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The Falcon’s Lair isn’t just a restaurant. Nor is it just a bar.

Instead, the newest eatery in Ripon is, as its owner happily declares, a “vibe.”

Think cushy chairs and dark walls and gold highlights and extravagant decor which are all meant to whisk you to another time. Owner Moe Willey, whose family runs the popular Gold Dust Pizza locations around the region, has opened her dream spot in her hometown.

The new restaurant-lounge is a tony looking, but relaxed feeling place that serves small plates, a few favorites and lots of craft cocktails. But really what Willey hopes it serves is endless ambiance.

“It’s hard to sum up (Falcon’s Lair) with just one word. Really, it’s a vibe,” Willey said of her Canal Boulevard space. “It’s a vibe that we don’t have here in the Valley and something I wanted to bring to our Valley. I want people to be relaxed. I don’t want them to be in a rush.”

Since buying the 6,000-square-foot building last September, Willey and her team have transformed the former Canal Street Grille space into an upscale speakeasy complete with personal touches from home. A pair of nearly life-size bronze goddess statues from Willey’s house greet guests, and the massive hostess stand was originally purchased to be her family’s bar.

Both cut a grand figure in the lobby, where customers choose one of two paths — to the left to the dining room and to the right to the lounge. In the dining room they’ll find tables and rich booths that can seat around 150. The lounge fits another 75 people (including on the attached outdoor patio) in stuffed chairs with low tables across from a 29-foot Carrara marble bar.

You’ll probably also notice all the old Hollywood touches inside right away, including posters and photos from famous Golden Era films and stars. Then, of course, there’s the name. The Falcon’s Lair was the name of 1920s Hollywood heartthrob Rudolph Valentino’s famed Hollywood Hills estate, where he would throw star-studded parties.

Since opening in late March, the Lair already has had repeat customers including Ripon resident Erin Danforth.

“We love it. Between Sacramento and who knows where there is just no place like this,” she said. “This is a breath of fresh air. I don’t have to go to Sacramento or San Francisco or anywhere else to get this atmosphere.”

Willey said they’ve been purposeful with how they operate as well. The lounge and restaurant have a large staff of 60 employees who are alert and attentive. The space also doesn’t have any televisions showing live programming, like sports or the news. Instead whatever screens are scattered around show old silent-era pictures.

The dining room has a stage in the back, and Willey said they’ve already begun to bring in local jazz performers to provide mood music. And they don’t accept reservations on purpose, because that would mean people would feel hurried to get out for the next guests.

“I want them to enjoy great music, fine cocktails, great food and one another,” Willey said. “That’s something we’re missing in society. We don’t take the time to enjoy one another and really talk. Off of our phones. Not watching TV. But just enjoying time with one another.

Plus, why would you want to watch anything else when the cocktail menu alone is filled with entertainment. The lounge has more than a dozen signature drinks — some like the smoked old fashioned that comes with a built-in show as they twice fire the whiskey in front of guests. Others like the lavender gin fizz are almost too pretty to drink — almost. Specialty cocktails run $14 to $15, and the bar is stoked with other top-shelf options all served by nattily dressed bartenders.

While the food may not be the main attraction, it’s still a feature presentation. The menu has about a dozen appetizers and small plates, from a share-size charcuterie board to lamb chop lollipops, oysters on the half shell and poke nachos (ranging in price from $10 to $35). The only entrees are its Bel-Air Burger ($17 with fries) and their specialty or build-your-own pizzas (which run from $19 for a small to $31 for a large).

Willey’s attention to detail even extends to the faux newspapers that the fries and pizzas are served on. The “Hollywood Herald” front page includes a prominent post about the Falcon’s Lair. In the end, she said, she just wants a place for friends, neighbors and everyone else to enjoy and unwind in style.

“(Ripon) is where we live, where our children grew up and live and we wanted to give back to our hometown,” she said. “So come for the vibe, don’t come for any other reason. Bring a friend that you like to talk with, or maybe somebody that you’ve been trying to talk with — maybe a daughter or a son. Just come in and enjoy time together.”

