Once again a beloved Palo Alto treasure is being displaced in favor of
speculation. Shady Lane has long been part of the charming artisanal character of downtown PA.
Why would anyone think we'd rather have *anything* else?
The new stores will have to be pretty high end to sustain rents in a new building.

At least the new shop is in driving distance.

The space to which Shady Lane is moving was once a florist -- Nature's Octagon. I remember this because they did the flowers for our wedding almost 38 years ago!

Sorry to see Shady Lane leave downtown Palo Alto though. Best wishes to Anatolian Kitchen -- that block of Birch Street is turning into a gourmet ghetto with Bistro Elan just up the street!

When will the city realize there is value in making sure business stays local? Shady Lane is part of our family tradition. Every year we go there for birthday presents for our kids. Alice recognizes our kids whenever they come in. This is the sort of business that makes a town home. What a loss for Palo Alto to lose such a warm and inviting member of our community. Why can't the city press the developer to make space for restablishment of previous busninesses?
The Cheescake factor (named of course for the hideous facade of The Cheesecake Factory) is a disease spreading over University Avenue. City government is fraught with developers and those seeking political gain so the end seems to be inevitable. I am afraid it's too late to hold back the scourge but we can hope that our government (I'd love to say leaders but they haven't earned that) hasn't shown a single sign that they will work to maintain a sliver of what makes Palo Alto home.
In the mean time, we will go to Shady Lane for birthday presents this month for the last time in Palo Alto...

Thanks to Elizabeth Wong and Jaime Wong, owners of the property, for contributing to the destruction our valuable downtown.
But they did it with the help of glass box expert, Architect Ken Hayes.
Thanks to these multimillionaires for remaking our town in their own ugly image.
And thanks to the Staff enablers for approving these unwelcome neighbors.

So disappointing to see Shady Lane have to leave town. What are we going to be left with down town? Nowhere fun to shop, that's for sure. City Council, wake up and do something!

I guess we might as well accept that Palo Alto will all be high-tech offices and glitzy, expensive eateries and hair salons, which will come and go because there just isn't the demand to sustain the high rents for anything other than business. On another note, Anatolian Kitchen serves really delicious food, the owner and staff are so nice, it feels like family when I am there. The new addition is indeed beautiful, and I'm so glad Dino finally has his dream, after waiting many months (10? ) for a permit from the City during which he had to pay rent with nothing coming in for it.

I completely agree with Greed Speaks. The Shady Lane building is a charming structure that adds to the character of downtown PA. [Portion removed.]

It's heartbreaking to see the iconic Shady Lane leave University Ave. and a lovely building torn down. Shameful. However, we Shady Lane lovers will support wonderful Alice and Shady Lane by frequenting the new location. I wish them all the best with the move. I hope the mountain lion also finds a good spot in the new shop!

My first time dining at Anatolian Kitchen was last week, but it will *not* be my last. The meat's very good, though IMHO their salads will need to improve to vie with all the great salad options in PA.

Oh, goody! Another "four-story, 50-foot building"! Plans detail a concept for new ground floor retail, with a mix of offices, apartments and commercial space on the upper three floors.

How many parking spaces for 3 floors of offices, apartments and commercial space?? What retail's going in since we're doing nothing to preserve existing retail valued by the community?

Yes, please hire a few more pr people to tell us how important retail preservation is.

Oh, I am so sorry to hear that Alice and her wonderful store has to move out of Palo Alto. I have been shopping there for unique and beautiful gifts for 29 years. The care that Alice and her staff give to each customer to make sure that they find just the right gift is very special. It is heartbreaking that the very character of our community is being exchanged for higher rents and high tech. What next? So many old favorites are already gone.

The best statement we can make is to make sure we support Shady Lane in its' new location. I for one will make an extra effort to travel to Menlo Park for my gifts. (I hope Palo Alto feels the loss of my tax revenue).This is certainly our loss and Sharon Heights gain.

Good Luck Shady Lane!!!

