Shop Talk: Party Heaven; School of Rock – Berkeleyside

December 13, 2019

Party Heaven on Telegraph Avenue is closing its doors. Photo: Korynn Knight

PARTY HEAVEN After 41 years in business and several relocations, Party Heaven is closing its doors because owners Yvonne and Jules Weiss are retiring. Party Heaven opened in 1978 on Martin Luther King Jr. Way. It was originally named Paper Heaven. It moved to Telegraph Avenue in the 1980s, then was on Shattuck Avenue for 20 years. The business moved from Bancroft to its present location in 2018, along with several other businesses, to make way for redevelopment. It was once it moved to Bancroft, where the shop stayed for eight years, that it changed its name to Party Heaven, adding costumes, costume accessories and party goods to its inventory of paper products. The business is having a “60% off sale” on the store’s entire stock, and will close its doors on Dec. 24. Party Heaven, 2333 Telegraph Ave. (at Bancroft). Phone: 510-540-7914. Hours are Monday and Tuesday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., Wednesday to Friday, 10:30 a.m.-7 p.m., Saturday, 11 a.m.-7 p.m. and Sunday, 11 a.m.-6 p.m. Connect on Facebook and Instagram.

School of Rock has opened on Gilman Street. Photo: School of Rock

SCHOOL OF ROCK A new school for aspiring rock stars of all ages has opened in a space on Gilman Street that was a chiropractic office for more than 30 years. School of Rock Berkeley, a leader in performance-based music education, is owned and operated by local musicians Rachel Sager and Tony Sales. Sales plays with Ardent Sons, who recently released its debut record. When he isn’t playing with Ardent Sons, Sales tours with San Francisco rock and rollers Flamin’ Groovies. Sager plays guitar and sings in an all-girl rock and roll band called Harriot. She has also been involved with School of Rock since 2005, opening the first Bay Area location in San Francisco, in addition to organizing and managing the first ever West Coast All Stars Tour.

“We immediately recognized 1313 Gilman as a perfect location for the School of Rock because of its proximity to the two all-age venues, 924 Gilman and Ashkenaz,” Sager said. “We do all of our shows in the music venues in the community, and it isn’t always easy to find rock and roll venues that allow kids to play. It felt very lucky that we might be able to open a School of Rock on the same street as the venue where Green Day got their start. Not to mention, the proximity to BART and other great businesses on Gilman,” she said.

Founded in Philadelphia in 1998, School of Rock has become an international franchise with 280 schools open and in development across nine global markets. School of Rock, 1313 Gilman St. (near Neilson), Berkeley. Phone: 866-695-5515. Hours are Monday to Friday, 2 p.m.-9 p.m. and Saturday, 10 a.m.-6 p.m., beginning Dec. 1. Connect on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram

If you’re a Berkeley business with news to share, or you’ve noticed a new or closing business in Berkeley, email editors@berkeleyside.com. Read more Shop Talk columns. Catch up with food- and drink-related business news on Nosh.