Merchants

Jasmine Tea House Shuts Down, Business Put Up For Sale

/ Todd_Lappin / 22 Comments

Jasmine Tea House

Quietly, and without explanation, the venerable Jasmine Tea House on Mission Street has shut down and the windows are covered with newspaper. Ex-POTUS Bill Clinton used to love the place:

DSC_9901

From November, 2002:

Bill Clinton wasn’t going to fall victim to famine. In his room in the Fairmont Hotel, the former president had an aide call the Jasmine Tea House in the Mission for dinner one day and lunch two days later.

Owner Frank Xu, who got the first call, told TIC that when he was asked “Do you deliver to the Fairmont Hotel?” he refused, saying it was too far, “an hour round trip.” When he was asked if he’d do it for an ex-president, he changed his mind, although he was sure at first the call was a prank.

Xu, who came from China to the United States in 1986, owns the restaurant (with a few partners), voted for Clinton and delivered the meal personally. He was so surprised when he found Clinton waiting for the food in the presidential suite that he didn’t get to take a picture when the former president quickly shook his hand and accept the food. He returned a day after he delivered the second meal to take a snapshot and gave Clinton an antique Chinese teapot, a gift no doubt appreciated but not as much as the meals.

As to the menu, the president ate crispy beef, not spicy, and soup with fried wonton; his security guards were partial to the sesame chicken.

(Clinton Question: Is “crispy beef, not spicy” code for something smutty?)

Anyhow, Jasmine’s closure seems sudden, as the presence of some recent posters  (“Run Ed, Run!”) in the windows suggest ongoing civic engagement and vitality. Rumor on the street was that Jasmine had shut down for a remodel, but there’s no explanatory sign on the door to tell what’s up.

Yet a posting on Craigslist confirms the business is for sale:

Fully Equipped Restaurant For Sale. – $120000 (bernal heights)

Date: 2011-08-18, 12:52PM PDT
Reply to: sale-bkj6g-2553787728@craigslist.org

Fully Equipped Restaurant For Sale.

LOCATION : 3253 MISSION STREET Cross St: 29th Street – Lots of Foot Traffic

FEATURES : 1,500 SQ FEET — WELL ESTABLISHED RESTUARANT

LEASE : $3,200.00 PER MONTH (APPX.)

TERM : NEGOTIABLE

UPDATE: I put in a call to the realtors listed in the Jasmine Tea House post on Craigslist this morning, and they confirmed that the restaurant is permanently closed and the owners have put the business up for sale. So it goes.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

A Missed Connection in the Safeway Produce Aisle

/ Todd_Lappin / 1 Comment

Safeway

This Craigslist Missed Connection announcement is republished here by Bernalwood as a romantic public service:

Safeway: Tall guy with monochrome black chucks – w4m – 26 (bernal heights)

Date: 2011-07-28, 8:09PM PDT

I almost ran into you while changing aisles and then I saw you again in produce, and again in dairy, and again…. I was going to say hi the next time! I saw you smile and I felt a connection — was I wrong?

If you are the wearer of those monochrome chucks, you may reply right here.

PHOTO: Thomas Hawk

Glamorous Bernal Businesses Named “Best of Bay”

/ Todd_Lappin / 10 Comments


Exciting news for Bernal Heights merchants, and the loyal local fans who love them: Four Bernal Heights businesses have been named “Best of the Bay” in the San Francisco Bay Guardian’s 2011 roundup. And now, the envelopes, please…

BEST GIFT SHOP
Heartfelt
346 Cortland, SF. (415) 648-1380, www.heartfeltsf.com

BEST CLOTHING STORE (KIDS)
Chloe’s Closet451 Cortland, SF. (415) 642-3300, www.chloescloset.com

BEST SUSHI
Ichi Sushi
3369 Mission, SF. (415) 535-4750, www.ichisushi.com

BEST DIVE BAR
El Rio
3158 Mission, SF. (415) 282-3325, www.elriosf.com

Woo-hoo! High-fives and CONGRATULATIONS to Heartfelt, Chloe’s Closet, Ichi Sushi, and El Rio for making us all proud.

IMAGE: SFBG

Pint-Sized Entrepreneurs Peddle Premium Sidewalk Perfume

/ Todd_Lappin / 4 Comments

Locavore Perfume

Locavore Perfume

Once upon a time, children learned business basics by selling lemonade to sidewalk passers-by. But not anymore — and not in Bernalwood.

Today’s young entrepreneurs aim highter. They have an eye for style, a clear bead on the urban lifestyle, and a shrewd desire to move up the value-chain. So why sell cups of lemonade for a quarter when you can sell cups of homemade floral perfume for a buck instead?

Last weekend I noticed that Hattie, Lidia, and Bella have set up a self-serve perfume stand on Prospect Street (near Virginia) to sell their own, all-natural, locally produced Behali Perfume. What’s Behali Perfume, you ask? Quite honestly, I have no idea. I even looked it up on the Google, and came up with nothing.

