Introducing the Bloom Project – for entrepreneurs who don’t want to build alone.
You go into business for yourself…
but you’re not meant to do it by yourself.
That’s why Bloom was created.
Bloom is a community-centered project for entrepreneurs, creatives, and visionaries who have passion and purpose—but may not always have the bandwidth, support, or systems to fully thrive on their own.
Our goal by June is simple and intentional:
Connection
Build skills and confidence
End with visibility and opportunity
We’re kicking things off with a Bloom Network Mixer on the 11th—a space to meet other entrepreneurs, share what you’re building, and feel less alone in the process.
From there, Bloom will continue with:
• Skill-set based workshops
• Learning together (not competing)
• Real community and collaboration
• And we’ll close the project with a market, giving entrepreneurs a chance to showcase what they’ve been working on
I see so many people who are great at what they do—but don’t always have the support, structure, or encouragement to fully step into entrepreneurship. Bloom exists to help bridge that gap.
If you’re:
Building something
Thinking about starting
Or craving community, accountability, and support
We would love to have you.
Let’s bloom together.
The mixer will be held at The Lemon Tree, 514 W. 2nd Street in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown.
The Antioch Raley’s store on Lone Tree Way will be closing at the end of April according to social media reports. Photo source: Yelp
UPDATE: “…after careful review of the store’s performance and economic factors, we have chosen not to extend the lease.” – Carol Barsotti, Raley’s Chief Communications Officer
By Allen D. Payton
According to reports on social media by people claiming to be employees, the Antioch Raley’s store will be closing at the end of April when the lease expires. It was confirmed by corporate in Sacramento during a phone call with an Antioch resident this week.
Comments on Next Door claim an official announcement was made to store employees on Thursday but there’s been no public announcement issued by the company as of Friday night.
The store and the shopping center where it’s located on Lone Tree Way, have had problems over the years, including shoplifting, especially following the opening of the methadone clinic two blocks away next to the 7-11 Store on Sunset Lane at Davison Drive, in the late 1990’s. The City spent $800,000 fighting to prevent the clinic from locating there, but because it’s zoned for medical it couldn’t be stopped.
Questions were emailed Friday night to corporate media representatives asking for an official announcement and the reasons for the store closing other than the lease expiring. They were also asked if they know where the US Bank branch inside the store will be relocating.
2/7/26 UPDATE: In response, Carol Barsotti, Raley’s Chief Communications Officer wrote, “The Raley’s leadership team has made the difficult decision to close our Antioch store on Lone Tree Way. We have been proud to serve the community at this location since 1979.
With the lease up for renewal and after careful review of the store’s performance and economic factors, we have chosen not to extend the lease. The store will close at the end of April.
We are committed to supporting our team members through this transition and will work to place as many as possible at other Raley’s locations.
At this time, I do not have information on where the US Bank branch may be relocating.
UPDATE 2: A U.S. Bank official said the branch is closing and they’re hoping to relocate but don’t know where at this point. The closest branches currently are in Brentwood and Concord.
We want to thank our loyal customers for their support over the years. While this location will close, we look forward to continuing to serve our customers at nearby locations and throughout our family of stores.”
Derek Baker with his valuable and rare Solano Swap Meet find of the Girls Tyme poster with Beyoncé’s photo (top right) and autograph (on orange hat below) inside his space at Rivertown Treasure Chest in downtown Antioch. Photos courtesy of Derek Baker.
Local treasure hunter buys it at Concord drive-in swap meet, offers it for sale at $4 million
Oakley resident Derek Baker is a part time vintage treasure hunter who frequents garage sales, estate sales and flea markets looking for interesting items he can flip for profit. He sells on eBay, through his own personal network and at a vintage co-op store in downtown Antioch called the Rivertown Treasure Chest. Comic books are his focus, but he tries to keep his mind open to anything that comes his way.
One Sunday morning, Baker was at the West Wind Solano Swap Meet & Public Market at the drive-in in Concord, when he noticed a pile of concert posters on the ground. The vender was the type of person who cleaned out homes or storage units and likely had no idea of what they really had. Many of the posters had the kind of art that would be associated with The Grateful Dead or other similar bands, which can fetch a good price. Some of the posters had inscriptions and signatures on them. So, he grabbed a stack, making sure to include all those with writing and got a bulk deal – 29 posters for $20.
Baker found his treasure at the Solano Swap Meet at the Westwind Drive-In in Concord.
They were almost all good posters that, in turn, can be sold for $10 to $30 each. One poster was even related to the Grateful Dead as it appears to have a signature from Vince Welnick, who played for the band at one time. However, the real gem was a pop culture piece of history from 1992. A poster of “Girl’s Tyme” – later known as Destiny’s Child – from their performance on Star Search.
The poster was printed and displayed for the live studio audience of Star Search to view as they attended the performance. It is unknown how many of these were actually printed for use inside the theater. Being that they lost that night, it is likely almost all of them, if not all the rest of them, were thrown in the trash when the theater was being prepared for the next evening’s performances. This particular copy appears to have been saved by one of the band’s managers at the time, Alonzo ‘Lonnie’ Jackson, who had several of the girls personalize it for him.
Beyoncé Knowles was 11 years old, and she already knew she was going to be a star. Not only did she sign her name but also added her autograph. Only one other girl even thought to sign her name, Ashley Tamar Davis. Two others inscribed notes but didn’t even put their names down. But Beyoncé already knew one day she would be the Queen B.
