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Retail Tip Sheet: Barkley eatery set to open
Once Laila Yusufali decided she wanted to run a business, it didn't take long to get nearly ready to open. This past summer Yusufali found what she felt was an ideal spot. Now she's a few weeks away from opening Black Pearl, a restaurant that will offer a variety of food, including some Vietnamese dishes. She plans to have the restaurant open at the Barkley Crossroads shopping center (near Lowe's) in early- to mid- October. Yusufali's specialties will be bubble tea, crepes and pho (Vietnamese soup), but she'll have other items on hand, including pot stickers, sushi, egg rolls and gourmet Asian salads. "I've been very busy but also excited about this," said Yusufali, who will be working with her sister, Sara, at the business. "I'm happy about how things are going to this point." The 850-square-foot space will be open for lunch and dinner and will have a video game lounge.
SF lawmaker charged in extortion attempt
SAN FRANCISCO - Federal authorities on Thursday charged a rookie San Francisco lawmaker with fraud for attempting to extort $80,000 from a group of fast-food proprietors who had business permit troubles with the city. The felony charge stems from an FBI sting that included the tapioca drink shop owners delivering a $40,000 payment to Supervisor Ed Jew in marked $100 bills earlier this year, and promising to deliver the rest of the money later. Jew, 47, has acknowledged taking the money, but said he did so at the businessmen's insistence and on behalf of a consultant he recommended they hire to help with their permit problems. But the owners of the Quickly chain of 12 tapioca drink stores insisted it was Jew who first approached them with word of their permit problems. Tapioca drinks, also known as "bubble tea," are popular beverages throughout Asia and San Francisco's Chinese neighborhoods.
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