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We had a vision to create a public market for our community that evokes the feeling of creative expression. A platform for artisans who want to share their passion with others in a one-of-a-kind, inviting atmosphere. A space where the region’s most talented chefs and retailers could converge and showcase their ingenuity where they would be appreciated by the consumers who enjoy the experiences our center has to offer. That is the experience we hoped to achieve with The Annex, Ventura County’s first public market. In this press book you will meet the 18 entrepreneurs of the 12 business concepts who call The Annex home. From their microshops, artisan boutiques and craft food and beverage concepts, these small business owners have worked hard to turn their dreams into businesses, pouring their hearts and souls into their products along the way. That industrious spirit is what guests will feel each time they enter The Annex – a public market built with purpose, energy and passion. To our tenants, we are grateful you will be along for the ride and proud to have you help bring this vision to life for the incredible community of Ventura County. Michael Pynn, General Manager for The Collection at RiverPark 2
THE BLEND SUPERFOOD BAR
HERNAN LOPEZ, CORINA THOMPSON Ojai natives Hernan Lopez and Corina Thompson bring their health food eatery, The Blend Superfood Bar, from San Diego to their home in Ventura County at The Annex. Both Hernan and Corina have several years of experience working in the food industry, including smoothie shops. Their shared passion for healthy, accessible foods inspired them to open The Blend Superfood Bar. At The Blend, guests enjoy handcrafted smoothies, acai bowls and juices made to order, using locally sourced ingredients such as strawberries and honey. Sourcing locally is very important to Hernan and Corina as it allows them to use fresh, quality ingredient while supporting local farmers. Guests enjoy only natural and nutrient dense ingredients at The Blend, prohibiting the use of any dairy, sorbet, artificial preservatives, saturated fats or fillers.
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BOTTLE & PINT
FARSHAD MEMARZIA, ALI ZIA Farshad Memarzia, an electrical engineer of nearly 30 years, and his cousin, Ali Zia, a former owner of a law recruiting business, love great beers. The business model for their successful tap room Bottle & Pint is simple: chase down the most sought-after beers from some of the most talented and expert brewers in California. The self-professed beer enthusiasts frequently travel throughout the state to personally deliver the beer to their Newbury Park site since opening in 2014, and now to their new location at The Annex in Oxnard. At Bottle & Pint, patrons may enjoy a revolving list of 20 brews of beers, wines and ciders on tap, including beers served on nitro, to complement the many flavors and culinary styles of neighboring restaurants. Guests can expect the tap list to change each visit; once a keg runs out, Farshad and Ali line up new selections for patrons to experience.
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CHERRYHILLS MARKET
JUSTIN SCOTT, BRANDON LEWIS CherryHills Market, founded in 2014 in Denver, is the handcrafted home goods vision of partners Justin Scott, a Colorado entrepreneur and cattle rancher, and Brandon Lewis, a Cleveland native and talent developer. Now expanding from its flagship location in Huntington Beach to The Annex as their second retail shop, CherryHills Market sells a variety of premium handcrafted food and culinary gifts, as well as home accessories and dÊcor that induce nostalgic tastes and heartfelt sentiments. Specializing in re-purposed, vintage and shabby chic pieces, the overall aesthetic of the store celebrates a classic look designed for a modern lifestyle. CherryHills Market’s brand focus is simplicity and sustainability. Guests will enjoy shopping a one-of-a-kind selection of well-made home decor, furniture, home accessories, handcrafted spices, signature infused olive oils and exquisite infused balsamic pairings, as well as a wide array of unique and seasonal gifts.
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SANDRA CORDERO Carrying with her an unapologetic love for local farmers and their produce, as well as an unbridled enthusiasm for good food done exceptionally well, chef Sandra Cordero has taken great joy in creating Gasolina Cafe, a Spanish influenced breakfast and lunch restaurant, located in Woodland Hills. Half Dutch, half Spanish and raised between the always exciting city center of Amsterdam and the rural, closely knit villages of the Galicia region in Spain, she consistently puts the story of who she is onto every plate that leaves her kitchen. Sandra brings two exciting concepts in The Annex: GASOLINA to honor her Spanish heritage, and Pancake, to pay tribute to her Dutch roots.
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PANCAKE
SANDRA CORDERO What’s in a name? For Sandra’s new restaurant, Pancake, it’s everything. Welcoming patrons with a modern Dutch design and an open kitchen that showcases the skills of its pancake cooks, the eatery uses locally sourced, fresh ingredients to serve traditional Dutch pancakes, as well as those with a twist. From pancakes topped with homemade orange marmalade and citrus cream, fresh berries, vanilla ice cream, chocolate sauce and bacon, to ham and Gouda cheese with caramelized onions. Breakfast, lunch or dinner, sweet or savory, Pancake is the spot to satisfy whatever the appetite craves.
GASOLINA
SANDRA CORDERO GASOLINA is a Spanish tapas and wine restaurant designed to celebrate a rich Spanish heritage combined with seasonal California cuisine and an ambiance that borrows from European motorcycle culture for much of its aesthetic. Guests will delight in dishes like Gambas al Ajillo, Jamon y Pollo Croquetas, Tortilla Española, Morcilla Sausage wrapped in Chard Leaves with Grapefruit Vinaigrette, and Braised Short Ribs with Kabocha Squash Puree & Orange Picada. 7
LOVE PHO BEE NGUYEN
Bee Nguyen brings traditional Vietnamese cuisine with a modern, healthy, twist to The Annex with the opening of the third Love Pho Café in Ventura County. Love Pho Café offers guests a wide selection of both traditional Vietnamese dishes that Bee learned from her mother, as well as her own, reimagined versions of customer favorites, like the banh mi sandwiches and pho. Originally from Vietnam, Bee first got a taste for the restaurant business when she took over her mother’s restaurant when she was 14 years old, learning how to cook and run a business at the same time. After moving to Camarillo, Bee wanted to bring the flavors and recipes she had experienced to Ventura County and Love Pho Café was born. Bee and her team, who double as her business partners, make all the items on the extensive menu from scratch, ensuring that all the ingredients are fresh, local and healthy.