Falcon’s Lair, at 1225 Canal Blvd. in Ripon, is open 3 to 9 p.m. Tuesday to Thursday, 11:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. Friday to Saturday, and closed Sunday and Monday. For more information call 209-599-9999 or visit relicincorporated.com/falcons-lair.

This story was originally published April 3, 2023, 8:00 AM.

A new restaurant and lounge is coming to Ripon and with it will be the opulence and luxury from the era of old Hollywood.

Falcon’s Lair will be the name of the new establishment. The name is a homage to the rolling Bel Air estate built by 1920s screen star Rudolph Valentino. When it opens it will be the materialization of a long simmering dream for Moe Willey.

Willey is no stranger to the restaurant industry and the hard work it takes to survive. At the incredibly young age of 13, she left home and for two years supported herself by bussing tables at different eateries in Humboldt County. She returned home for a short while, but it didn’t last and she went back to working at restaurants.

Over the years she has done most of the jobs associated with service, including owner. She and her husband Bob Willey own Gold Dust Pizza, which has locations in Ripon, Oakdale, Sutter Creek and Copperopolis and the Ice Cream Emporium. Their business has now grown to include their three adult children - Katie, Jeremiah and Hannah.

Willey’s idea for the establishment is an upscale vibe and look with budget-friendly prices. It will be an appetizer centric menu with lunch and dinner options and will be open seven days a week.

“It will be the type of place to come after work or out with friends to have some good food and drinks in a luxurious environment without having to pay Vegas prices,” Willey said.

The lounge will have a full bar and will feature cocktails that spotlight Ripon’s claim to fame as the almond capital of the world.

“I think it’s a place that will fill a void here in Ripon,” Willey said. “We wanted a business that wouldn’t take away from the realm of what’s already around and we think this concept does that.”

The interior will have lots of plush seating, crown molding details, opulent lighting fixtures and gold accents.

“That is my signature color,” Willey said with a laugh.

The location for Falcon’s Lair will be 1225 Canal Boulevard. The opportunity to purchase the building came to the Willeys and they decided to go for it.

The tenant, Canal Street Grille, was expected to remain at the site through Dec. 31, but the owners of that establishment recently announced on social media that they were permanently closed. Willey said the sudden closure has not changed their plans for a late February opening. The restaurant will have a staff between 60 to 80 employees when it opens.

RIPON, Calif. — As almond blossoms begin to bloom across the Central Valley, Ripon is kicking off its 60th annual Almond Blossom Festival this weekend.

The Almond Blossom Festival is Ripon's largest tradition, celebrating the small town's agricultural roots with a weekend full of events.

"There are roughly 50,000 acres of almonds grown in Ripon and the surrounding areas," Kelly Donohue the president of the Ripon Chamber of Commerce said. "The blossom itself is a Central Valley hallmark since the Valley is one of a few places in the world where almonds can grow."

The festival, held by the Ripon of Chamber of Commerce, begins on Thursday, Feb. 24 and runs through Sunday, Feb. 27.

"All of our local non-profits and community organizations pull together to put on a variety of events, combining everything you'd want in a big festival with small-town charm," Donohue said.

The festival features a carnival at Mistlin Sports Park where community members can enjoy rides, food, art and crafts vendors, live music, pony rides, petting zoos, and more.

Admission to the festival is free, but parking on the festival grounds is $5 and guests will need to purchase a $25 wristband if they wish to ride the carnival rides.

According to Donohue, proceeds will go to their local non-profit volunteers.

Thursday, Feb. 24:

Friday, Feb. 25

Saturday, Feb. 26

Sunday, Feb. 27:

Roadways will be closing down around 11:45 a.m. for Saturday's parade, which starts at East Main Street and Stockton Avenue and make its way to the Community Center of West Fourth Street.

West Main Street at Acacia Avenue and West Fourth Street at South Acacia Avenue will be open until the parade starts for north and southbound traffic. Second Street at Vera Avenue will be open for east and westbound traffic until the parade starts.

