🌱 Jewish Deli Opening Soon + Local Pharmacist + General Store Update

Hello, people of Healdsburg! I'm back in your inbox today with everything you need to know about what's happening locally. In today's issue, you'll find these stories and more:

• The death of a legendary local pharmacist
• An exciting (and familiar) new tenant for the abandoned Wild Flower Saloon
• The return of the Dry Creek General Store — and its magical side bar

I also wanna give a quick shoutout to the folks at the Rotary Club of Healdsburg's Sunrise chapter, who invited me to hang out and chat with them about local news and the like at their meeting early yesterday, held at the golf course clubhouse. They are quite a jolly bunch of morning people! They fed me wonderful things and told me about all the cool stuff they're doing and left me feeling thoroughly charmed and appreciated. Big love to you all 🌻

Now, your local weather:

• Thursday: Mix of sun and clouds. High: 76 Low: 46.
• Friday: Mostly sunny and heating way up. High: 84 Low: 52.
• Saturday: Sunny and genuinely hot. High: 93 Low: 54.

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Air over Healdsburg:

Here are the top 3 stories in Healdsburg today:

1. Finally, a new tenant for the broke-down Wild Flowers Saloon along the alley that bridges Healdsburg Avenue with the CVS shopping center parking lot — and I'm happy to report it's an established local favorite. Sonoma Magazine has the scoop: "Healdsburg Bagel Co., known for its New York-style bagels at local farmers markets, will open a Jewish-style deli at the former Wildflower Saloon later this summer. Owner Drew Ross has chosen to call his concept a Drewish Deli (a play on his name) because it won’t be exactly like the Jewish delis he grew up with. 'The deli is the natural progression to my business. I’ve eaten at Jewish delis my whole life, and mine won’t exactly be a full deli but a hybrid version,' Ross said. Expect traditional deli offerings like housemade lox, pastrami, corned beef, chopped chicken liver mousse, matzo ball soup, knishes, smoked whitefish and sturgeon, challah, bagels and schmears." Ross, who used to be a working musician and family therapist, reportedly founded Healdsburg Bagel Company with his father-in-law in 2018 because he says he couldn't find a good bagel in the whole county. "Big John’s Market in Healdsburg was his first wholesale account, allowing Ross to move into a large commercial kitchen," Sonoma Mag reports, and "he now sells at six farmers markets per week throughout the Bay Area." Ross says that in the end, it was "home deliveries and farmers markets" that allowed his bagel company to "survive and thrive" during the pandemic — so much so, that now they're going full brick-and-mortar in town. (Sonoma Magazine & Healdsburg Bagel Company)
2. Healdsburg legend John Henry "Jack" Herrod, prominent local pharmacist and father of City Councilmember Chris Herrod, has passed away at age 84. According to an obituary that Chris sent over, Jack grew up in Vallejo and then St. Helena, where he "excelled in sports and science while always working afternoons and weekends, notably in the local drug store." After high school, Jack attended the University of Wyoming; there, he reportedly played as a star pitcher for the baseball team, got a "graduate degree in Pharmacy" and met his future wife, Dixie Martin. By the early 1960s, the obituary says, "an opportunity to start his own business was presented to him and they moved to Healdsburg. Jack took over General Drug in 1964, on the Healdsburg Plaza, later moving to the Mitchell Center." More from his obit: "Jack was always involved in the community. He volunteered with Catholic Charities, Kiwanis, The FFA Fair Board, Greyhound Boosters and the Lytton Adult Rehabilitation Advisory Board. In 1979 he served on the Sonoma County Grand Jury. In addition, he gave consistently to local non-profits and he especially enjoyed supporting youth athletics. Jack was well known and liked for his customer service which often included making deliveries after the store closed in the evening." Jack leaves behind three kids and seven grandkids. His family says they'll be scheduling a celebration of life for him sometime next month. (Inbox & Healdsburg Museum)