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POKECEVICHE ANDY KUAN
Andy Kuan is the brain power and muscle behind his fitness-inspired dining concept, PokeCeviche, which aims to serve up quick and delicious meals centered on its two key ingredients, Hawaiian poke and Latin American ceviche. Since opening in Isla Vista, California in 2017, PokeCeviche has been a hot spot for health-minded individuals to indulge in a variety of low-carb and high-protein options. All dishes are made with the freshest ingredients. Traditional Hawaiian Poke and chef-curated ceviche dishes are used to create delicious, customizable meals that can fit a wide variety of macronutrient needs. Andy’s recommendations on what to try at Poke Ceviche? “Our Sushi Poke Signature Bowl, Mango Lychee Slushie and the Loaded Nachos are huge crowd pleasers!”
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RAGAMUFFIN COFFEE ROASTERS SARAH PRITCHETT, SHAWN PRITCHETT
Ragamuffin Coffee Roasters is rising up as a favorite specialty coffee roaster in Ventura County. Owners Shawn and Sarah started out roasting coffee in their garage and selling whole bean coffee at the local farmer’s market. Sharing good coffee soon became a passion and after a successful Kickstarter campaign, Ragamuffin’s first brick and mortar location opened in Newbury Park, August of 2015. With an outpouring of support, the coffee coffee shop quickly became a favorite local gathering place for community members. The inviting atmosphere is coupled with a signature menu including single origin pour overs, signature lattes, cappuccinos, and house made syrups such as vanilla, mocha, and chai each served with organic milk and a signature latte art design on top. All of the coffee is roasted in-house at their Newbury Park location and is purchased from the top 1% of the world’s coffee through Direct Trade.
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SCRATCH SANDWICH COUNTER
TIM KILCOYNE, LISA KILCOYNE Locally renowned restaurateurs Tim and Lisa Kilcoyne have expanded their popular Scratch Food Truck to establish its first brick and mortar location at The Annex. Scratch Sandwich Counter will stay true to its origins by offering local farmto-table fare that highlights house smoked meats and sausages, as well as seasonal produce from local small farms. The husband-wife duo are excited to bring their concept to The Annex for its great platform to celebrate the talents of small businesses, as well as the opportunity to share their culinary venture in Lisa’s hometown of Oxnard. Widely-regarded as Ventura County’s #1 food truck, Scratch helped mobilize the local food truck scene. Chef Tim Kilcoyne’s penchant is creating signature flavor profiles from his inventive dishes like the smoked Pork PB&J grilled cheese to specialty sauces, most notably Scratch’s ketchup, which is bottled and sold in 18 different stores including Whole Foods.
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SEOUL SAUSAGE TED KIM, YONG KIM
SEASON 3 WINNERS OF THE FOOD NETWORK’S “THE GREAT FOOD TRUCK RACE”
In less than three years, Seoul Sausage Company has become the premier force behind cutting edge Korean BBQ. What began as a tiny catering company run out of their apartment kitchen, Seoul Sausage is now a multi-faceted culinary enterprise comprised of two acclaimed restaurants (Downtown LA and Oxnard), two food trucks, a customized grilling scion and an in-demand catering company. Founded by brothers Ted and Yong Kim, Seoul Sausage Company broke onto the public’s awareness when they won Season 3 of The Great Food Truck Race, Food Network’s second highest rated show. Now, food celebrities such as Alton Brown, Giada De Laurentis and Bobby Flay frequent their store during TV shoots to munch on their favorite dishes.
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SUEÑO JEWELRY STUDIO EMMANUEL GARCÍA
Sueño Jewelry Studio is a full-service jewelry store that crafts one-of-a-kind, custom pieces for its customers. Its mission is to avoid “cookie cutter” jewelry design by listening to the customer’s ideas and to ultimately create a piece as unique as they are. These creations may be as simple as a pendant or as complex as an entire wedding set. Custom engagement rings are among the most popular items.
SUENO
The owner, Emmanuel García, has JEWELRY STUDIO many years of experience in managing jewelry stores, apprenticing as a jeweler, and designing jewelry for TV shows and movie sets. He believes The Annex is an ideal location for his store because it has an artistic approach to its presentation and attracts an eclectic group of people who are looking for something modern and unique. He wants to help customers make their special moments unforgettable and leave an impression.
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TAQUERIA EL TAPATIO ERIK FERREIRA
Erik Ferreira brings his family’s legacy, fast-casual Mexican food chain Taqueria el Tapatio, to The Annex. The eatery is a longtime favorite of Ventura County locals with a 20-year history of serving beloved family recipes of traditional plates with fresh ingredients. Taqueria el Tapatio specializes in serving authentic Mexican dishes, such as Camarones a la Diabla, tacos, combination plates, and on the weekends, menudo, as well as daily specials. Ferreria, who has worked for the family business since he was 17, knew that the new location in The Annex was an opportunity he couldn’t pass up to bring his own modernized spin on customer favorites. The Annex is the popular restaurant’s third location in Oxnard, and 15th location statewide with restaurants spanning from Los Angeles to San Francisco.
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THE ANNEX
550 COLLECTION BOULEVARD OXNARD, CA 93036 THECOLLECTIONRP.COM/THE_ANNEX
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