Restaurant owners voiced concerns that if the quota were relaxed, other restaurants would enter an already competitive environment, which would hurt their businesses. Multiple restaurant owners, including those of Gypsy’s Trattoria Italiana and Pappy’s Grill and Sports Bar, spoke at the meeting in opposition to removing the system.

“I strongly disagree with the proposal,” said Jahanshah Jowharchi, owner of Gypsy’s. “Our restaurant has suffered tremendously in the last two years … Many of us are going out of business due to overpopulation of restaurants.”

Currently, the city has quotas limiting the number of businesses, such as restaurants, barber shops and gift shops, that operate in the Telegraph commercial area. The proposal, if approved, would relax the restaurant quota system for the next three years.

Alex Popov, manager of Pappy’s, initiated a petition against removing the quota system. He also created the Telegraph Restaurant Association last week to voice the sentiments of local restaurant owners.

Thai Basil, CREAM and La Burrita are among 34 local restaurants that have signed the petition in favor of keeping the quotas.

“When I explained to (business owners) the issue, especially to those who are mom and pops, they said, ‘How are we going to survive if this passes?’” Popov said. “(Even) talking to nonfood businesses — they are concerned.”

Yet other business owners, such as Craig Becker of Caffe Mediterraneum — who is also president of the Telegraph Business Improvement District — think the quotas have done more harm than good.

“I think the government has a big role in making any commercial district successful, but I just don’t think that the quotas are the right way to go about it,” Becker said.

Due to time constraints, the council did not debate the restaurant quota matter and decided not to approve it at this time.

“If they would have taken a vote last night, we would have prevailed,” Popov said. “The fact that we didn’t get everything done in one meeting is not that big of a deal, but as long as we’re continuing to have Telegraph in the spotlight … It might take a long time, but as long as we’re looking at ways to improve the business district.”

The City Council voted, in one motion, to adopt of a number of the other items pertaining to Telegraph, such as looking into the financial impact of converting Bancroft Way and Durant Avenue into two-way streets and of creating parklets.

Gladys Rosario covers academics and administration. Contact her at grosario@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @gladysrosario93.

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Currently, the city has quotas in place limiting the number of each type of business — such as restaurants, barbershops and gift shops — that can operate in the Telegraph Avenue commercial area.

Thirty-four local restaurants, including Gypsy’s Trattoria Italiana, C.R.E.A.M. and La Burrita, have signed a petition opposed to relaxing these quotas for three years.

Alex Popov, manager of Pappy’s Grill and Sports Bar, created the petition and the Telegraph Restaurant Association to organize the thoughts and concerns of local restaurant owners.

“We’re concerned with the general appeal of (Telegraph Avenue),” Popov said. “We don’t want (visitors) to think of Telegraph Avenue as just a place to go when they’re hungry.”

The current city quotas specify that 19 carry-out and 30 quick-service restaurants may operate in the area, yet the petition counted 72 carry-out and quick-service restaurants in operation.

Some restaurant owners said there are too many restaurants operating in the Telegraph area and that they desire more retail diversity. According to Popov, 17 of the 18 stores on Center Street in Berkeley are restaurants.

City Council members will discuss the quota issue in a meeting Tuesday night at 7 p.m.

Gladys Rosario covers academics and administration. Contact her at grosario@dailycal.org and follow her on Twitter @gladysrosario93.

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Since the opening of the newly renovated Memorial Stadium earlier this fall, the masses of fans occupying the stands during the game and subsequently flooding the surrounding streets have been a boon to local eateries and shops.

Several businesses around the city have benefited from the influx of people, said Dave Fogarty, the city’s economic development project coordinator.

Executive Director of the Telegraph Business Improvement District Roland Peterson said Southside’s Hotel Durant is completely booked on gamedays, and surrounding hotels have had to make adjustments to accommodate all the people that come in.

Berkeley restaurants have also been positively affected by the increased number of people who come into the city on gamedays, especially compared to last year, when many establishments lost the fan base due to the move of home games to AT&T Park in San Francisco.

“Every year, we have followers who come here to watch the games, and they come from all over the country,” said Izat Eliyan, the manager of La Val’s Pizza and La Burrita, both located on Hearst and Euclid avenues. “We know them by face, and they are always very excited to come back. Last year, we missed them, so seeing them again this year, we did see a rise in sales.”
Alex Popov, the owner of Pappy’s Grill & Sports Bar, located on Telegraph Avenue, said the new restaurant has always attracted a lot of people but is busiest on gamedays.

“We’re busy all throughout the day, because even though the games don’t start until the afternoon, we have people coming in the morning to watch games that are happening on the East Coast, and we also have people staying in the evening after the games finish,” said Popov.

While many businesses are thriving due to the increased foot traffic in Berkeley on gamedays, some businesses have not seen much of an improvement, and others have even been negatively impacted due to parking congestion in the city.

Eliyan said that though La Val’s Pizza and La Burrita are both very busy on gamedays, business has not improved as much as was expected.

“We thought that with the new stadium, business would be better,” Eliyan said. “But it’s just like any normal gameday before the stadium was built.”

Wilson Wong, manager of Kip’s Bar on Durant Avenue, agreed with Eliyan’s sentiments.

“(The fans) aren’t coming out as much as they used to, compared to old gamedays,” Wong said. “I’m not sure — maybe football culture is not as big, or maybe not as many people are into football anymore.”

Moreover, some establishments have suffered as a result of the influx of people. Parking in the area becomes congested as a consequence, which forces event-goers to drive all over the city to find parking.

“Parking fines go up in the area on gamedays, and we aggressively enforce parking laws,” said city spokesperson Mary Kay Clunies-Ross. “It’s critically important that we keep the streets open for residents and for emergency access during and after games.”

Eliyan said that the traffic problems affect the delivery business of La Val’s, and they have to tell customers to wait at least an hour to get their orders.

Doris Moskowitz, manager of Moe’s Books on Telegraph Avenue, also said traffic problems negatively impact the store on gamedays.

“It’s like ‘Catch-22,’” Moskowitz said. “It’s really sad that the football players weren’t here last year, and we are so glad to have them back and to see so many people come to Berkeley to watch the games. But because of parking issues, it’s harder for our customers to get here, and no one is going to carry books through campus. So our business suffers.”

Contact Pooja Mahtre at pmahtre@dailycal.org.

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A casualty of economic downturn, Larry Blake’s Restaurant and Bar closed its doors in February after 71 years in Berkeley. Now, Pappy’s is set to open in Blake’s former location, 2367 Telegraph Avenue — near the intersection of Durant Avenue — by the end of next month, said Alex Popov, the company’s founder and CEO.

Situated about a block from UC Berkeley’s campus — between Smart Alec’s and the recently opened discount store, Daiso Japan —  Pappy’s new home is in a typically vibrant and crowded shopping area.

Pappy’s will host Cal Men’s Basketball post game radio show, according to the grill’s website.

Soumya Karlamangla is the assistant city news editor.

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