3. Good news for Dry Creek Valley residents and visitors! The iconic, nearly 150-year-old Dry Creek General Store along Dry Creek Road at the turnoff to Lambert Bridge Road has reopened after months of parking-lot rehab. The store is now open from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. every day of the week, and stays open one hour later on Fridays and Saturdays. Perhaps even more exciting for the drinkers among us: The little attached bar, called simply "the bar at the Dry Creek General Store," is allegedly re-opening a week from today, after years of being shuttered. This, according to a general store staffer to whom I spoke earlier this week. Can't tell you how many times I've cupped my hands to the window of that little bar, peering longingly inside at the horse-saddle bar stools and vintage beer lights! Truly a drunken cowgirl's paradise. The staffer told me the bar will be open Thursdays through Sundays to start, from noon through 9 p.m. or so. And if things go well, they may add Wednesdays as well. With the beer selection, "My motto’s going to be, 'Keep it simple,'" he said. "As long as it’s cold." (Dry Creek General Store & Healdsburg Running Company via Instagram)

From our sponsor:

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Healdsburg pics of the day, lunch lady edition:

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Coming up in Healdsburg:

Thursday, May 11

• "Shifting the Lens" Guest Chef Series at Jordan Vineyards & Winery, Featuring Vietnamese-American Chef Tu David Phu (May 11-14, 11AM & 2:30PM)
• Meet the Artist at the Upstairs Art Gallery Inside Levin & Company: "Water Songs" Oil & Watercolor Paintings by Marsha Connell (11AM-6PM)
• Mother's Day Tea at the Healdsburg Senior Center (3PM)
• Homework Help at the Healdsburg Library (3PM)
• Locals & Industry Night at Oakville Grocery (5-7PM)
• Healdsburg Running Company Hosts Shiloh Ranch Run (6PM)
• Trivia Night at Fogbelt Station Beer Garden (6-8PM)
• Santa Rosa Latin Jazz Live at Furthermore Wines (7PM)
• Haley Heynderickx & Saintseneca Live at Little Saint (7-9PM)
• Karaoke Night at Coyote Sonoma (7-10PM)

Friday, May 12

• Spirit Friday at West Side Elementary School: Tropical Day (All Day)
• Healdsburg Junior High's Parent Teacher Organization Hosts "Run for Funds" Fundraiser (All Day)
• E-Waste Collection Event at the Healdsburg Community Center (May 12-14, 8AM-6PM)
• Bilingual Family Storytime for Kids Aged 0-6 at Giorgi Park (10:30AM)
• Live Music by Dan Greer on the Garden Deck at Davis Family Vineyards (3PM)
• High School Baseball League Championships at Rec Park, Featuring North Bay League-Redwood Title Game Between Montgomery & Healdsburg (4PM)
• Lucky Heron Boutique Hosts Mothers Day Makers Market (5-8PM)
• "Gin & Genes" Cancer Fundraiser at Arnot-Roberts Winery, Featuring Drinks, Live DJ & Auction (6-9PM)
• New Play at the Raven Theater: "Noel Coward's Hay Fever" (May 12-13, 7:30PM)
• Flamenco Gypsy Jazz Band Barrio Manouche Performs at the Elephant in the Room (8PM)
• Standup Comedian Kathleen Madigan Performs at the Luther Burbank Center on Her "Boxed Wine & Tiny Banjos Tour" (8PM)
• The Remedies & Johnny Sansone Live at Coyote Sonoma (8-11PM)

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Featured events:

• T-Mobile Tuesdays: Get Delighted Every Week (May 16)
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That's it for today. I'll be back before you know it with more local updates 💚

— Simone Wilson

About me: I was born and raised in Healdsburg, CA, where I was the editor of the Healdsburg High School Hound's Bark. I have since worked as a local journalist for publications in San Diego, Los Angeles, New York City and the Middle East. I'm currently a senior product manager for Patch.

Have a news tip or suggestion for an upcoming Healdsburg Patch newsletter? Contact me at simone.wilson@patch.com