BTW martha's Pastries very near the new shadylane is really nice, and reasonably priced. Their androgyne cake is that best ever. Their Friday challah is also good. Shady Lane and martha's will get ne over there.

The new Council and Mayor are 12 years too late, dating from the ARB and
staff approval of The Cheesecake Factory in early 2003 without a peep
from the City Council. That was the proverbial bell ringing that something was very wrong in Palo Alto. And it has played out big-time. This City has been ruined with the pipeline gushing disaster after disaster and in the
process undermining long-term community values. Nevertheless the new Mayor and Council majority must take strong action to do what they can at
this point, do what is necessary. Take control.

Will miss you Shady Lane, all the very best to you. Sadly, developers seem to care less about Palo Alto's unique history or have the capacity for this sentiment. Sadly, they will turn it into another boring sandbox for wealthy speculators. So now just about all there is to do is go out and eat and have your hair done. That's nice but it's not enough. They call this a vibrant downtown? It WAS a vibrant downtown in a rather civil and charming way not so long ago. Now, it feels increasingly like a ghost town full of people who do not understand proper sidewalk etiquette, to say the very least.

Shady Lane gives you a wonderful experience. Because of its beautiful jewelry and other very attractive artistic products, often created by gifted local artists, and accompanied by truly outstanding service from Alice and her team, shopping at this store is personal, magic and extremely rewarding.

When I wear my colorful Danish Troll beads, I always think of Shady Lane and it makes me happy.

University Avenue will not have the same attraction for me anymore. I will follow Alice and her store to her new location and take my other business to Town and Country.

Congrats to Anatolian!

It's almost pointless for the long time business owners to fight to save their businesses as there are schills planted at every meeting to attack and speak over the store owners commentary and/or appeals for reason. Pure greed is driving the downtown train. The very last store I went downtown to patronize is Shady Lane. Now that they are going, I will no longer, after 41 years living in Palo Alto, give one more dollar to any downtown business.

Downtown Palo Alto has been turned into a generic, soulless place for transient residents to see and be seen. The people who run the City could care less, as their green philosophy is based on dollars, not recycling.

I am deeply sad to see Shady Lane leave downtown Palo Alto. I love to go into this little treasure place and find the most unique art.
How is it possible that after 40 years the building will be destroyed and the beautiful boutique move? What is the City thinking of and why the Mayor does not do something about it? This is a historic area of Palo Alto.
Pretty soon there will be no history to remember.

I feel very fortunate to have found Shady Lane a few years ago. Alice and her staff are always very welcoming and generous with their individual customer attention. I first visited Shady Lane in search of Troll Beads. There is a great group of collectors that frequent Shady Lane... I hope to see them all at the new location. I wish Shady Lane prosperous success in their new location!!

Having shopped at Shady Lane my whole life, I don't care where they move. I'm just grateful that they'll stay open, and of course I'll follow them. It'll be a nice opportunity to not deal with the parking and obnoxious homeless. Congratulations to them for landing on their feet and bringing that boho chic vibe to Menlo!

Having shopped at Shady Lane my whole life, I don't care where they move. I'm just grateful that they'll stay open, and of course I'll follow them. It'll be a nice opportunity to not deal with the parking and obnoxious homeless. Congratulations to them for landing on their feet and bringing that boho chic vibe to Menlo!

Shady Lane's University Avenue location has been wonderful for many years. I'm also thankful that Shady Lane has found a great location in the community. I'm looking forward to the changes. Good luck on the move!

University's loss is certainly Sharon Heights's gain. I look forward to the ease of driving and parking at Shady Lane's new location. I will continue to rely on them for beautiful gifts, and will visit them as often as I have for the past 28 years.

But, like the eloquent commentors above, I feel a sense of loss--and helplessness--at having our cherished downtown scoured of the uniqueness, artistry, and heart that once drew me there.

What a shame to lose Shady Lane, a 40 year old heritage business that promotes locally made, artisan produced jewelry and gifts. It has been a loving presence and is yet another reason to shop elsewhere and avoid the chain stores & restaurants that line University Avenue these days. Plus the parking is much improved at the new location.

