7 closures and expansions changing Modesto's business map
Modesto's business landscape is evolving with new arrivals and tough farewells. Vallarta Supermarkets has opened in a long-vacant space on Pelandale Avenue, offering jobs and unique departments like a guacamole station and panadería. Longtime icons are closing, such as Hart Florist, which is ending operations after 82 years of serving local families.
Fresh dining options are gaining ground, like the Pokemoto in Village One Plaza with Hawaiian-style poke bowls and a wide range of boba teas. Meanwhile, the closure of Joann Fabrics and Crafts has prompted local shoppers to search for new fabric stores in the area, signaling how shifts in retail affect daily routines.
The store brought over 200 new jobs to Modesto. | Published February 5, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dominique Williams
The cafe opened Monday and serves dine-in or takeout breakfast and lunch, as well as take-home dinners. | Published February 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dominique Williams
The company's arrival would mean a new everyday dining option as well as job opportunities for high school, seasonal and other employees. | Published February 26, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dominique Williams
The decision to close reflects 'the challenges faced by small, family-owned businesses,' the owner said. | Published March 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Dominique Williams
'It's not our favorite option, it's not our only option.' | Published March 7, 2025 | Read Full Story by Pat Clark
'People have been coming in and trying this instead of something fried or with oil.' — Navjot Kaur | Published April 3, 2025 | Read Full Story by Maria Luisa Figueroa
The Modesto Bee went in search of fabric stores in Stanislaus County — and what you can expect to pay. | Published May 6, 2025 | Read Full Story by Angela Rodriguez
The summary above was drafted with the help of AI tools and edited by journalists in our News division. All stories listed were reported, written and edited by McClatchy journalists.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
USA Today
13 hours ago
- USA Today
How Trump's personal aesthetic is redefining White House décor: 'I picked it all myself'
The president's personal design choices are clear as the Oval Office and the White House grounds get a makeover. 'It keeps my real estate juices flowing,' he says. WASHINGTON - Donald Trump once said real estate runs in his blood. In the late 1970s, he made a splashy entrance into the New York City real estate scene with the glitzy transformation of the crumbling Hotel Commodore into the Grand Hyatt on Fifth Avenue. When he bought Mar-a-Lago, the South Florida estate built for socialite Marjorie Merriweather Post, he added a 20,000-square-foot ballroom. In Washington, D.C., he turned the city's historic Old Post Office into a luxury hotel. Now 50 years on, he has a new pet project: 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue. Six months since he moved back into the White House, Trump's Oval Office is bathed in a sea of gold and gives a glimpse of his maximalist design approach. Gold-colored appliqués on the fireplace, gilded mirrors and ornate Rococo-style 18th and 19th century dessert stands and flower vases from London and France sit on the mantle. The walls are choc-a-block with paintings of former presidents in heavily ornate gold frames. The Cabinet Room has been outfitted with new ceiling medallions and a grandfather clock. 'I picked it all myself," he said. "I'm very proud of it." There's even a painting of Trump by an 87-year-old artist who said he was surprised to find out his work was being showcased in the West Wing. Meanwhile, Trump has also ripped up the sod in the Rose Garden in favor of a 'gorgeous stone' patio − work paid for by the same nonprofit that funded the Washington Monument's restoration work after a 2011 earthquake − and announced plans to build a ballroom in the White House. He recently erected two 88-foot-tall flagpoles on the south and north lawns of the White House. To be sure, presidents for decades have put their own personal touches on the Oval Office and the White House. President Franklin D. Roosevelt built an indoor swimming pool for physical therapy while coping with polio and President Richard Nixon installed a one-lane bowling alley at the White House's adjacent Old Executive Office Building. The Oval Office often gets new carpet and other furnishings for new presidents. Under Joe Biden, it sported a decidedly muted and understated look. Swedish ivy that has been in the Oval Office for decades graced the fireplace mantle, busts of famous Civil Rights leaders sat on desks and a few gold-framed portraits of past presidents hung on the walls. But for Trump, the work feels far more personal. 