There are empty storefronts in downtown Palo Alto, but some new businesses are getting ready to open. These include La Corneta on University Avenue and The Pro on Ramona Street.
The Pro building was once "The Old Pro," a legendary sports bar in Palo Alto. The owner closed it in the summer of 2022 due to rising costs towards the end of the pandemic.
Two years later, Guillaume Bienaime, who owns Bar Zola around the corner, is in the process of revitalizing it.
"We got building permits, and we're imminently getting ready to build," he said. "The bar will be called 'The Pro.' It's an homage to the 'Old Pro.'"
Bienaime said he is looking to open in nine months with the help of a new investor. Former Stanford and NFL quarterback Andrew Luck.
"We hung out together; I shared my vision, and he had some questions. He's also helped define a little bit of what we're doing. He's the perfect partner," he said.
Bienaime said he wants The Pro to be a place where people can go for drinks and watch a game and a place where people can have dinner with friends and family. But the footprint will stay the same. The bar will remain in the middle.
"We felt this was the best place for it. This site, we're turning more of a dining table with lower tables and to the right here maintaining those high tables for the bar," he said.
Bienaime said they also want to build a podcast space inside, collaborate with sports teams, and have events that give back to children in the community.
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