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What Should Go Here? Pearl's Burgers Space

Pearl's Deluxe Burgers at Alameda South Shore Center closed Jan. 27. We'd like to know what Alameda residents would like to see in its place. You can tell us in the comments.

Pearl's Deluxe Burgers at the Alameda South Shore Center closed its doors on Jan. 27, leaving behind quite a few disappointed fans of its burgers.

"They're always so busy – I can't believe they're closed," said Briona James, who works at nearby Massage Envy. "A lot of us eat here a lot, so they'll be disappointed."

The closure came less than two weeks after owner Young Han Yi complained to the Planning Commission that the Saturday food trucks were killing his business, according to the Bay Area News Group.

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What would you like to see as a replacement for Pearl's? Please tell us in the comments.

Producer February 8, 2013 at 12:16 am
I miss Noah's Bagels at South Shore.
nikki February 8, 2013 at 12:29 am
Macaroni grill!
nikki February 8, 2013 at 12:31 am
MACARONI GRILL
nikki February 8, 2013 at 12:35 am
MACARONI GRILL!
IJWMOM February 8, 2013 at 01:00 am
I agree that a pizza parlor would be great at SS. I second Round Table and also suggest Amici's Pizza..
Christina Arenas February 8, 2013 at 01:32 am
More clothes stores?
Jennifer Loring February 8, 2013 at 02:50 am
That's true... if we want a free market/capitalism, then the food trucks should be allowed wherever they're permitted - and all must be permitted by the city/county and all pay licensing fees and taxes - and are inspected by the health department, otherwise they cannot operate. It does suck if it's affecting other restaurants, but there was/is public demand for them because they're offering food (some, not all) that isn't available here and for less $$ overall than a sit-down restaurant. Also, Alameda businesses don't employ only Alamedans, that's a fallacy but one that continues to surface as an argument to ban the trucks.
Pearl's could have run Saturday specials that competed with the trucks, but it also sounds like the rent at South Shore might be redonkulously high and if so, that's a whole other problem and maybe that's why we have mostly chain establishments with deep pockets that can afford it. Not an easy problem that can be fixed with just one approach.
Jennifer Loring February 8, 2013 at 02:51 am
Have you tried New York Pizza on Park Street or East End? We love both - different styles of pizza but we think the quality is better than the chain joints.
Jennifer Loring February 8, 2013 at 02:55 am
I've not tried it yet and can't vouch if it's truly vegan or not, but a friend just told me about Central Vegetarian Cuisine on Park Street. Their listing says they're vegetarian/vegan. Anyone on this thread been & can comment?
http://www.yelp.com/biz/central-vegetarian-cuisine-alameda
Gevin Says February 8, 2013 at 03:05 am
Kara's Cupcakes
Jennifer Loring February 8, 2013 at 03:11 am
You're in a tough location Ken - I'm only on that side of town to run into Nob Hill or the UPS Store - I never think to eat over there - but I can appreciate the difficulty of knowing business is going to South Shore instead of the east shore, so-to-speak.
If you're not already, I'd recommend you get your cafe a presence on Twitter and Facebook and start guerrilla marketing - that's exactly how the food trucks got started. Before that, you had to know someone who knew (somehow) where they were going to be. Once the trucks got onto Twitter/Facebook, it was easy to follow them and find out where they're going to be, links to their website & menus, etc. Then you can promote Saturday specials that compete with the trucks. You gotta give customers a reason to come to you - just being there isn't enough. For e.g., Hob Nob runs great food specials during the week - not just discounted happy hour booze. Once you're up & pushing content, have your friends, family (everyone you know) follow you and spread the word to their network - post pictures of your food, too - that's a huge plus. Bacon Bacon (truck and store) do this very well as do many of the successful trucks.
Gevin Says February 8, 2013 at 03:12 am
Sweet Tomatoes
Men's Shoe Store Apple Pod store (mini Apple Store) Farmer's Market spot (rent space for local merchants to sell their produce different days of the week)
Salena February 8, 2013 at 03:26 am
Food focused, agree with some of the others:
1. Bakery, bakery, bakery 2. In N Out (could they do w/out a drive-thru?) or Five Guys 3. Too small a space for this, but I have to drive out from the island to get a decent steak.
j'adoube February 8, 2013 at 02:20 pm
Salads make sense, because there's built-in business from the patrons of Total Woman Spa.
j'adoube February 8, 2013 at 03:30 pm
The center fo that mall looks like a damn ghost town. Every other storefront empty. The operator has to start cutting deals to get those stores occupied.
Steve Calderaro February 8, 2013 at 06:06 pm
Pluto's is a small chain that I believe is local to the Bay Area. They offer custom salads as well as turkey and tri-tip meals and sandwiches with multiple side dish options. I've always wondered why such a place hadn't opened in Alameda. It's the perfect sort of healthy quick dinner option for working families.
Michael D. February 8, 2013 at 06:07 pm
Oh yes, if not a bakery then Genova Deli. (both would be on the road to heaven).
Brandi Garrigus February 8, 2013 at 06:57 pm
Mixt Greens would be awesome! A salad spot like the old Cafe Intermezzo in Berkeley would be even more awesome! Panera is already there, we do not need another sandwich spot. With the new women's gym there (and always seems packed), I bet a healthier option would do better!
Ken Dorrance February 8, 2013 at 08:03 pm
