Simon Bryant became the fifth owner in Eats’s 50-year history in 2023, and with that came some renovations that went past just interior decoration. His farm-to-table philosophy has helped elevate one of Clement Street’s jewels to new heights.
Nestled between a store with fresh produce and the aroma of Japanese food coming from a restaurant, Balboa Green Garden Florist in the Outer Richmond greets passersby with its buckets of freshly trimmed, colorful bouquets and a sign with bright orange and green Korean letters.
Mark Twain may never have actually said, “The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco,” but the sentiment surely stands – especially in the Sunset.
Potted plants and a rack of colorful shirts welcome visitors to TRY Studio, a new Sunset District store crammed with vintage goods. Once inside, visitors are greeted with carefully selected clothing, jewelry and gift items as far as the eye can see.
Superior Court Judge Michelle Tong denied District 1 resident and supervisorial candidate Marjan Philhour’s request for a restraining order against David Heller, a small business owner who allegedly grabbed Philhour’s arm during a public meeting.
When chef/owner Anthony Strong decided to open his restaurant/shop combo, the Pasta Supply Co. (PSC), in April 2023 on Clement Street, he took DIY (do it yourself) to an extreme.
The creaky door to the Riptide bar, on Taraval Street between 46th and 47th avenues, swings open revealing the hum of light conversations, clinking glasses and the occasional burst of laughter. Stained-glass lamps hang above tables and red LED lights under the double-sided bar create a dim ethereal ambiance.
A large crowd gathered at Simple Pleasures Cafe in the Outer Richmond on Nov. 14, for a celebration of life ceremony to pay tribute to Virgil Jackson, a central figure at the coffee shop who recently passed away.
Clement Street has long been a cherished Richmond District destination. Neighbors and visitors browse Green Apple Books, grab dim sum or a hot bowl of Pho on a foggy day, and wheel their carts and kids to the Farmers Market on Sunday mornings.
Black Bird Bookstore and Café, the Outer Sunset staple serving coffee and good reads, was not Kathryn Grantham’s first foray into opening and operating a community-oriented, mission-driven space.
Other Avenues is a different kind of business. A new shopper may not know that Other Avenues Co-op is not owned by a single person, but its loyal customers know, celebrate, and support its unique, non-hierarchical structure. Another reason they like to shop here is that they do not have to look for organic produce. It’s all organic! And so are many of their packaged and bulk food items.
San Francisco’s legacy small business owners might get some eviction protection if legislation now before the Board of Supervisors that temporarily exempts them from the mayor’s plan to ‘streamline’ the business permit approval process passes.
San Francisco is home to many people who call themselves craftspeople. These individuals specialize in a variety of skills and trades. Some enjoy the idea of tuning an old beat-up automobile, while others take pleasure in sculpting pottery. But Romania Daza, owner of Tabita’s Cafe, is a craftswoman in her own right. Her family history in the City stretches as far back as the mid-1960s.
The familiar sign of Sunset Music perched above the blue awning at 2311 Irving St. is a beacon for musicians and music teachers alike seeking sheet music, books, instruments and supplies.
Tucked snugly between a nail salon and a sushi joint on Geary Boulevard, a stone’s throw from the bustling Park Presidio Boulevard, is Golden State Tennis. This locally owned nook for all things tennis (and pickleball) is a local player’s one-stop-shop.
Richmond Review/Sunset Beacon 