Food, Wonderful Food
Last month, the San Francisco-Marin Food Bank officially opened its newly expanded warehouse and welcome center. The facility now has an additional 32,000 square feet for food storage and distribution; two extra loading docks, enabling inbound truck capacity to increase from eight daily to 12 to 15 per day; 5,200 square feet of cold storage space, doubling refrigeration and quadrupling freezer capacities; and high-density racking to enhance efficiency. The Food Bank can now distribute 75 million pounds of food annually and serve up to 200,000 people a week.
Popped
Thatcher’s Gourmet Popcorn has moved from its longtime home in Dogpatch to Pittsburgh, California. The company vacated its 1201 Minnesota Street location in search of lower rents. Thatcher’s was founded in San Francisco in 1983. It joins a steady stream of small manufacturers – including Timbuk2, which closed its Shotwell Street factory last year – in leaving the proverbial nest. At least one plans to stay, though. “We’re still here making bags, with no intention of moving,” said Mark Dwight, founder and owner of Rickshaw Bagworks… Former mini chain The Grove is down to one San Francisco outpost after it permanently closed its Design District restaurant last month. Owners Ken and Anna Zankel shared the news on their business website as well as with a notice on the shuttered location, stating that a leading reason for the closure was a lack of foot traffic at the 1 Henry Adams Street cafe. “We have always endeavored to create vibrant neighborhood gathering spaces in lively areas. And this was that! Until it wasn’t. This lovely, charming neighborhood currently has far fewer people than prior to the pandemic. We have fought valiantly to survive and outlast the moment,” the message read. The Zankels will continue to operate The Grove in Yerba Buena as well as Empire Pizza, which opened in June.
Super Staff
After almost four years working as an aide to District 10 Supervisor Shamman Walton, Abe Evans has moved on to attend law school at Fordham University in New York. He’s being replaced by Lindsey Lopez-Weaver, a Bay Area native, who for the past decade has worked for Young Community Developers, a nonprofit which Walton previously directed. Weaver is responsible for constituent relations, and can be reached at lindsey.lopez@sfgov.org.
DEI
Last month, California College of the Arts (CCA) received $4.7 million from four organizations to support diversity, equity and innovation in the arts and design fields. One million dollars was gifted from the Gensler family, with the same amount from the Gensler architecture, design and planning firm, to establish the M. Arthur Gensler Jr. Center for Design Excellence. The funds will be used over ten years to sustain design excellence in architectural education, research and practice while promoting diversity, social justice and environmental sustainability. In addition, $2.7 million was secured from Amazon, Z SUPPLY Foundation, and an anonymous donor to support enrollment of more than 20 students from diverse backgrounds to pursue degrees in the arts and design.
Dogpatch Hotpatch
Travel and entertainment website Time Out selected Dogpatch for its 2022 list of the world’s 51 trendiest neighborhoods based on responses from thousands of readers who took an annual survey asking them to name the “coolest spots in their city right now.” Dogpatch was 36th, down from 31st in 2019, and the lowest ranked among the six American neighborhoods on this year’s list, after fourth, Ridgewood in New York City, sixth, Barrio Logan in San Diego, sixteen, Avondale in Chicago, 21st Silver Lake in Los Angeles and 29th Coconut Grove in Miami. “Despite its waterfront location and Bay Bridge views, the Dogpatch was, for a long time, a gritty and desolate place filled with shipyards and factories,” the ranking stated. “Now it’s one of San Francisco’s most rapidly developing neighborhoods and a haven for creatives taking advantage of the (slightly) more affordable studio and housing options.” In fact, Dogpatch isn’t so affordable anymore. Average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in the neighborhood is $3,625, 11 percent higher than the previous year, according to Zumper, compared to a citywide average rent of $3,045 for a one-bedroom, up nine percent from the year prior.
Who Knew?
Apparently “wild” cow milking is a thing. And now the activity is banned in Alameda County rodeos. The “entertainment” consists of separating lactating mother cows from their nursing calves, and herding them into a loud, bright arena. Two competitors on horseback then rope the animal around the neck and forcefully take her milk. Ick. We’re glad that’s over with, at least in the East Bay.
