The following is a list of businesses that were new in Marin county in January 2020
EAT & DRINK
Bump Bar on Bridgeway in Sausalito, the work of California Caviar founder Deborah Keane, has transformed the appointment-only tasting room into a cafe with regular hours and a caviar- and seafood-centric menu led by chef Nate Tauer (Petit Crenn, Coi). Sustainably sourced caviar is the star, served on your closed fist, and augmented by plates like fluke crudo with kombu and black cod with roasted pineapple.
Isaac Shumway (Bourbon and Branch, Alamo Drafthouse) is slinging classic cocktails and more at California Gold, the new bar he opened in downtown San Rafael with his wife, partner and wine director, Rhia (Saison, Absinthe). Look for stylized digs that hearken back to pre–Gold Rush days along with a deep list of California wine and beer.
The recently refurbished Due West Market, connected by a deck with tables and chairs to Due West Tavern at Olema House in Point Reyes, is a one-stop shop for hungry local adventurers. A coffee bar features Equator coffee and the fridges are stocked with picnic essentials like fresh sandwiches and local cheese. Nearby, racks with house-made chips and an assortment of beer, wine and spirits are right-sized for any West Marin adventure.
The guys who changed the face of local sustainable seafood with Sausalito’s Fish opened an online shop to sell their meticulously sourced seafood direct to consumers. TwoXSea, the work of Kenny Beslov and Rocky Burns, only sells fish and seafood that can be traced to the vessel they were caught from and applies five other exacting criteria that add honesty and transparency to the often opaque world of seafood sourcing.
Using a direct import model to best support village growers, Kamson Coffee introduced arabica coffee grown in Northern Thailand to Francisco Boulevard West in San Rafael last year. Named for Thai-born founder Lina Kamson, the small shop serves up breakfast burritos, croissants and pastries as well as an extensive coffee menu including a Thai iced coffee that will take your Thai iced tea habit to a new place.
SHOP
Jolt!, Carol Lindorfer’s long-running shop in San Anselmo, now also has a downtown Novato location, doubling Marinites’ opportunities to find gadgets, jewelry, candles, clothing and baby-related items.
Until Aalto launched in Marin last year, exclusive access to Marin properties for sale used to be a word-of-mouth proposition. And while a chat with the neighbors is still advisable before you buy real estate, this service puts non-MLS homes in front of more eyes while still offering a bit more privacy for buyers and sellers.
WELLNESS
Shaman Molly Maguire joined Mill Valley’s Center for Health and Happiness as a practitioner, adding shamanic energy sessions to the center’s menu of healing services, which include acupuncture, reflexology, massage and organic skin care.
Founder Stecia Shanti Saltzman opened Sage and Stone in the former Tumbleweeds space in downtown San Anselmo. A resource center for people on personal and spiritual journeys, it offers classes and consultations in energy healing, Ayurvedic treatment, numerology and other topics, along with products ranging from jewelry and handbags to tonics and tea.
TITOK naturals, named after the Hungarian word for “secret,” is Tiburon aesthetician Eva Claiborne’s long-awaited signature line of nonmedical products and regimens for pre- and post-op cosmetic surgery patients. The products are primarily geared to address the specific skin care needs of the face.
Christina Mueller is a long-time Bay Area food writer. She hails from the East Coast and has spent way too much time in South America and Europe. She discovered her talent as a wordsmith in college and her love of all things epicurean in grad school. She has written for Condé Nast Contract Publishing, Sunset, and the Marin Independent Journal, among others. She volunteers with California State Parks and at her childrens’ schools, and supports the Marin Audubon Society, PEN America, and Planned Parenthood. When she is not drinking wine by a fire, she is known to spend time with her extended family.
