potrero view

February 2009

Potrero Shopping Center Weathers Economic Doldrums

By Sarah Marloff

San Francisco may pride itself on being a city-apart, but the Potrero Shopping Center, located at 16th and Bryant streets, is feeling the same economic recession plaguing the rest of the country.  With Shoe Pavilion, one of the larger stores in the center, permanently closing their doors late last year; and the Washington Mutual Bank branch being taken over by Chase, locals are wondering about the center’s survival. 

While most of the center’s retailers are corporate chains – such as Safeway and Jamba Juice – there’s at least one independent business.  Plaza Flowers and Balloons, owned by Terry and Cliff Courrier, is experiencing less shoppers “like everybody else” according to Terry. “This is our busiest time of year as a florist, from Thanksgiving to June and we’re doing okay as far as business.”  Plaza’s weekly regulars continue to come by, and no customers who receive weekly arrangements have canceled.

However, Terry noted that over the holiday season demand for decorations was less than robust.   Plaza Flowers and Balloons is part of the National Floral Network, where “orders were down nationwide. There were no in inquiries for things like wreaths and garlands even,” said Terry.  Plaza is a small business, with only two employees who work roughly 30 hours a week, so any revenue reductions are hard to make up through cost-cutting. “We try to hang on [to our employees] best we can,” said Terry, and with Valentines Day this month they won’t be letting anyone go. “Besides, management [for the center] is good about understanding things like late payments…and they are working hard to fill the Shoe Pavilion spot,” Terry said

Wolf Camera manager Shanna Doherty successfully fought to keep all her workers, and so far the store has experienced “no lay-offs at this location; thank God!” But Ritz, owner of Wolf among other camera stores throughout the country, has made significant cutbacks elsewhere.  Several San Francisco stores have closed, including in the Castro and Marina. At the Potrero Shopping Center business hours have been shortened.  Last year the store was open from 9 a.m. until 8 p.m.; now it’s 10 to 6 “which hurts people’s hours. We’ve also been cutting back on supplies even. There’s no extra stuff anymore,” said Doherty.

Other center businesses, like Blockbuster, haven’t seen many changes. According to store manager Alex Rodriguez, the Potrero Shopping Center location is “doing a little better than most.” Though the common phrase at center businesses is that “everyone’s feeling it a little bit,” movie rentals are an inexpensive form of entertainment. “It depends on the area. Certain demographics get hit harder than others.” Rodriguez shrugged, “We’re still seeing a fair amount of customers, though their selections might’ve changed from new releases to old but we’ve had no cutbacks on workers or hours.”

Ross’s store manager, Giovanni Nibign, feels the same way as Rodriguez.  According to Nibign, January is retail’s slowest month “right now is the same as last year.  We haven’t really seen a huge decrease in sales and we are still meeting our daily and monthly expectations.”  The store was indeed busy one recent Friday afternoon, with more than a dozen people waiting in line.  The store hasn’t reduced its employee hours or laid anyone off.

A Radio Shack sales associate admitted to knowing that the corporation’s stock recently rose. And while over the holiday shopping season demand was low for big ticket items, smaller items continue to sell. “People are going to need certain things, they’re still coming here to shop for that stuff,” said the associate, who preferred not to be named.  The sales associate wasn’t concerned about the possibility of lay-offs or loss of hours.

AAA Auto Insurance is one of the newer businesses at the Potrero Shopping Center, having opened in November 2007. When asked if they’d been affected by the economic lull, employee Louis Prieto had a mixed response. “There have been people coming in and canceling their insurance plans but there’s also been a lot of new vehicles and sales. It’s a balance.” And while managers have been laid off, there have been none “here in sales” Prieto said with a smile.

Managers at Safeway and Jamba Juice said they weren’t at liberty to discuss economic conditions.  However, several Safeway customers were overheard talking about the closure of Oakland-based Mother’s Cookies.  While it doesn’t look like any other store in the Potrero Shopping Center will be shutting their doors anytime soon, everyone seems to be feeling the economic slump, even if it’s just a bit.

Subscribe to The Potrero View

All rights reserved. Copyright © 2006 The Potrero View.

Content on this site may not be archived, retransmitted, saved in a database, or used for any commercial purpose without the express written permission of The Potrero View or its Publishers.