The former O’Reilly Auto Parts store at 3146 Mission Street (@ Precita), which used to be a Kragen Auto Parts store, which was originally the home of the Mission Chevrolet car dealership, may soon be repurposed for another use: motorcycle rentals.
EagleRider, a worldwide chain of motorcycle rental outlets, has acquired the lease to the building, with an eye toward serving a customer base of European and American tourists. But first, EagleRider will require a Conditional Use Authorization, because as a chain store, it falls under San Francisco’s Formula Retail regulations. To help with that, EagleRider has hired former Supervisor Bevan Dufty to serve as their lobbyist and local envoy.
Here’s the letter Eagle Rider is circulating among local merchants and community leaders:
EAGLERIDER Motorcycles
is looking forward to its new location at
3146 Mission Street
in the Mission/Bernal neighborhood!!EAGLERIDER, founded in 1992, is a motorcycle rental, tours, sales, and service provider. We have been located for over ten years in SOMA and we are seeking to move to the former O’Reilly’s Auto Parts on Mission St. At our current location, EAGLERIDER receives over 10,000 customers per year for daily and weekly motorcycles rentals to enjoy the Bay Area, Northern California and the rest of country. 50% of our customers are foreign visitors, many of whom come to San Francisco specifically to go motorcycle touring.
We are excited about being part of this great neighborhood as we hope our customers will patronize the restaurants and businesses of the area before and after their motorcycle adventure. We want to work with Mission-Bernal Merchants Association to create a guide that helps our visitors know all the great destinations right here as well as on 24th Street and Cortland.
In order to open our store, we must receive Conditional Use approval by the City Planning Commission as a formula retail use. In other words, since there are 100+ EAGLERIDER locations worldwide, we need to demonstrate that we will be an asset to the neighborhood. Our goal will be to open in the next 3-5 months if we receive community support and Planning approval.
In addition to partnering with your businesses to create great experiences for our customers to shop and dine right here, we want to be an active business in the community. We have met with John O’Connell High School to support their programs training students, we are exploring a mural using local artists and we already participated in the wreath making and delivery for the Mission Bernal Merchant Walk.
PHOTO: 3146 Mission in March, 2017, by Telstar Logistics
Bernalwood 
Have to say, it would have been the ideal location for Cole Hardware… plenty of space, perfect for hardware retail build-out, easy deliveries and customer parking in the back, great Mission/Bernal location, and more. Did the D9 supe’s office think about lobbying for that kind of neighborhood necessity instead?
Personally, I hope they are rejected. This site is where Cole Hardware should go. That would serve the local community much better than motorcycle rental. But alas, that’s just me.
Or a Trader Joe’s. That would force UnSafeway to improve.
Wow, a Trader Joe’s there would cause a clusterf@#k!
Inside it would. Ace Hardware would be ideal.
I’d definitely prefer Cole Hardware or a small, good, grocery store like Trader Joe’s; both of those would serve the neighborhood much more than a motorcycle rental store. At the same time, I don’t think EagleRider is the type of chain folks had in mind when the formula retail regulations were first put in place, and they rented the location first, so they should probably receive the conditional use permit. It’s a shame that the location will be occupied by business that the vast majority of Bernal residents will never even enter though.
FYI: Trader Joe’s is a $4+ BILLION per year chain retail business, not a “small” anything.
Just saying…
I like the idea for Cole Hardware also. And with the unfortunate “sideshow” incident on 101 at Cesar Chavez so recently, I really would rather not see a motorcycle outlet….even if their target audience is tourists. Can we encourage contact to Planning Commission?
I’m pretty sure the wealthy German tourists won’t be punching anyone on the 101.
I’ll also note that without defending the riders in that incident, that driver did attempt to hit the riders multiple times, and pretty much got what he deserved.
Thanks, R. I didn’t realize the driver had “participated”.
The driver in that incident ‘participated’ only to the extent that he got out of his car and was then savagely beaten by the biker gang on the freeway: http://sfist.com/2017/03/14/victim_of_road_rage_biker_gang_beat.php
Wow that is a pretty horrifying sentiment.
