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Business & Tech

Goodbye Tapas Restaurant Sabor of Spain, Hello Fenix Nightclub

Fourth Street loses one restaurant, opens a nightclub and Keep it Local lawsuit sees first of five-year Target settlement.

Sabor of Spain Shuts its Doors

Long known in San Rafael as where to head for a killer wine list and delicious tapas, Sabor of Spain closed their doors in late September. After losing their lease, owner Scott Schneidt was offering all aspects of the restaurant up for sale, including plates, forks, tables and more.

Loyal patrons were shocked to hear the news and many wondered where they could find a sangria that could compare.

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"Are you relocating? I can't live without your sangria!" Jamie Luiz wrote on their Facebook page. 

"Oh no! Where am I going to get my sangria fix?" Anndora Lee wrote.

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Known for the particularly the paella, Sabor of Spain is Scheidt's first venture. The restaurant opened in 2006 at 1301 Fourth Street and Sheidt took it over in 2009. He could not be reached for comment.

San Rafael BID Receives First of Five Payments from Target Property Management Fund.

The San Rafael Business Improvement District received $50,000, the first of five installments from Cal-Pox, property owner of the new Target site. The settlement came after community group “Keep it Local” filed a lawsuit against the mega-store in response to small business owners' concerns about the impact the store would have on the local economy.

Mayor Phillips was the primary negotiator for the payment plan, and created a three-person committee including Andrew McCullough and Jonathan Frieman and Joanne Webster, who will be taking recommendations on how to spend the $250,000 over the next five years.

The settlement states that funds be used to “provide financial support for education and development of downtown businesses, improvement of marketing and business vitality for downtown, and events that take place in downtown,” and so it is a requirement the money be used to help fund legacy events such as May Madness, Italian Street Painting Festival and the upcoming Festival of Lights.

The Fenix Rises

Soon, Marinites will have a new swanky downtown music venue. Fenix Nightclub, the latest addition to the revived music scene in San Rafael, is on target for a soft opening in mid-November.

Owner Laura Van Galen will see her vision complete and will welcome top notch musical guests to her space downtown on Fourth Street.  This 8,600-square-foot club boasts two bars, a full restaurant headed by chef Amy Shaw and and a state-of-the-art sound system ready to showcase local talent and entertainers from the world over.  


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