First Thursday: New Shops, Eateries to Debut; Closings, Moves and Other Downtown News

The monthly First Thursday artwalk is Feb. 5 from 5-9 p.m. in downtown San Pedro.

Several shops and restaurants are debuting.

7th Street Chophouse


Downtown’s new steakhouse is celebrating its grand opening with a 6:30 p.m. ribbon-cutting at 465 W. Seventh Street.

The steakhouse serves rib eye, New York strip steak, filet mignon and other classics from land and sea.

Chef Gabriel Contreras’ creations include globally-inspired appetizers and lamb, chicken, veal, seafood and vegetarian paella entrees as alternatives to steak.

Filet mignon with chimmichurri sauce.

American Kobe beef and Porcini mushroom ravioli appetizer.

Short rib sliders appetizer.

Chimmichurri is one of Contreras’ five homemade steak sauces. The chef calls it an “herb salsa” made with parsley, cilantro, olive oil and powerful doses of garlic, citrus and pepper.

“We’re delighted to be part of the San Pedro community,” said Judy Garcia of Long Beach, who owns the restaurant with her husband, Ron, and business partners Stephanie and J.R. Perez.

“Our goal is to serve exceptional food with excellent service and to help bring new energy to downtown San Pedro.”

The bar opens at 4 p.m. and dinner is served from 5-10 p.m. Tuesday through Sunday.

465 W. Seventh St., San Pedro, (310) 684-1753.

Dance and Shoppe


Dance and Shoppe is opening its doors at 377 W. Seventh St. The dance studio and clothing boutique is owned by Lorena Gomez-Maese, a longtime San Pedro dancer, teacher and businesswoman.

Gomez-Maese and her daughters, Raquel and Catalina, are teaching ballet, tap, hip hop, jazz, ballet folklorico and other dances to students from 18 months old through adult. A demonstration of the different types of dance will take place on First Thursday at 6:30 p.m.

Gomez-Maese produces Clarita’s Vogue Nutcracker at the Warner Grand Theatre in December and previously owned Chips and Salsa studio and A Place to Dream antique shop in downtown San Pedro.

In Other Downtown News

The Whale & Ale has added a Tuesday wine tasting called Tasty Tuesdays. Sample four wines for $8-10.

Nosh Cafe is now open until 5 p.m. The cafe is participating in First Thursday this month, hosting a children’s clothing trunk show by Kelley Hart Creations, a San Pedro-based designer.

Glamour Puss Beauty Boutique is going out of business at 317 W. Sixth St., (310) 831-0332. All stock is half-off through Jan. 31.

Infected Clothing is moving from its location near the Whale and Ale up the street to 361 W. Seventh St.

Many stores are having sales and Valentine’s Day specials. Bring your list and shop local!

Coming soon: Two establishments are hoping to open this week or soon afterwards. A sleek new bar and lounge is coming online in the Crowne Plaza hotel on the Sixth Street side. Also, Michel’s Unique Cafe expects to open this week in the 8th Street Lofts building at 8th Street and Pacific Avenue. The cafe will initially serve coffee, pastries and chocolate, later adding crepes, pizza and ice cream. (Full disclosure: your San Pedro News editor is a paid consultant for the 8th Street Lofts.)

Watch for reports on downtown entertainment and housing in February issues.