Then it hit me: Behali Perfume must be the brand!!!

That’s right: Not only do these nano-entrepreneurs have their eye on the luxury market, they also understand the importance of establishing a distinctive identity in a crowded marketplace. Sure, the kids have some work to do in the typography, spelling, and logo departments… but check out the actual merchandise, which the girls arrayed on the sidewalk right below their sign:

Locavore Perfume

As you can see, Behali Perfume is already thinking about package design. Wow. Wow. Wow.

If you’d like to support these kiddie capitalists, look for their products on a finer sidewalk near you. Watch out, Kiehl’s. Beware, Body Shop.  The rest of us should probably get in now, while the price is still affordable… before the IPO, and before we find ouseselves in the awkward position of having to ask Hattie, Lidia, and/or Bella for a job.

UPDATE: Herr Doktor theorizes…

Behali = BElla, HAttie, LIdia… or at least that is my guess.

Woa. Further proof that those kids are pretty clever.

PHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

A Hollywood Moment at Avedano’s

/ Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

old neon
Roll cameras! Lights! Quiet on the set! Aaaaaannnd ACTION!

Reader Otto of the Bernalwood Intelligence Agency wrote in to report that a fancy-schmancy camera crew was filming on location at the fancy-schmancy Avedano’s butcher shop last night:

I just walked by Avedano’s Meats, 235 Cortland, and there is a film crew there, right now, well 5:40pm or so. Sign outside says “you agree to be filmed…” for The Cooking Channel/Lion Television. There is a rental RV parked out front with production people lounging around. The nice lady at the corner shop next door says it is a London-based cooking show, they are filming all over town, they were filming in Chinatown earlier today, and they’ve been at Avedano’s for a while. That’s all I know – pretty exciting stuff, eh?

Yes! But then again, perhaps we should be used to this sort of thing by now, with so many food celebrities setting up shop our neighborhood, eh?

PHOTO: Gail Williams

Amsterdam on Mission Street? Proposed Cannabis Club and Coffee Shop Creates Concern

/ Todd_Lappin / 17 Comments

The Bernalwood reader hotline went ring-a-ding-ding over the weekend, and when we picked up the line this message greeted us:

We received a permit application the other day for a new Cannabis club near Mission St. and Precita. (3139 Mission Street to be exact). And to be even more specific, they want to open a “coffee shop/cannabis dispensary.” It will be directly across the street from Roccapulco, Nap’s and El Rio.

I want to know if other Bernal folks are aware, and if they’re not, I was wondering if you could help spread the word.

I’m sure there will be supporters for the club and the anti-supporters. Either way, I think neighbors should know.

It’s slightly disturbing to hear that they want to couple a cannabis shop with a coffee-shop (Does that mean teens can go in? Does that mean they can have extended hours?). Do we really need another cannabis club? There’s already a cannabis club three streets away (at 29th and Mission).

Really?! A proposal to create a combination cannabis club and coffee shop?! Is Bernal Heights having its Amsterdam Moment??!! Bernalwood dispatched our satellite truck to 3139 Mission to investigate.

3139 Mission Street

Turns out, 3139 Mission was most recently used as an administrative and billing center for St. Luke’s Hospital, and there is a Planning Department permit application notce affixed to the front gate. Sure enough, the notice says the structure is proposed for use as a medical cannabis dispensary and retail coffee store:

The building itself was built in 1969, and it has one of those unfortunate facades that were common during the period, when architects adapted to Vietnam-era protest movements (and/or the arrival of the Planet of the Apes movie franchise) by creating bunker-like structures with few street-level windows to smash during civil unrest. Which is to say, it’s unlikely that the new cannabis will ever offer a warm, welcoming Socha- or Starbucks-style entrace.

3139 Mission Street

It seems clear that our tipster (who asked to remain anonymous) is not a fan of the proposal. Fair enough. But in reference to the specific questions:

Does that mean teens can go in? Does that mean they can have extended hours?

Almost certainly not. The permitting framework that governs all medical cannabis dispensaries in the City would supersede the retail coffee part of the business, and those permitting regulations explicitly prohibit persons under 18 years of age from entering a dispensary, prohibit the sale of alcoholic beverages, and require cannabis dispensaries to close by 10 pm nightly. Likewise, the City Planning Department’s Letter of Determination established that, per code, the proposed facility at 3139 Mission is not within 1000 feet of any primary or secondary schools.

That means there’s no need to press the usual NIMBY hot-buttons of protecting the children and safeguarding the night — regardless of whether or not you think the neighborhood needs another dispensary.