'It keeps my real estate juices flowing,' he told a reporter in February. Penchant for gold One common thread that runs through most of the interior redecoration efforts: a penchant for gold. During a recent meeting in the Cabinet Room, Trump waxed poetic about 'gold-leafing' the trims, the need for decorative ceiling medallions around hanging lights and finding the right frames for the new portraits of presidents that adorn the room's walls. Barbara Res, a former vice president at Trump Organization who oversaw construction, has long been familiar with Trump's fascination with the color gold. While working on projects such as the Trump Tower and Plaza Hotel, he had been adamant about incorporating polished bronze and brass which can give the appearance of gold, she said. Public areas such as atriums, ballrooms and restaurants were awash with polished bronze or brass on door frames, railings, elevators and ceilings. 'He used the word 'class' a lot, and it was a high-class thing for him,' Res told USA TODAY. 'It conveyed an illusion of taste and wealth, and that's why he wanted to gild everything.' For his Trump Tower triplex apartment in the early 80s, he hired the famed design veteran Angelo Donghia to do up the place. Taking into consideration Trump's favorite color and after trying to reason with him ("that's the worst thing you can do with Donald," said Res), Donghia introduced subtle gold touches throughout. 'It wasn't normal, but it was almost normal,' Res said with a laugh. Trump's sensibility for 'highly polished metals' went into overdrive after he visited Russia in the late 1980s, touring such places as the Hermitage State Museum and the Winter Palace, Res said. 'He came back, and he changed everything,' she said. 'He hired a guy who was a decorator for the high-roller suites in casinos. They have a lot of gold and mirrors everywhere.' After the apartment was done, Res, who then worked in the 58-story Midtown Manhattan building, said Trump brought her up to show her the remodeled place and asked her what she thought of it. 'I said 'how can you sleep here?,' she said. 'He was highly insulted by it.' Trump has always had an eye for design details. On his recent presidential visit to Qatar, he admired the white marble in a palace, saying it was 'very hard to buy.' 'As a construction person…this is perfect marble. This is what they call 'perfecto',' he said. Decorating the White House Now, as commander-in-chief, Trump has access to the White House Vault. A treasure trove of silver and bronze gilded objects he may have marveled at in palaces and museums around the world is now at his disposal. And he is not wasting his chance to play decorator. During the June Cabinet meeting, he said he had been spending a lot of time there, scooping up pieces he might call perfecto. 'The vaults are where we have a lot of great pictures and artwork,' he said, before offering insights into his obsession with right-sized and right-looking frames. 'I'm a frame person. Sometimes, I like frames more than I like the pictures,' he said. During Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney's visit to the White House in May, Trump sought to highlight his efforts. 'You see the new and improved Oval Office as it becomes more and more beautiful with love,' he said. 'You know, we handle it with great love and 24 karat gold.' Other than gold, the president also favors patriotic touches as design flourishes. A copy of the Declaration of Independence occupies pride of place in the Oval Office, placed behind two blue velvet curtains that hang from a gold-colored rod. There are also some bright and cheerful-looking design elements such as colorful military campaign ribbons on the flags. A painting of Trump flanked by fellow Republican presidents Abraham Lincoln and Ronald Reagan hangs in the corridor close to the Oval Office by artist Dick Bobnick. When USA TODAY tracked down Bobnick, the 87-year-old artist based in Burnsville, Minnesota, said he had no idea his work was gracing the walls of the West Wing. He said he'd sent a photo print to the White House but never heard back. The artist, who is a Trump supporter, said he wanted to portray 'three of the strongest, most influential presidents this country has ever had at some of the most tumultuous times.' Bobnick, who has never visited Washington D.C., said he was 'flattered' the print had made an impression. 'I still have the original,' he said. Trump also believes the White House grounds are in need for improvement. The installation of the flagpoles on the White House lawns in June cost about $50,000 each, which Trump said he'd paid for himself. Congress gives every new president an allowance of $100,000 to refurbish the private residence and the Oval Office, for things such as furnishings and curtains. Work is currently in progress on the Rose Garden, which is located just outside the Oval Office, and where bilateral meetings with world leaders and news conferences are often held. The manicured lawn was ripped up to make way for a stone patio, like the one in Mar-a-Lago. Trump said he reached the decision after watching women in high heels at events struggling on the muddy lawn. The foliage, including the 200 rose bushes planted during a 2020 renovation overseen by First lady Melania Trump, will not be disturbed. "President Trump is a builder at heart, and he wants to help make the White House as exceptional as possible for generations of Americans to come," White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt told USA TODAY. The Rose Garden project, which is slated for completion in August, is funded by the Trust for the National Mall, a nonpartisan, nonprofit organization that has sponsored more than $75 million in restoration projects