The city of Riverside is taking bids on a new cafe vendor for City Hall.
In its bid instructions, the city indicated it’s looking for an operator who can operate the cafe, possibly in a smaller footprint.
The bid description says the city is seeking a “professional company with proven experience in restaurant management and operations to lease space and operate the City Hall Café, a high-quality restaurant within the first floor of City Hall.”
The space includes a food prep area, display, counters and seating area in 2,200 square feet.
“The City is considering sharing this space and will be especially interested in proposals that will significantly reduce the total footprint of the Café,” it notes.
The vendor-operator should be able to provide “breakfast foods, snacks, soft drinks, bottled water, coffees, teas, chocolate, sandwiches, salads, lunch items, chips, yogurt and other high-quality foods that may be pre-prepared or prepared on the premises.”
Prospective vendors must submit a proposal by 2 p.m. April 2. Find out more about the bidding process online at tinyurl.com/2cuccscz
2 more EōS gyms open in region
The EōS Fitness chain recently opened two facilities in Riverside and Corona, the 21st and 22nd gyms in Southern California for the company.
The gyms range from 36,000 to 37,000 square feet and offer cardio and strength equipment, group fitness and personal training options. Amenities include saunas, kids’ club, towel service and locker rooms with hot showers.
Riverside: 335 E Alessandro Blvd.
Corona: 3921 Bedford Canyon Road
Beaumont library expansion begins
Construction has begun on a $15 million expansion and renovation of the Beaumont Carnegie Library.
Built in 1914, the historic library is getting modernized to meet seismic, accessibility and safety standards. A 9,100-square-foot addition will help expand services and resources for Beaumont.
C.W. Driver Cos. in Pasadena is doing the work at 125 East 8th St. and said it would fall in two phases so the library could remain open during construction:
Phase One: Site prep, including demolishing adjacent structures, plus the construction of the addition, and the developing a south parking lot.
Phase Two: Full renovation of the original library and its integration with the expansion. An east parking lot also will be completed.
Also coming to the renovation are modernized reading spaces, upgraded technology and expanded programming areas.
The work on the expected 20,700-square-foot facility is expected to wrap up by 2026.
Job fair is March 25
The city of Riverside is seeking employers in need of staff to join its Eastside Job and Resource Fair on Tuesday, March 25.
The job fair takes place from 4-6 p.m. at 4275 Sedgwick Ave. in Riverside.
To register a table, employers should email info@csariverside.org.
Montclair company wins innovation award
ChefsTemp in Montclair recently was honored with at Global Innovation Awards for Excellence in Product Design at The Inspired Home Show, one of the largest housewares trade shows. ChefsTemp won in the Smart Home category for its ProTemp S1 Smart Grill Gauge Thermometer Hub. The device, according to the company, upgrades any grill to a Smart Grill for under $100.
Gubernatorial appointments
Rancho Cucamonga resident Lavelle Parker recently was appointed warden of California Institution for Women, where he has served as acting warden since 2024. Previously, Parker was chief deputy warden. The position does not require Senate confirmation; compensation is $193,524. Parker is registered without party preference.
Last week’s newsmakers
Fashion brand in peril: The fast fashion retailer Forever 21 could close down all of its stores as part of a bankruptcy filing in the coming days, according to Bloomberg reports. The struggling company is seeking a new owner to bail it out, but so far, no one has stepped forward. Founded in Los Angeles, Forever 21 once operated some 1,200 stores worldwide. More than a dozen stores are slated to close by May in Southern California.
Driverless shuttles: Staff writer Arianna Clay went out to the grand debut of Ohmio’s zero-emission, automated shuttles. The New Zealand company opened its U.S. headquarters in Riverside. Its shuttles are waiting for final approval from the state’s Department of Motor Vehicles. Ultimately, Riverside Transit Agency will run, staff and maintain three Ohmio shuttles in the city.
Bag fees for Southwest: Travelers who use Southwest Airlines and are not rewards members will be charged a free for checked bags as the airline bids goodbye to its longstanding “fly free” luggage rule. What began as a tactic to separate the budget carrier from its rivals has now become a drag on company profits. Southwest last Tuesday said that people who haven’t either reached the upper tiers of its Rapid Rewards loyalty program, bought a business class ticket or hold the airline’s credit card will have to pay for checked bags.
State Farm rate increase gets tentative OK: Insurance Commissioner Ricardo Lara said he would approve a 22% emergency rate increase to offset claims from January’s firestorms in the Los Angeles area if the insurer can justify the hike with data at an April hearing.
The business briefs are compiled and edited by Business Editor Samantha Gowen. Submit items to sgowen@scng.com. High-resolution images can also be submitted. Allow at least one week for publication. Items are edited for length and clarity.
