dallas in June. Additional locations are set to open soon in Washington, D.C.
The company, which sells handmade European mattresses, is celebrating its 125th anniversary. To commemorate the La Jolla opening, Vispring is offering a free Heaven mattress topper with the purchase of a mattress until Thursday, Jan. 1.
Vispring is open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays. Learn more at vispring.com.
Hummingbird Fine Jewelry & Piercing
After a year of planning and building, La Plaza La Jolla’s newest addition is here.
Hummingbird Fine Jewelry & Piercing, a sister location to Enigma Professional Piercing Studios, offers gold and implant-grade titanium jewelry for ear and body piercings. Its focus, co-owner Evan Spencer told the La Jolla Light, is offering “a safe, comfortable and high-end experience” with high-quality jewelry and aseptic technique.
Hummingbird Fine Jewelry & Piercing is open at 7863 Girard Ave. (Jessie Ortiz)
Spencer is the lead piercer and store director, joined by co-owner Didier Suarez and piercer Jenna Bee.
Hummingbird opened Nov. 14 at 7863 Girard Ave. and is slated to host a grand-opening celebration from 3 to 7 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 6.
“We are extremely enthusiastic about the quality of our products, the level of our service and experience and the safety and care that goes into every service we offer,” Spencer said.
Hummingbird is open from 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. every day but Wednesdays. Find out more at hummingbirdpiercing.com.
PopUp Bagels
Breakfast is back at 637 Pearl St., with New York chain PopUp Bagels making its local debut Nov. 21.
PopUp Bagels offers fresh-baked bagels and a rotating lineup of schmears ranging from plain cream cheese to spicy buffalo butter. Rather than offering traditional bagels cut in half with cream cheese in the middle, PopUp encourages customers to grip the bagel, rip off a piece and dip it in a cup of schmear.
PopUp Bagels recommends that customers “grip, rip and dip” their bagels in a variety of schmears. (Jen Goldberg)
PopUp Bagels replaces Breakfast Republic, which left the Pearl Street address in March as part of what a representative called a lease buyout from the property owner.
This is PopUp’s first brick-and-mortar location on the West Coast. Its expansion to San Diego was facilitated by San Diego State University graduates Griffin Thall and Paul Goodman, who secured a franchise deal with the corporate team in New York and are now planning 10 PopUp Bagels locations in San Diego County over the next five years.
PopUp Bagels is open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. daily. Find out more at popupbagels.com.
Dora Ristorante
This new southern Italian coastal cuisine restaurant opened Nov. 20 at 9165 S. Scholars Drive in the Theatre District Living and Learning Neighborhood at the southwest corner of UC San Diego’s campus, across the street from La Jolla Playhouse.
Dora Ristorante comes from chef Accursio Lota and his wife, Corinne Goria, of La Jolla, the owners of North Park’s popular Cori Trattoria Pastificio.
As part of the couple’s partnership with La Jolla Playhouse, the Dora team will design prix-fixe menus and cocktails themed to each playhouse production.
Hours are 4-9 p.m. Tuesdays through Thursdays and 11:30 a.m. to 3 p.m. and 5-9 p.m. Fridays through Sundays. Reservations are available at doralajolla.com.
— San Diego Union-Tribune staff writer Pam Kragen contributed to this report.
La Jolla Business Roundup is published monthly by the La Jolla Light. Send your business news to staff writer Noah Lyons at noah.lyons@lajollalight.com. ♦