with the National Park Service since 2007. Some projects they have led include $22 million for the design and construction of the U.S. Park Police Horse Stables and Education Center on the National Mall in 2023 and a $7.5 million restoration of the Washington Monument after a 2011 earthquake. Julie Moore, a spokesperson for the nonprofit, said it accepts private donations to support the National Park Service's projects at the White House gardens not supported by federal funding. Moore said the project will not use taxpayer dollars but declined to name donors saying they have chosen to remain anonymous. Moore said the funds for the project had already been secured. A White House ballroom? Trump's next project, if it gets off the ground, promises be a grand one — and one that he has, offered to pay for himself. Trump first floated the idea for a ballroom, like the one in Mar-a-Lago, during his first run for president in 2016. The Obama administration confirmed to USA TODAY in 2016 that Trump had offered to spend $100 million on a new White House ballroom, but that the offer was quickly rejected. Back then, Trump derided White House events for foreign dignitaries held in tents, saying that was an inappropriate way to entertain them. State dinners are generally held in the East Room, which at 3,000 square feet is the biggest of the state rooms and the only one that runs the entire width of the executive mansion. It's also where dances, receptions, concerts and news conferences are held. During an executive signing in the East Room in February, Trump recalled his offers to both Obama and Biden. 'This was going to be the reception room,' he said referring to his idea for a revamped East Room that would have served as the entrance to the ballroom he proposed. He said the East Room felt "too crowded." In June, Trump announced in a Truth Social post that he had 'inspected" the site, which according to a White House official, is located on the east side of the White House. Trump also highlighted his construction and real estate credentials in the post, saying no president before him had "any knowledge or experience in doing such things." Leavitt said "discussions about how to execute this plan (for a ballroom) are ongoing." Trump's day job may have changed to more weighty subjects, but passion projects from his former life are still what bring him joy, he recently mused on Truth Social. "These are the 'fun' projects I do while thinking about the World Economy, the United States, China, Russia, and lots of other Countries, places, and events," he wrote. Swapna Venugopal Ramaswamy is a White House correspondent for USA TODAY. You can follow her on X @SwapnaVenugopal
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Dave Ramsey Says Tariffs Are A Lot Of Saber Rattling, Grenade Throwing And Chaos, But Actual Net Result Is Zero
A Canadian entrepreneur joined personal finance personality Dave Ramsey's 'EntreLeadership' podcast recently to talk about his company's expansion into the U.S., just as President Donald Trump threatens to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods. The timing couldn't be more tense. Entrepreneur Worries About 35% Tariff As U.S. Sales Surge The guest, who runs a DIY log cabin kit company in Ontario, Canada, said his business did CA$12 million—$8.8 million—in sales last year with CA$1.5 million in profit. They manufacture in Canada and already ship to 40 U.S. states. U.S. sales now account for about 40% of the company's volume and are growing fast, while Canadian sales have flatlined. Don't Miss: —with up to 120% bonus shares—before this Uber-style disruption hits the public markets Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — 'American production was still on the roadmap. It was more of like a 2027 or maybe 2028 issue, and now it's like, okay, do we fast-track it?' the entrepreneur said, noting concerns over possible tariffs. That concern became more urgent after Trump announced on Truth Social on July 11 that a 35% tariff on Canadian goods would take effect Aug. 1, citing fentanyl concerns and retaliatory trade actions by Canada. 'Canada's failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our country' was one reason Trump gave in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney pushed back the same day. 'Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America,' he posted on X. 'We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries.' Trending: $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. Ramsey: Don't Panic. Stick To The Plan. Ramsey had a straightforward take on the tariff threats: 'So far it's amounted to a lot of chaos over nothing.' He added, 'Most of what I've seen on the tariff stuff so far... a lot of saber rattling, a lot of grenade throwing, but actual net result is zero.' Ramsey advised the entrepreneur to stick with his original plan of opening a U.S. factory in 2027 rather than rushing to avoid potential costs. 'If you get in a hurry and you do this poorly, it's going to end up costing you more,' he said. The entrepreneur noted that building a new facility would take at least 12 months from ordering equipment to full operation. Ramsey warned him that panic moves in reaction to political turbulence could backfire. 