I am in full agreement with most of the comments expressed. It is too bad that progress has been driven by greed. Palo Alto has so much old charm that is being destroyed by greedy developers. The mayor and city council seem useless in controlling this issue.
I am sorry to see Shady Lane leave downtown Palo Alto. However, I think the Menlo Park store location they have found is going to prove to be the perfect location for this treasure we know as Shady Lane. I feel the store design will be perfect for Alice to exert her wonderful talents of merchandising. The parking is so much better than downtown PA, and they will have all the Safeway and Starbuck's traffic. Alice I think this whole move has been a blessing in disguise. Best of luck. I look forward to visiting your new store. Doris P

Anatolian Kitchen is excellent! Very flavorful and fresh food, cozy, nice decor, attentive service and fair prices. What not to like? I am glad to see them grow and prosper. I hear they will have a live band soon.

Shady Lane found a great location for their store. They will keep their loyal followers and find new ones and will prosper for another 40 years. Best Wishes!

I have left PA for another state. Every time I am in town I ALWAYS stop and shop at Shady Lane. What a great store it is with a wide range of interesting items. Over the holidays I was able to shop talking to Alice and viewing items on line. How is that for good service. I know PA will miss Shady Lane. Fortunately none of us will have far to go.

I have shopped at Shady Lane for over twenty happy years, even though I didn't live in Palo Alto. I have always found just the right item with the help of Alice and her staff. What fun shopping it has been. Well, I can easily train my car to go to Sharon Heights instead, where parking is not a problem. With fortification of Martha's Bakery cinnamon bread, I can truly shop til I drop at Shady Lane.

Cute building will showcase the fun objects inside. I can't wait!

Shady Lane has been an oasis away from the office for 15 plus years for me. It is always a treat for the eyes and a smile for the soul. Alice and her staff have a unique way of beautifully displaying so many wonderful artisans in many genres. For many years I have found unique gifts for my friends and family in her shop. I will miss her shop in Palo Alto dearly. Unfortunately, times have changed and sadly the focus of Palo Alto has changed as well. So, I will take my business to Shady Lane's new Menlo Park location. Alice, I wish you the best in your new location and thank you for being there for me these past 15 years.

Palo Alto has a very unique old town feel and it was Shady Lane one could really feel it. I have been a visitor for many years to this area, I always thought it was special. As my Father was raised here in the 1930s and his parents lived on Cowper steet. His father Albion B. Allen built many of the homes that still stand in PA. I would come here for the old town feel wondering what it must have been like for grandparents I never knew.
So sorry to hear Shady Lane is moving, but I will certainly be following them to their new location. With all the folks writing here in the comments, I believe I can see them doing very well in the new shop.
It is sad the Palo Altos University ave shopping area will be missing the very sweetest shop in the area. Sad that the town council cant see the real beauty of the entire shopping experience. 30 years of the most wonderful jewlery and hand made goods is where I believe University ave could have been tops to include this shop in the new plan.
So a shopping we will go to the new location. Cant wait!

Thank you for your gracious comments about Shady Lane. They have touched my heart.

As many of you know, we are moving to Sharon Heights in Menlo Park. When the owner of Fino Fino, retired after 14 years in the center, the management of Sharon Heights waited to find just the right business to occupy the space. They sought a shop that would add vitality to the center and not conflict with the smaller locally owned shops. We're glad they chose us!

With a grateful heart, I invite you to visit us in our charming, standalone, octagonal building next to Starbucks---where the air is fresher, the parking is better, and the flowers and trees are beautiful maintained.

We will open in our new location around March 10. We will keep you posted.

"Thanks to these multimillionaires for remaking our town in their own ugly image. And thanks to the Staff enablers for approving these unwelcome neighbors."

Hmmm wasn't it some multimillionaire that pretty much charted the direction for Palo Alto as it is today?

Stanton or Stanley or something.