Business & Tech

Cali Comfort Grand Reopening Not an April Fools' Joke

Expanded bar area will allow more people to watch all of the big sporting events.

The process of converting a two-bedroom house into a popular restaurant was a long one. And as Shawn Walchef—who took over as owner and operator from his grandfather in 2008—has discovered, a seemingly ongoing one.

The latest stage in the evolution of one of Spring Valley's hot spots is now complete, and Walchef, co-owner Corey Robinson, and the rest of the Cali Comfort family is ready to show it off.

Cali Comfort will host a grand reopening celebration on Friday, showcasing an expanded bar area. The party will feature happy hour all day and night—and that's no April Fools' Day joke!

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The restaurant recently finished construction, adding 450 square feet of space and two additional restrooms. Where there once was a wall and a makeshift office in the bar area, there is now more open space with hardwood flooring, more seating, and the addition of two flat-screen HDTVs.

"The biggest change in the bar is just adding the extra space," Walchef said. "We will be able to use it during big events—UFC fights, [NFL] Sundays, boxing matches, Mother's Day brunch."

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The new space also increased the restaurant's capacity, from 135 to approximately 170.

Walchef said that the conversion from the two-bedroom house was one that was full of challenges for "such a funky, original building."

In total, the planning, permitting and construction took about six months to complete and was described by Walchef and Robinson as a labor of love for the community.

"We really believe in this project, but it's a tough financial market," said Walchef. "It wasn't as easy to get this done as it would have been a few years ago." He added that there was some trade labor from [licensed contractors] in the community who really love the bar and believe in the project. The bar created a Cali VIPs Facebook page to pay tribute to the many people who helped them achieve the goal.

"We want this to be their project as well," he said. "Everything we do is to try and better the community. We want to be a responsible part of the community."

The restaurant will continue to maintain its family atmosphere, offering discounts to both kids and seniors. After 8 p.m., it will convert to a 21-and-up bar scene.

"The new space gives us a lot more flexibility," Walchef said. "A lot of people enjoy not necessarily being in the bar, but close to the bar. This makes that happen."


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