Inevitably, however, the cannabis dispensary/coffee shop will impact local businesses. For example, the proposed facility is just a few doors down from Baby Blues BBQ, which happens to be delicious. It is reasonable to assume that Baby Blues BBQ would profit handsomely from the arrival of the dispensary/coffee shop, as a steady stream of munchie-afflicted patrons from the latter will drift down the street to satiate their cravings for hearty grilled meats.

Indeed, the combination of cannabis, coffee, and BBQ could turn this stretch of Mission Street into a Vortex of Vice, not least because the storefront that today houses Baby Blues BBQ was once home to Disernia’s Pharmacy — and to this day the building retains much of its original drug store signage.

Which brings us to the biggest bombshell of all…

If you stand right in front of the proposed dispensary location at 3139 Mission and look up at the signage left over from the pharmacy days, two of the signs align *perfectly* to conflate DRUGS and LIQUOR in a subliminal acrostic that could play havoc on the weed-addled minds of future dispensary patrons. See for yourself:

3139 Mission Street

Subtle? Yes. Clever? Extremely. Diabolical? Very!

Bernalwood will keep you posted on this cannabis/coffee proposal as it develops.

PHOTOS: Top, illustration via Hocus Locus. All other photos by Telstar Logistics.

The Classic Wallpaper at Cancilla’s Market

/ Todd_Lappin / 3 Comments

 As Bernalwood has noted previously, good things are happening at Cancilla’s Market at the corner of Folsom and Precita Park on the north side. The store now sells good cheese, good bread, and even good sake, and there’s even talk that the name will soon change from Cancilla’s Market to Harvest Hills. (Meh.)

Yet amid the store’s dramatic transformation from standard-issue frumpy  to gourmet-handy, there is one thing that thankfully has not changed: The campy vintage wallpaper that shows illustrated scenes of San Francisco. Classic awesomeness:

Cancilla's MarketPHOTOS: Telstar Logistics

Yum! Celebrate the One Year Anniversary of 331 Cortland

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

331 Cortland
True confession: It took me a while to clue in to what’s going on at the 331 Cortland food market. It’s basically six gourmet kiosks congregated under one roof, but there’s more to the concept than just fancy food; 331 Cortland also acts as a kind of incubator for budding food entrepreneurs who want to get a start in the business with lower risk and relatively lower cost. They build their businesses, and we get to taste the R&D. Very cool.

331 Cortland is marking its First Anniversary this week, and you can join the celebration during an open house party on Friday evening, April 22, from 6 to 9 pm. There will also be a series of classes and presentations on Saturday the 23rd, beginning at 12 noon. Check out the complete schedule.

Meanwhile, Tablehopper brings a tasty status report on the 331 Cortland Class of 2011:

The one-year mark comes with some changes too as both El Porteño Empanadas and ICHI Sushi are ready to move on from the small business incubator site. El Porteño will focus on expanding their market presence at the Ferry Building and in Whole Foods Markets, while ICHI is busy with their new sushi bar.

Within the space, Paulie’s Pickling and Bernal Cutlery will be expanding their kiosks. Bernal Cutlery plans to offer a larger inventory of knives, and Paulie’s Pickling will increase their sandwich offerings (they’ve already grown from 4 to 12 sandwiches, including “Bernalogna” and beef brisket) and will add new items, like cookies from Debbie Does Dinner and rugelach from Black Jet Bakery. By the way, you can also nab Paulie’s pickles at Whole Foods Market on Haight, Home Restaurant, Smoke BBQ, Lilah Belle’s, The Liberty Café, and a couple local bars (The Dogpatch Saloon, Marlena’s, Stray Bar, and Wild Side West).

PHOTO: Telstar Logistics

Good News for Sushi Lovers in Bernal Heights

/ Todd_Lappin / 2 Comments

Blue Saba

7×7 Magazine has answered a question I’ve been wondering about: In light of the crisis at Japan’s Fukushima nuclear plant, should we be concerned about where our sushi comes from?

Happily, if you get your sushi at Ichi Sushi on Mission, you probably don’t need to worry:

When the Fukushima nuclear crisis — now ranked at level 7 —  banned certain Japanese exports, we all wondered what effect the disaster would have on something San Franciscans love to eat: sushi. Henry Icinose of San Francisco’s ABS Seafood Inc., the fish supplier to ICHI Sushi in Bernal Heights, tells 7×7 that most of the fish his company purchases comes from the Fukuoka area of Japan, far south of Fukushima, below Tokyo and Sendai. “To put it into perspective,” he tells us, “the distance from Sendai to Fukuoka is roughly the equivalent of Seattle to San Francisco.” Ichinose also says that the radiation levels in fish are checked every 6 hours in Japan, and that the FDA is closely monitoring imports from Japan, including seafood from areas other than of the Fukushima, Ibaraki, Tochigi and Gunma prefectures.

PHOTO: Tsukiji Fish Market in Tokyo, by Telstar Logistics