Make Nice; it was not residents that asked for food trucks, it was the management of South Shore and the Economic Development office that pushed the trucks into Alameda. I was at the meeting and not one resident spoke up on their behalf, but the management of South Shore said it was important to their future, I guess their future is empty store fronts.
Make Nice February 8, 2013 at 09:08 pm
There is a bakery 20 feet from Pearls Burgers. How many bakeries are needed?
Make Nice February 8, 2013 at 09:10 pm
Ken, it wasn't just mall management that wanted food trucks.
I'm curious since you seem to be personally impacted by the food trucks; what steps have you taken to better compete with them? Anything?
bim bam boo February 8, 2013 at 09:11 pm
What this space needs is a one stop shop for all one's beekeeping supplies. There are not enough beekeepers in Alameda. We need to encourage more people to enter this field.
John R. February 8, 2013 at 09:25 pm
The residents may have not spoken up then but they sure are now by patronizing these trucks!
Michael D. February 9, 2013 at 02:29 am
Re: Make Nice - I am new and am not familar with many places. Thank you for your info. I had looked up bakeries in Alameda and only saw one of the type I am looking for. The only one I see in South Shore bakes bread. I am a very healthy and slender person who is a sweet junkie. I am looking for bakeries that usee sugar and I only see one in Alameda. The grocery stores mass produce and leave a cake, cookie and pie desire unfulfilled.
Ken Dorrance February 9, 2013 at 02:25 pm
We support Alameda Soccer teams and Scouting, they do nothing. We make great sandwiches and serve beer, they don't. We have specials that change daily, for $6.50 you get a great sandwich, chips & a soda, beats any of their pricing. We have plenty of free parking, we pay for advertising they get if for free on Patch. We support the community that we live and work in, they are "out of towners". We employ Alamedans, the trucks employ NONE! What else would you have us do, give away our business!
Ken Dorrance February 9, 2013 at 02:28 pm
If you really take the time to look who is patronizing these trucks, many, in fact I would say 50% are people off the island. Go ahead and ask people where the came from. I asked 10 people and only one said they were from Alameda. That is the reason South Shore wanted the trucks, to bring in out of town patrons to shop at their center.
Make Nice February 9, 2013 at 04:33 pm
There are some bakeries around. There is Panera in the mall. There isFeeling good on Park and the Croatian store on Webster. I'm sure there are others. There are also cafes that sell treats like blue Danube and wescate among many others.
Guy Stevens February 10, 2013 at 08:32 pm
Going to really miss Pearl's would go there for lunch frequently. They had a great veggie burger on a really seedy whole grain bun! Good onion rings too!
The food trucks do make a difference to the local restaurants on Saturday's for lunch. It is a shame that Pearl's was running so close to the wire that it was the final straw that broke them. Any one know of a good veggie burger on the island? Especially one that is open on the weekend? (Burgermiester is ok, but not great). We gave the food trucks a try when they first came. Expensive, long lines, longer wait, and not as great a selection as one would think with all those different trucks. Maybe they help the dieing mall maybe not.
hobnob February 11, 2013 at 09:06 pm
I have and it's decent vegetarian and vegan cuisine. Asian flavors... so it kinda tastes the same to me (I'm chinese by the way). My hubby is a huge carnivore, so I don't get to go a lot, but it's got good yelp reviews. I'd return for a second meal.
hobnob February 11, 2013 at 09:14 pm
I don't know what business you have Ken, but I just wanted to also be a voice of support.
the food trucks bring a lot of foot traffic to the mall, this is probably the most important reason the SS mall wants the trucks. However, I do agree, it will take away from Brick and Mortar restaurants, how can it not? It's like extra "temporary" restaurants without the overhead of a restaurant. Restaurants costs hundred(s) of thousands of dollars to just open, not only do you have to pay for the rent, but you'd have to literally pay for everything that's inside a restaurant. Some become establishments and support teams, etc in the city. My one gripe about food trucks is indeed their prices are REALLY HIGH for a type of truck that is relatively suppose to be cheap to get off the ground, like say $50k instead of $100k that is what the minimal investment for a restaurant now is. Food trucks do impact all the restaurants in Alameda. Yes, you may not patronage a restaurant at all and rather eat at the food trucks anyday, but some other customer going to the food trucks may have gone to one of the B&M stores instead. The cost is so low to the food trucks. Why bother keeping a restaurant open then? Ken, if you can't beat them, why not join them? Just close your shop, buy a food truck and park it on the street 24/7. (i'm being slightly sarcastic)

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Harve Coats June 14, 2013 at 09:17 pm
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When they build that high density development on the Harbor Bay Club site with 25% low incomeRead More housing requirement, Bay Farm will be hearing a lot more gun shots at night.
Analisa Harangozo (Editor) June 12, 2013 at 11:42 am
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Carol Parker June 12, 2013 at 12:00 pm
Anonymous tip to the fire department?
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Analisa Harangozo (Editor) June 13, 2013 at 09:03 am
Agree with Carol. Perhaps an anonymous tip to Alameda Fire or Alameda Police.
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