Nellie Kumagai decided some time ago that when she turned 70 years old, she would close her women’s clothing boutique, Stuart’s Apparel by Nellie K in Los Altos, so she could travel, golf and spend more time with her children and grandchildren.
The Los Altos-based PowerFlex Systems – which installs electric-vehicle charging stations with adaptive charging network technology in the community – was recently acquired by international company EDF Renewables, whose North American headquarters is in San Diego.
When Dr. Jabina Ramde opened Eye Lite Optometry in downtown Los Altos, she had just two staff members and one exam room. Twenty years later, Ramde’s practice has grown to include three other optometrists, five support staff and three exam rooms in an office with approximately twice the square footage.
Ramde said something that hasn’t changed over time, however, is the way she and her staff treat their patients. From day one, Ramde said Eye Lite’s goal has been to make personal connections with patients and provide them with quality service.
A resident of the Los Altos Springer Trees neighborhood authored a post on the online Nextdoor site Aug. 23 with the title “Possible real estate scam.” Below the resident’s explanation of how a young man came to her door that afternoon asking if any neighbors were interested in selling their homes, she included a screenshot from her Ring security camera – a grainy image of 18-year-old Bob Lane.
The resident, who requested her name not be used, said she did not intend “to open a can of worms,” but she thought it curious that Lane was handing out Alain Pinel Realtors business cards that were worn (possibly from floating around in his pockets, she speculated) when the company had been acquired by the New York-based Compass Realty in March.
Future Ventures co-founders Steve Jurvetson and Maryanna Saenko finalized their 10th investment last month, with the venture capitalists drawing from their $200 million inaugural fund.
Well versed in aerospace innovations, the Los Altos-based team is now seeking out every conceivable sector generating tech “unlike anything they’ve ever seen before,” Jurvetson said.
Twenty years ago, Los Altos businesswoman Upuia Ahkiong couldn’t have imagined becoming a massage therapist, let alone owning her own massage studio.
“It wasn’t part of my plan,” said Ahkiong, owner of Kua Body Studios at 106 First St., which celebrated its fifth anniversary last weekend. “I wanted to be a principal for a school. … My desire was to make an impact on the school level and at the state level because I just saw how the government and the school systems were really challenging.”