With some roads closing down, impacts are to be expected. For a live look at traffic conditions, view the Waze map below.

For more information about the Ripon Almond Blossom Festival, visit the Ripon Chamber of Commerce website or Facebook.

Some old-time Hollywood glamour is coming to Ripon.

The family behind the popular Gold Dust Pizza parlors dotted across the valley and foothills are opening a new restaurant in their hometown. Ripon native Moe Willey is readying Falcon’s Lair, a new small plates and craft cocktails lounge in the former site of the Canal Street Grille.

The new restaurant is named after silent screen-era star Rudolph Valentino’s famed Hollywood Hills estate, where he would throw lavish parties. Willey said she wanted to bring some of that glitzy allure to the valley and give local diners a unique night out.

“(Valentino) hosted a lot of parties at his beautiful mansion. So the idea was when you eat at (Falcon’s Lair) it feels like it would have at a Hollywood party,” she said.

So instead of large entrees and traditional dishes, the new eatery will offer small bites, appetizers and top-shelf cocktails. The menu also will include specialty pizzas (but made in different styles from their existing Gold Dust pies) as well as a burger.

But otherwise expect offerings like oysters on the half shell, lamb lollipops, charcuterie boards and brunch items. Willey said they want to provide high-end offerings while keeping prices more reasonable (starting around $14 for cocktails and plates). Falcon’s Lair will be open for dinner weekdays and for lunch/brunch and dinner Friday through Sunday.

The new establishment is a departure for Willey, whose family has created a mini pizza empire in the region over the years. Willey’s husband, Bob, started Pizza Plus in 1984. Then in 2015, the couple opened their first Gold Dust Pizza location in Oakdale and changed their existing Pizza Plus in Sutter Creek to a Gold Dust at the same time.

They have since sold all their Pizza Plus locations, but now operate four Gold Dust Pizzas: the first Oakdale and Sutter Creek locations plus sites in Copperopolis and Ripon. They opened the Ice Cream Emporium, two doors down from their downtown Ripon pizza shop on Main Street, in 2020.

Willey said her family’s love for Ripon — where their three children Katie, 22, Jeremiah, 21, and Hannah, 19, all went to school, live and help with the business — inspired them to purchase the building to open the restaurant.

“We wanted to bring to Ripon what we’ve seen in other places we really enjoyed visiting like Los Angeles and San Francisco and Las Vegas,” Moe Willey said. “Nowadays they go with a lot of appetizers and craft cocktails. Something that is more about the experience and environment.”

The building’s previous tenant, the steak and chops restaurant Canal Street Grille, had been in the location since 2007. But after the Willey’s closed the deal on the building last September, the Grille closed in early November.

Its Facebook page posted a note to customers announcing the closure and thanking them for their patronage.

“All of us at The Grille are thankful and grateful for the opportunity to serve you, our wonderful customers, for the past 15 years! We are saddened to announce that due to our building being sold, we have no choice but to close our restaurant. We appreciate your loyalty and support over the years!”

It is unknown if the owners plan to reopen elsewhere.

The 6,000-square-foot building has been remodeled and redecorated completely. The Willeys have installed a new bar and turned the old banquet room into a lounge area. The new restaurant can seat about 200, with an outdoor patio bistro area as well.

Following its Hollywood inspiration, Willey said she wanted to emulate a 1920s speakeasy atmosphere, but with upscale bites and decor filled with antique and contemporary touches. There also will be plenty of gold, Willey’s favorite color (which is reflected in the pizza chain’s name based on the Fleetwood Mac classic “Gold Dust Woman” — that also doubles as a Gold Rush-era homage for its foothill locations).

Another area the Willeys want to splash out is on hiring, with a planned staff of 60 to 70. Moe Willey said they are striving to provide “superb customer service,” and allow employees to give customers better attention and care.

By comparison, between their four Gold Dust and one Ice Cream shops the family employs about 150 workers.

“I used to be a waitress when I was young and I know how exhausting it is when you’re working the whole place,” she said. “So I don’t want to overload the servers. I want people to have a great experience.”

