For a few months now, we have had several vacant storefronts in Cole Valley,  so what's happening to these storefronts?

Doug's Suds
From what we have gathered, Tantrum, the vintage children's toy store, is looking to expand into Doug's Suds. The owners of Tantrum have been been in talks with the landlords of Doug's Suds but nothing has been finalized yet. Apparently there is a lot of work that needs to be done to the storefront until anyone can occupy in. 

Cole Garage
Well we know that Alt School will not be coming into Cole Valley anytime soon since they are no longer pursuing the space. Perhaps there is just too much too repair and renovate, it was a car garage after all. We did stumble upon a craigslist ad for the commercial space which said it is currently being renovate and looking for a new tenant, which could include. "retail sales and services, schools or other institutions, personal service businesses including exercise studios." Please no more exercise places. Retail or a service tenant could be interesting but that's a huge space, with almost 10,000 sq-ft.

La Boulange
As many neighbors know, Starbucks is closing all La Boulange stores by end of September. Some have already closed in the City but rumor has it our neighborhood La Boulange might be hear to stay. Supposedly, founder Pascal Rigo is in talks with Starbucks to buy back six San Francisco locations, including the Cole Valley location (which is set to close Sept 18). Rigo told Hoodline that it is too early to tell exactly what is going on but he is definitely in conversations. Rumor also has it that if Rigo does buy back some of the locations, Starbucks will remove all kitchen equipment and will take the "La Boulange" brand with them too. This means that Rigo would have to buy all new equipment and create a new brand for his bakery. Neighbors are excited with the idea that a bakery could stay in the hood. 

Son Loy Laundry
The former laundry space will soon become Midline Fitness Studio's new exercise space called Lavation Fitness Studio. The studio will focus on circuit training and indoor cycling.There is no opening date as of yet but the Midline owners are hoping for sometime in September.

Content for this article was taken with permission from SFEater and Hoodline.

So remember when there were all those awful jackhammers and disruption on Carl Street a year or so ago? Well, they are at it again. Luckily, we don't think the jackhammers will be joining them this time. Some of you might have received a leaflet in your mail outlining the upcoming "updates". Here's the deal:

Starting Monday, July 28th through August 22nd, the SFMTA's contractor will begin work on traffic signal infrastructure work for the Carl and Cole intersection. (See clarification from SFMTA rep below) What we do know is that the main work will involve cutting a trench along the sidewalk on the north side of Carl Street (between Cole and Stanyan). Whoops, guess that does mean jackhammers. 

What to expect:

• Work hours will be from 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday
• Work will start at Carl and Cole streets and proceed west 
• The streets will remain open (ultimately walking on Carl will be a disaster, not to mention those of us who will live above these said sidewalks. Lovely).
• Access to local businesses and residence will be maintained (again, no sidewalks)
• Muni service will not be affected (well, guess that's a good thing)
• Street parking will be unavailable where work is taking place (more parking spaces bite the dust)
• There will be some noise during excavation of concrete sidewalk (you mean jackhammers right?)

Other locations that will get the traffic signal "upgrade":

• Irving Street, from 3rd Avenue to 9th Avenue - August 25th to September 19th
• 9th Avenue, from Irving to Judah Street - September 22nd to October 3rd
• Judah Street, from 16th Avenue to 19th Avenue - October 6th to October 31st
• Judah Street, from 35th Avenue to Sunset Blvd - November 3rd to November 28th

This will be fun folks. 

UPDATE: 
We got in touch with SFMTA Project Manager, Tess Kavanagh, who was able to clarify what they mean by "traffic signal upgrades".

"To clarify, we are not installing any new traffic signals as part of the Sunset Tunnel project. We are upgrading the existing traffic signal system in order to improve travel times for the N-Line. The traffic signal upgrades include the installation of new signal wire loops within the roadway that will communicate with the existing signal lights, turning them red or green as needed to give the LRV’s priority through the intersection.For example, the work at Carl & Cole involves the installation of a signal loop that is serving the signal that exists at  Carl & Stanyan, two blocks away."

Peet's Coffee is officially open for business in Cole Valley! Neighbors who got there at the crack of dawn yesterday, aka 5:30am, received a free Peet's tumbler as a thanks for being the first customers. Excited for all this caffeine! Come by this Saturday 11-3pm to celebrate their Grand Opening - first 100 customers get a free gift! Welcome to the neighborhood!

If you’ve had the chance to wander into Tantrum since its opening last summer, you have already experienced the peculiar feeling that you’ve been transported to a place that, at one time or another, we’ve all wanted to be. Not because the toys are unique and amazing (they are), and not because everything feels perfect and unaltered by the years. Not even because three year old Thisbe took quarters from the register and offered your kid a free ride on the mechanical seal. Its because they care, and it shows.

Because Amanda Weld and Michelle Spear dreamed up this little world near the corner of Carl & Cole where both parents and kids could enjoy themselves, take a trip back in time, or just live in the moment. Indeed I am the sentimental type, but guess what? So are you. And the beautiful toys and the vintage Beatles memorabilia cards that sit side by side remind you that we’re all kids. We all want to play, and live in the moment and remember, and be young again.

So let’s talk about where it began. Every business begins with a vision, real people, and a story. Here’s the story. Involved in performance art at the start, Amanda recalls her first creative endeavor:

“When I was five or six, I had a sleep over with two or three other girls and I made everyone stay up helping me write a puppet play. The idea was that we could surprise everyone's parents with it when they got picked up in the morning. Needless to say, it was not as well performed or received as I had imagined it would be.”

The same combination of creative talent and critical focus on quality shines through today. Tantrum is not her first business venture. She recounts her previous shop, Poe Studio, a children's clothing and gift store in Charleston, South Carolina:

I was 25 and newly married. (We marry young down south.) I had been managing a print shop that sold cheap prints to tourists and framed them in badly made frames. I quit that to make a living as an illustrator and after graduating (as a Design-illustration major at the Savannah College of Art), Poe Studio was really supposed to be my studio with some kick-knacks up front (if anyone bothered to wander in). I was painting portraits, mostly, and then I heard about such a thing as a "gift show" and with credit card in hand-went to the NY international Gift Show. I hated to shop but had a blast shopping for others! Before I knew it the 300 ft space was filled and the illustration business (or lack thereof) was buried for another day.

The move to San Francisco came a few years later. During a west coast tour of her husband Richard’s  band, A Decent Animal, she decided a more permanent relocation was in order and in 2007, Amanda sold Poe Studio to one of her long-time employees and moved to SF, into a two bedroom apartment above Vierra & Friends Salon.

Fast forward a bit and Amanda, now a five year Cole Valley resident with her husband Richard, 8 year old son Henry and 3.9 year old daughter Thisbe, was still known for throwing amazing vintage-themed birthday parties for her son. Between fond memories of her days at Poe Studio, and hearing friend after friend encourage her to open up a new shop, she eventually decided they were right, and began talking with others about the idea.

And then fate, (as fate does) challenged her resolve by giving her exactly what she needed  only a few months later. Occasions, the bath & body boutique literally around the corner from home, was closing up shop, leaving the perfect space. “It was a chicken before egg scenario. My husband spotted the "Going Out of Business" sign in their window before I had seriously considered opening another store. Then it was like...’Yeah right! Like it could ever happen to open something so close-so quickly!’ ”

As the momentum continued forward, one of the friends she had consulted was Michelle Spear: “Amanda reached out to discuss her opportunity and get my opinion on things. The more I heard, the more I got excited and inspired. From there, it just snowballed into this awesome creative [process] back and forth. We set up a room in my house, covered it with all of our thoughts and ideas and fully concepted the store’s vision. