Local Restaurateurs To Open Blue Barn Gourmet At Town Center Corte Madera

Sustainable Restaurant Group comprised of three local Bay Area businessmen – Nate Valentine (Berkeley), Stryker Scales (Kentfield) and Sam Josi (Kentfield) -  have plans to open Blue Barn Gourmet at Town Center Corte Madera, in late summer 2012.  Blue Barn Gourmet, which has enjoyed a loyal customer base at its San Francisco location, offers a wide selection of sandwiches and salads sourcing their products from the best sources including their family farm in Sonoma.  Blue Barn Gourmet will be located in the space next to Urban Outfitters, formerly occupied by Bryan’s Fine Foods.  The three men from Sustainable Restaurant Group are responsible for several successful city restaurants including Mamacita, Umami, the Tipsy Pig, and Blue Barn Gourmet. Opening at Town Center will take them back to their roots and to a demographic that is very familiar. The restaurants will become the newest addition to the Center’s diverse roster of restaurants and cafes. www.shoptowncenter.com

“We’re very excited to welcome this restaurant team to Town Center and think Blue Barn Gourmet will be a great addition to our selection of restaurants,” said Stan Hoffman, General Manager of the Town Center. “The three men are Bay Area natives and really understand what Marin residents like and expect. We believe that given their successful track record in opening good restaurants in San Francisco, our Marin customers will appreciate their focus on offering fresh, seasonal and organic ingredients and for the rustic, casual ambience they create.”

Blue Barn Gourmet will feature local, organic and seasonal ingredients a majority of which comes from Sonoma’s Oak Hill Farm, in made-to-order salads and sandwiches, as well as specialty grilled cheese sandwiches. The Blue Barn Gourmet city location (Chestnut St.) was opened in 2007 with a simple concept - make slow, healthful food for people on the go who value quality and flavor from local artisans.

“Born and raised in Kentfield, Marin, we have witnessed firsthand the tremendous evolution of the Town Center and feel that it is the best and most comfortable fit to carry through with our plans,” said Sam Josi, one of the partners. “With fresh, local produce from our family-owned farm in Sonoma, Oak Hill Farm, we can offer a true farm to table experience at our new location at Town Center. And, a move there will take us back to our roots and to the community we know and love so well.”    

Town Center Corte Madera, located on the West side of Highway 101 at the Tamalpais Drive exit, has become known as the Marin location for delicious healthy food, specialty clothiers and stores boasting unique home furnishings and gift items. Throughout the year, the Town Center hosts a number of community driven events like the annual Trick or Treat Day for kids, the world’s largest Thanksgiving turkey which collects donations for Marin Community Food Bank, and free holiday gift wrapping by volunteers from Hospice by the Bay.  For information, call 415-924-2961 or visit the Town Center website at www.shoptowncenter.com .