Lots of Big Changes Coming to the Park Blvd. Business District
University Heights’ commercial core is in the middle of major turnover, with new ownership, new concepts, and one high-profile sale all converging along Park Boulevard and its side streets. Here’s a roundup of what’s changing.
Bahn Thai’s New Home Nears Completion
Bahn Thai’s owners purchased their new location at 4628 Park Blvd. — formerly the short-lived Johnston’s and, before that, Small Bar — back in December 2023, paying $2.33 million for the 1,581-square-foot, 1929-era structure just 150 feet from their original location. In addition to completely remodeling the front, they built out an expanded kitchen, storage, employee spaces, and offices in the rear of the property, more than doubling the total size.
The original mid-2024 opening target date slipped after construction was hit by stolen copper pipes and wiring along with repeated inspection delays, but the restaurant is now on the verge of reopening in a space with more than triple the seating inside and out, including a planned on-street parklet and an expanded patio, and a massively expanded kitchen. UH News was given a sneak peek into the new location, which should be open by the time this issue is published. Takeout will be handled in a new highly efficient set-up with multiple ordering and pick-up lines. Notably, the liquor license was sold separately from the building, so the new location will continue to operate without alcohol, but their fan-favorite Thai Iced Tea will be served on tap!
Park & Rec Ownership Transfer
Park & Rec, the bar and entertainment venue spanning 4612–4620 Park Blvd., is changing hands. State ABC records show Baker’s Vacation Holdings LLC — led by hospitality veterans Chad Owen and Brett Winfield — has filed to take over the venue’s Type 48 on-sale general license along with its caterer’s, portable bar, and event permits, with the transfer currently pending. Owen brings years of hospitality management experience, including a stint as Southern California Director of Operations for Pouring With Heart, and has been actively engaging with neighbors, saying he’s committed to hearing feedback and improving the experience around the venue. Winfield adds over a decade in San Diego’s bar and cocktail scene, including time behind the bar at North Park’s Seven Grand. Together, the new ownership signals a renewed focus on operations and community relations at one of University Heights’ longest-running nightlife spots.
Italian Newcomer Humili Takes Shape
The team behind East Village’s Decore and Coronado’s Nado Republic — led by chef Giorgio Corletti alongside partners Giovanni Siracusa, Sandro Lattenero, and Michael Massaro — purchased the former Red House Pizza space, a beloved neighborhood pizzeria, earlier this year and is nearly finished converting it into a new Italian concept called Humili.
Corletti trained under celebrated Italian chef Gianfranco Vissani before working in the Bay Area, and the same handmade-pasta, hospitality-first approach that built Decore’s East Village following is expected to carry into University Heights. Neither a menu nor an opening date has been announced publicly, but renovations appear largely complete, and early conversations on-site point toward an early-fall opening for the storefront in the heart of the business district.
New Concept Replacing Madison on Park
After more than a decade at the corner of Park Boulevard and Madison Avenue, Madison on Park closed on Sept. 6. The address at 4622 Park Blvd. won’t sit empty for long, though. Partner Matt Sieve confirmed the ownership group is already planning a top-to-bottom renovation and an entirely new concept for the space, envisioned as a lighter, small-plates neighborhood spot with a new chef and a strong focus on hospitality. Designers Anna and David Sindelar, who shaped Madison’s original look, are expected to return for the redesign, with hopes of reopening as early as October. The change comes as Sieve and longtime partner Jeffrey Fink continue expanding their local portfolio, which also includes Madi and the soon-to-open Josie’s in Hillcrest.
Muzita Adds Seven-Day Lunch Service
Muzita Abyssinian Bistro, one of the longest-standing restaurants along the Park Boulevard business district and profiled in UH News’ September issue, has rolled out a new seven-day lunch service. Available daily from 11:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m., the midday menu swaps the restaurant’s signature family-style platters for individual bowls and salads, giving regulars — and neighbors on a lunch break — a faster, single-serving way to enjoy Muzita’s Eritrean and Ethiopian dishes without the full communal spread.
Building Housing Meraki Cafe Up for Sale
Just off Park Boulevard, the building at 1733-37 Adams Ave. — home to Meraki Cafe — has hit the market for $1.2 million, listed by Pemberley Realty as a multi-family/commercial income property on a 3,357-square-foot lot. The two-story building includes a residential loft above the café space, and while it has a grease trap, it lacks a walk-in fridge or hood — worth noting for any future tenant with bigger kitchen plans. The listing markets the property as a rare live/work opportunity, with the loft offering potential owner-occupant housing right above the storefront. Meraki Cafe remains open for now, but the listing adds one more data point to the shifting ownership landscape along the district’s core stretch.
Building Housing Align Pilates Also Up for Sale
Around the corner from the Meraki Cafe building, the two-story property at 4636 Park Blvd. — home to Align Pilates — has also hit the market, listed by Colliers brokers Scott Danshaw and Justin Harvey for $2,189,825.
The roughly 2,650-square-foot mixed-use building pairs ground-floor commercial space, currently leased to Align Pilates through February 2029, with a two-bedroom apartment upstairs. The listing pitches it as an investment, owner-user, or redevelopment opportunity, noting that architectural specs have already been drawn up for adding one to two residential units and expanding the ground-floor retail footprint — giving a future owner room to grow.
The next several months will bring significant change and new offerings along our neighborhood’s most visible blocks, right under our brighter-shining sign.
Photos by Marc Johnson