Baker’s poster appears to be the first signature and autograph of Beyoncé on any professional promotional material. Some baseball card collectors have told him that it’s like having the signature on a rookie card of one of the most popular players of all time.
The section of the poster with Beyoncé Knowles’ (now Carter) signature and autograph.
Baker purchased the poster in April 2025 and since then, he has had James Spence Authentication (JSA) certify that they believe it to be genuine. Star Search has since been rebooted on Netflix, making this a ‘Tymely’ treasure find. Being a piece of pop culture history for both Star Search and Beyonce, it may be a museum-worthy artifact. Baker thinks the new Hip Hop museum opening in the Bronx this year would be a good home.
The poster may be a ‘unicorn’ with no other piece to compare it to. How much is it worth? Is it a $1,000 poster or a $10 million poster? One suggestion is that he travel to Las Vegas to have it valued by Pawn Stars from the famous TV show which Baker said he might do.
The value or rather price he can get for the poster – which is the only true value of such an item – is unknown, for now. But Baker will eventually find out as he has it up for sale, asking $4 million. Maybe a super-fan from the BeyHive, as Beyoncé’s fanbase is known, or a museum benefactor will let him know.
Interested? Stop by and see Baker and more of his treasures for sale at the Rivertown Treasure Chest in Antioch’s historic, downtown Rivertown at 306 G Street. Or make him an offer on ebay.
San Francisco, CA – With the Super Bowl less than two weeks away and thousands of fans expected to visit the Bay Area, the Better Business Bureau (BBB) is reminding consumers that preparation is just as important as excitement when attending an event of this size.
“Events of this scale bring a lot of excitement, but they also bring higher prices and increased risk for consumers,” said Alma Galvan, spokesperson for the Better Business Bureau. “Planning ahead, buying tickets from trusted sources, and understanding travel and lodging costs can help fans avoid unnecessary stress and financial loss.”
Protect yourself before you buy
Tickets for the Super Bowl are among the most sought-after and most expensive in sports. Unfortunately, that demand also attracts scammers.
The BBB encourages fans to:
Purchase tickets only from official sources or reputable resale platforms
Be cautious of deals that seem too good to be true, especially those found on social media
Avoid sellers who request payment via wire transfer, gift cards, or peer-to-peer apps with no buyer protection
Use a credit card whenever possible, as this can add an extra layer of protection
Consumers should also take time to research sellers, read refund policies carefully, and confirm ticket delivery methods before completing a purchase.
Travel and transportation
The Bay Area is preparing for a significant surge in travel related to this sporting event. Airports, highways, and public transportation systems will all experience increased traffic.
The BBB advises travelers to:
Arrive early at airports and allow extra time for security and delays
Consider multiple airport options, including San Jose, San Francisco, and Oakland
Plan transportation to and from the stadium in advance, including public transit and rideshare options
Hotel accommodations
The BBB is also reminding travelers to budget carefully for lodging. Hotel prices across the region have increased dramatically for Super Bowl weekend.
BBB recommends that travelers:
Book lodging as early as possible to avoid higher prices and limited availability
Compare pricing across nearby cities
Review cancellation policies and additional fees carefully before confirming reservations
Verify websites before making any purchases
Confirm reservation numbers and confirmation emails before traveling to the Bay Area
A final reminder to fans
The Super Bowl will be an unforgettable moment for all those in attendance. With smart planning, fans can enjoy the event and all that the Bay Area has to offer without unnecessary stress or financial loss.
Consumers who encounter suspicious ticket sellers or misleading travel offers are encouraged to report them to BBB.org/ScamTracker.
ABOUT BBB
The Better Business Bureau has empowered people to find businesses, brands, and charities they can trust for more than 110 years. In 2024, people turned to BBB.org more than 220 million times for BBB Business Profiles on 5.5 million businesses, and 725,000 times for BBB charity reports on 12,000 local and national charities. The International Association of Better Business Bureaus is the umbrella organization for the local, independent BBBs in the United States and Canada.
To honor 2025 Business, Citizen, Non-Profit & Youth of the Year
Nomination Deadline: Feb. 13
By Jim Becker, 2026 Board Chair, Antioch Chamber of Commerce
It’s time to celebrate excellence in our community! I invite you to nominate outstanding businesses, individuals, and nonprofits for our Business of the Year, Citizen of the Year, and Nonprofit of the Year awards. The winners will be honored at the annual Chamber Gala on March 27 at the Lone Tree Golf & Event Center.
This year’s theme is, “A New Chapter: Antioch’s Gala for Renewal & Opportunity.” We will also hold the Installation of the 2026 Antioch Chamber of Commerce Board of Directors.
Your nominations help us recognize those who make a real difference in Antioch.
Submission Instructions: Return the forms to Antioch Chamber of Commerce, PO Box 1711 Antioch, CA 94509.
Thank you for helping us honor the best in our community. If you have any questions, feel free to reach out to us at (925) 757-1800 or email frontdeskadmin@antiochchamber.com.
Annual Gala
The Annual Gala will include the Awards Ceremony, Silent Auction, Golden Tickets, 50/50 Raffle, No-host bar, Music by DJ GBaby and Dinner Buffet:
Fresh baked garlic rolls & garlic butter
Italian green salad with vinaigrette
Lone Tree Caesar salad with marinated tomatoes, croutons & shaved parmesan cheese
