Three new businesses opening on Blackstone in Fresno, including that bright pink building
There may be a pandemic going on, but new businesses are still heading to Fresno’s main business corridor on Blackstone Avenue.
At least three are gearing up to open, including a restaurant and two stores. They are all between Barstow and Bullard avenues. It may be a few weeks or months before they’re open to the public, but work is well underway.
Here’s who’s doing what on Blackstone.
1. The former Orchard Supply Hardware is being converted to a Furniture City store. The store, at Blackstone and Barstow avenues, will be a second location for the Fresno-based company, which has a store just across Barstow.
This one will be called Furniture City Plus and carry lines of furniture that the existing store doesn’t.
The inside of the 55,000-square-foot building has been gutted and work is almost finished, said manager Anthony Halim. Work will begin on the exterior soon. It will look similar to the existing store.
When it’s open it will bring 10 or more new jobs. They hope to open around the end of January.
2. Angry Chickz restaurant will open at the former Dickey’s Barbecue Pit spot at 5776 N. Blackstone Ave., in front of Target. It will be the restaurant’s eighth location in Central or Southern California.
It’s shooting for a Jan. 15 opening.
The restaurant, which has a location on West Shaw Avenue, specializes in spicy fried chicken.
This is the place that makes you sign a waiver if you order the spiciest chicken on the menu – yes, really.
But it has non-spicy options too – six options in all – ranging from no spice to “angry” spice.
The menu features chicken tenders served a variety of ways, including as sliders, over rice or open-faced over white bread. They can come with coleslaw, pickles and fries.
3. Mad Monk is the newly painted bright pink building at 5577 N. Blackstone Ave., next to Lou Rodman’s Barstools & Dining Superstore.
It’s owned by the same people who own Rasputin Music two doors down.
Mad Monk in Modesto is a combination of Rasputin Music and Anastasia New & Vintage Clothing. Mad Monk sells new and vintage clothing – much of selling for $4 a piece –, used books, clothes, records, CDs, DVDs, games and more.
The owner of the Berkeley-based company told The Modesto Bee that he sees the store as a model for his business in the future. The company didn’t return our calls or messages, but if Modesto is any indication, Rasputin will be folded into the larger Mad Monk.
Mad Monk, by the way, is a reference to the infamous early 20th Century Russian mystic Grigori Rasputin, who the music store is named after.
This story was originally published December 18, 2020 at 5:00 AM.
