As 2025 comes to a close, here's a brief roundup of recent changes to Castro area businesses. In this edition, a cafe prepares to open, a Thai spa opens, a barbershop moves, and a former coffee shop hits the market.

Tokyo Central is opening a new store in Emeryville, offering a range of Japanese products and embodying the philosophy of Omotenashi hospitality. The grand opening includes a $10 gift certificate giveaway and other festivities.

Sanofi plans to acquire Dynavax Technologies for $2.2 billion, offering a 39% premium on the latter's shares, which may stimulate further biotech deals in the Bay Area.

San Jose's Hyphen is scaling AI-powered makelines to build digital orders, with backing from Chipotle and Cava. Pilots and factory ramping are already underway.

The Berkeley REI Co-op store closed due to safety concerns about the roof, impacting holiday shoppers and leaving employees uncertain. An engineer will assess the building before it reopens.

Martinez Refining Company was fined $20,000 by the Bay Area Air District for not properly monitoring air pollutants and is now required to enhance transparency and public access to air quality data.

A power outage in San Francisco caused by a substation fire during a peak business weekend resulted in significant financial losses for local businesses, particularly restaurants and shops, with PG&E pledging to simplify claims for compensation.

Dave & Buster's will open a 43,000-sq-ft entertainment center at Santa Rosa Plaza on January 26, 2026, promising arcade games, a WOW wall and about 170 jobs.

Trian and General Catalyst have agreed to buy Janus Henderson for about $7.4B at $49 a share, keeping CEO Ali Dibadj and the firm's London and Denver hubs intact.

A software update and payment‑processor error left roughly 200 Bay Area customers temporarily charged 100x for gas; 7‑Eleven says it will issue refunds plus $500 payouts.

Instacart settled with the FTC for $60 million over claims of deceptive fees and marketing, including hidden costs and issues with its membership program. The company denies wrongdoing but faces share drops and scrutiny.

A Reddit clip showing raw meat deliveries at Maiwand Market in Fremont sparked online alarm. The manager and the supplier say procedures were followed and invited inspection.

The California DMV has given Tesla a 90-day ultimatum to correct its self-driving and autopilot advertising claims or face a 30-day sales suspension. Tesla must clarify that their vehicles require active driver supervision.