Great News in Pacific Beach is a tool store for a cook.
That’s how founder Ron Eisenberg described the cookware and cooking school at 1788 Garnet Ave.
“We’re in our 38th year,” said Eisenberg, about his strip-mall establishment, which has been in business since 1977.
Eisenberg said Great News started out as more of a “housewaresy, functional giftware store with a greeting card department,” and has morphed over the years to include a full-on cooking school in a retail store selling, “high-quality cookware and gadgets, kitchen tools for the home chef.”
What’s really unique about Great News is the approximately 135 classes taught each quarter, nine a week and both days on the weekend, said Eisenberg. He noted that class subject matter includes everything from “how to stock your pantry, to a skills class taught by a sophisticated restaurant chef, to everything in between.”
Cooking classes are 2 ½ hours long with an intermission and cost $49 to $65. Great News is also the only cooking school of its type with a legal permit to serve wine with meal preparation.
Cookware and cooking classes at Great News mirror trends happening outside in the field. Right now what’s really popular is the farm-to-table trend.
“We teach a farm-to-table class where we bring a farmer’s bag in of specialty produce and then show people how to cook from it,” said Eisenberg. “They walk out with recipes for the unique items they got that day in their basket. Instead of having to guess what to do with it — we show them how to do it.”
Eisenberg enthused about his staff, both on the cooking and cookware sides.
“We have an educated staff that know what they’re selling: That makes us different,” he said.
Tammy Ford is one of the store employees who helps handle customer queries.
“A lot of people love to come to this store because we’re pretty knowledgeable about the items,” Ford said.
“Sometimes they come in because they know we have everything new,” said Eisenberg. “Other times they come in for a cooking class to learn something.”
“We get phone calls and people walking in who want to know how to use a particular item,” said Ford. “We help them with that.”
“We’re above average at trying to help people select the right item for their cooking style,” said Eisenberg, about his business philosophy. “We try and communicate with them.”
Cookware in Great News is compartmentalized. Entire sections are devoted to cooking oils and herbs, coffee and tea, cutlery, condiments, Asian cookware, roasting pans, barbecue-related items and bake ware. Nearly an entire aisle alone is devoted to cookie cutters. Even specialty items, like comfortable, customized high-end kitchen mats that cushion a cook’s feet, are available. There’s even a blender costing more than $1,000 that Eisenberg refers to as a “Rolls Royce.”
In honor of its 38th year in business, Great News has a promotion going offering discounted items, gift certificates and shopping sprees to customers ending on Feb. 16 with a prize drawing.
“There are 38 prizes in all and you don’t have to be present to win,” said Eisenberg.
“We’re a destination store,” concluded Eisenberg, about Great News’ widespread appeal.
Asked about the future of cookware, Eisenberg said the industry is exciting because, with technology, it’s constantly changing.
“That’s what makes this business interesting, all the new items that keep coming out, new thermometers, everything,” he said.
For more information, visit http://www.great-news.com.