'You're going to join this crazy chaos rush thing and you're probably going to end up overpaying for some stuff just to get the thing set up,' he said. 'Which would make you wish you paid a small tariff.'Trump's broader trade push includes new letters to more than 20 countries. The remaining countries will likely face tariffs of 15% to 20%, which is above the current 10% baseline applied to most imports. Canada is the U.S.'s largest trading partner. Though Trump has framed the moves as necessary to revive U.S. manufacturing, economists warn they could raise prices and slow growth. Still, Ramsey seemed confident the current threats won't derail smart long-term planning. 'I think you've done a really good job of critical thinking on this,' he said. 'And you're doing a really good job running this business.' Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die."UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Dave Ramsey Says Tariffs Are A Lot Of Saber Rattling, Grenade Throwing And Chaos, But Actual Net Result Is Zero originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error while retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data Error while retrieving data
Yahoo
a day ago
- Yahoo
Dave Ramsey Says Tariffs Are A Lot Of Saber Rattling, Grenade Throwing And Chaos, But Actual Net Result Is Zero
A Canadian entrepreneur joined personal finance personality Dave Ramsey's 'EntreLeadership' podcast recently to talk about his company's expansion into the U.S., just as President Donald Trump threatens to impose new tariffs on Canadian goods. The timing couldn't be more tense. Entrepreneur Worries About 35% Tariff As U.S. Sales Surge The guest, who runs a DIY log cabin kit company in Ontario, Canada, said his business did CA$12 million—$8.8 million—in sales last year with CA$1.5 million in profit. They manufacture in Canada and already ship to 40 U.S. states. U.S. sales now account for about 40% of the company's volume and are growing fast, while Canadian sales have flatlined. Don't Miss: —with up to 120% bonus shares—before this Uber-style disruption hits the public markets Named a TIME Best Invention and Backed by 5,000+ Users, Kara's Air-to-Water Pod Cuts Plastic and Costs — 'American production was still on the roadmap. It was more of like a 2027 or maybe 2028 issue, and now it's like, okay, do we fast-track it?' the entrepreneur said, noting concerns over possible tariffs. That concern became more urgent after Trump announced on Truth Social on July 11 that a 35% tariff on Canadian goods would take effect Aug. 1, citing fentanyl concerns and retaliatory trade actions by Canada. 'Canada's failure to stop the drugs from pouring into our country' was one reason Trump gave in a letter to Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney. Carney pushed back the same day. 'Canada has made vital progress to stop the scourge of fentanyl in North America,' he posted on X. 'We are committed to continuing to work with the United States to save lives and protect communities in both our countries.' Trending: $100k+ in investable assets? – no cost, no obligation. Ramsey: Don't Panic. Stick To The Plan. Ramsey had a straightforward take on the tariff threats: 'So far it's amounted to a lot of chaos over nothing.' He added, 'Most of what I've seen on the tariff stuff so far... a lot of saber rattling, a lot of grenade throwing, but actual net result is zero.' Ramsey advised the entrepreneur to stick with his original plan of opening a U.S. factory in 2027 rather than rushing to avoid potential costs. 'If you get in a hurry and you do this poorly, it's going to end up costing you more,' he said. The entrepreneur noted that building a new facility would take at least 12 months from ordering equipment to full operation. Ramsey warned him that panic moves in reaction to political turbulence could backfire. 'You're going to join this crazy chaos rush thing and you're probably going to end up overpaying for some stuff just to get the thing set up,' he said. 'Which would make you wish you paid a small tariff.'Trump's broader trade push includes new letters to more than 20 countries. The remaining countries will likely face tariffs of 15% to 20%, which is above the current 10% baseline applied to most imports. Canada is the U.S.'s largest trading partner. Though Trump has framed the moves as necessary to revive U.S. manufacturing, economists warn they could raise prices and slow growth. Still, Ramsey seemed confident the current threats won't derail smart long-term planning. 'I think you've done a really good job of critical thinking on this,' he said. 'And you're doing a really good job running this business.' Read Next: Warren Buffett once said, "If you don't find a way to make money while you sleep, you will work until you die."UNLOCKED: 5 NEW TRADES EVERY WEEK. Click now to get top trade ideas daily, plus unlimited access to cutting-edge tools and strategies to gain an edge in the markets. Get the latest stock analysis from Benzinga? APPLE (AAPL): Free Stock Analysis Report TESLA (TSLA): Free Stock Analysis Report This article Dave Ramsey Says Tariffs Are A Lot Of Saber Rattling, Grenade Throwing And Chaos, But Actual Net Result Is Zero originally appeared on © 2025 Benzinga does not provide investment advice. All rights reserved. Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
