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Shop Talk

CAFE ON THE CORNER ... Joanie's Cafe has pulled off what appears to be a seamless transition after moving down the street from 447 to 405 California Ave. in Palo Alto. The menu is unchanged, the employees are the same and seating capacity remains at a cozy 49, so while the look might be new, the feel is what it's always been. In fact, said general manager Maxime Roucoule, there's hardly anything different at all, besides "more windows" and a more spacious layout overall. "Business is really good, really busy," Roucoule said. "We're on a corner now, so we get more walk-ins." But hungry diners should also keep an eye on the old spot — the Joanie's folks are still in charge of the site and could well be serving up bistro goodies from there in the near future.

— Leslie Shen

A SECRET NO LONGER ...

Teeny-tiny Palo Alto Tailoring has been operating from its El Camino Real headquarters for more than a decade, but late this spring owner Sep Hines decided to branch out her business, turning the building behind her tailor shop at 505 Barron Ave. into A Little Secret Boutique, featuring women's clothing designed by Hines herself, as well as other designers she admires. Store manager Christina Bunning described the clothes as "eclectic" in style, including little black dresses, "flowy" tops and work wardrobes. She said shoppers from teens to seniors frequent the boutique, and added that new inventory is added nearly every week. A website — www.a-little-secret.com — will be up and running soon. "We're hoping it won't be a secret for long," she said. — Karla Kane

Heard a rumor about your favorite store or business moving out, or in, down the block or across town? Shop Talk will check it out. Email shoptalk@paweekly.com.