The restaurant is still hiring for some front and back of the house positions. Willey said they are aiming for a late March opening.

For more information visit relicincorporated.com.

This story was originally published March 6, 2023, 7:00 AM.

Ripon Christian volleyball coach Kayla Kootstra uses one word to describe her team during its CIF Northern California Division IV Regional playoff run: Together.

When they were seeded ninth by the seeding committee, the Knights knew there was a good chance they would spend their entire NorCal playoff run on the road.

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They spent the first two rounds traveling to San Francisco twice in three days and Cottonwood on Saturday, beating eight-seed Lowell, top-seed Urban and fourth-seed West Valley on their way to the NorCal regional championship against No. 11 Head-Royce of Oakland.

“Seedings are what they are,” Kootstra said. “Would we have loved to have a home game before the NorCal finals? Absolutely. But also I think that was the route that we had to take to get here tonight.”

The Knights opened up a quick two set lead at home on the Jayhawks on Tuesday night, but the visitors took the third. After regrouping in the fourth, Ripon Christian took home its second ever NorCal title, 25-15, 25-19, 15-25, 25-21.

The win brings a matchup with a familiar opponent in the state final Saturday at Santiago Canyon College in Orange. Ripon faced Central Valley Christian of Visalia in its season opener. Ripon Christian won, 3-0.

Kootstra has been part of both Northern California championship teams. The Knights won the 1999 Northern California and State championships. She played on the team with her now assistant coach Melissa Blanco.

“It’s pretty exciting,” Kootstra said. “Because it’s been so long since we’ve done it, it makes it that much more exciting for these girls. It’s a special group and to be able to be a part of both of the NorCal championships that we’ve had in different capacities kind of makes it come full circle.”

The Knights dominated the first two sets, but the Jayhawks fought back in the third. They changed up their attacking strategy and Ripon Christian couldn’t find an answer.

“They made a great adjustment and started tipping and roll-shotting, and we weren’t picking it up,” Kootstra said. “From there it was just one thing after another seemed to go against us. Honestly, we haven’t fallen apart like that in a while, so props to them for taking us out of our game and out of our system.”

In the fourth set, things turned around.

Jordan Vander Veen came alive, leading the team on a late run that included eight unanswered points. She had 10 kills in the final set including a kill on match point.

“Our coach told us if we really want to win this game, we need to figure it out with each other and come together,” said Vander Veen who finished with a team high 23 kills and six aces. “She really pushed us.”

Being seeded ninth, behind teams they’ve beaten this season made the Knights hungrier to prove they were better than others thought.

“I would definitely say we felt like underdogs,” Vander Veen said.”I think we came out ready to prove ourselves and we really wanted to beat anyone we faced just to prove that we were the better team.”

Ripon Christian saw it all in its run to the state championship. From sweeping the first overall seed to coming back from down 0-2 in the regional semifinals and on Tuesday, winning a Northern California Regional Championship in front of its home fans in a battle of the “Cinderella” teams.

Kootstra called the past week and a half a “whirlwind of emotions.”

“Every time we stepped into the gym for practice, I was telling the girls like you gotta take it in because this could be our last time on this court,” Kootstra said. “(We’ve been) looking each other in the face knowing that we’re a very good volleyball team, but we had to do it all together and for one another and not for ourselves. They’ve done an amazing job of coming together and overcoming a lot in order to get to this point.”

Kootstra has raved all season about how well rounded this year’s team is and that showed Tuesday night. Setter Megan Weststeyn finished with 36 assists and 10 digs, Avery McMurray led the team with 13 digs and Sydney Hoffman added seven kills.

They hope to take that into Saturday’s championship as they look to bring the school’s second ever state title.

“It’s really exciting because we haven’t done this since our coach was a player,” Vander Veen siad. “So it’s cool to have that for her and honestly, I’m just really excited. I knew we could do it and it’s pretty cool that we actually did it.”

This story was originally published November 16, 2022, 11:16 AM.