He deserved to have his leg run over and broken in three places?
I’m fine with it, but dang I was hoping for a grocery store.
Cole Hardware woulda been perfect too, but I believe Eagle Rider had secured this location before the fire.
Cole Hardware would be great there. Trader Joes and the motorcycle outfit will just bring more traffic. It’s already a mess. Don’t want to hear the constant roar of motorcycles in our neighborhood.
Eagle Rider’s rental Harleys, unlike many owners bikes, do not have straight pipes, and so do not roar.
They sound like the SFPD Harleys. I believe they also rent BMWs and Triumphs, all with quiet stock pipes.
P.S. I also would prefer Cole, but no need to demonize a legit business who will bring many tourists to our little neck of the woods to support our local businesses.
@R – Was going to say the same thing, both your points.
Also, bikes obviously won’t be entering or leaving on the Mission side, they’ll be using the Valencia entrance. Wth access to both freeways and the interior ramp setup (remember this building was built to be a car dealership and showroom), I can see why the location appeals to this business.
Maybe local businesses should be supported by locals. I am personally not stoked to draw more tourists. I have two neighbors on my block who seem to think we’re zoned for hotels the way they rent out regularly for Airbnb. Lost drivers, annoying parties and never knowing who is actually a neighbor – can’t say I want any more of that.
Sounds like a great use of the space. I may have to rent a bike for the day myself
Right there with you, I sold my bike a year ago but would love to get a fix now and then. Got tired of maintaining it. For now, I can only ride Scoots!
I wish they rented adventure bikes or green sticker dirt bikes, but I realize it’s probably hard to keep them running and make money with all the hooligans thrashing them on California’s epic terrain.
I hope they don’t obstruct the sidewalk with their bikes, like scooter shop on Mission near 14th Street.
I won’t say there is never a scooter on the sidewalk, but the scooter shop parks their bikes in the street.
We need a decent grocery store for people living in the neighborhood, not a touristy rental outlet.
Not my thing, but I welcome them to the neighborhood.
I’m 100% supportive of a (good) grocery store or Cole Hardware. Does anyone know if Cole Hardware had proposed moving into that space, or is that just wishful thinking on the community’s part?
wishful thinking.
I dont support a tourist rental chain, and think the idea of a local Cole Hardware or a market (yes, it is a chain, but its about providing an essential neighbourhood service. Why is Dufty lobbying support, for this ? Seems out of character, and since he is on BART board, maybe his attention should be on the 24 and 16 Street stations!
This will be a good business for the neighborhood Not only will it fill in an otherwise empty space; but, will bring more people to the area, and most likely who will go to and support the local businesses. As much as we liked Cole Hardware [they have moved on], and have a better grocery store in the area [it would have to be a chain to pay SF rents], it is good to have the space filled and not be vacant. We can blame the resident(s) of the Graywood Hotel for smoking on the roof, which caused the major file last summer and destroyed one of the better Mission St blocks.
The fire started on the roof of the building that housed Cole Hardware, not the Graywood. But I guess that won’t stop you from blaming the folks at the SRO anyway.
https://ww2.kqed.org/news/2016/11/18/massive-bernal-heights-fire-may-have-been-ignited-by-cigarette-or-smoldering-charcoal/
you beat me to it.
I came here intending to advocate for Cole Hardware only to see that many have beat me to it! Sounds unlikely, but sure would be nice to know for sure. I don’t think it’s true that Cole has stopped looking to come back to Bernal/Mission. They have opened a store South of Market, but latest letter to customers said they were still hoping to come back to us.
Cole Hardware….keep looking for a space back in the neighborhood please. We miss you!
The noise pollution and traffic jams created by tourists who don’t know how or where to go are going to be their own clusterf*. That storefront’s been empty for a while. There must have been a reason why Cole Hardware didn’t sign a lease on it. I did call Cole Hardware in Cole Valley earlier in the year. They intend to move back to the neighborhood, but not for at least 2-3yrs was what I was told. And intention is sadly not always a reality with commercial rental prices so jacked up.
I’m reasonably certain our opinion on who might be desirable tenants for that space is just fantasy-thinking.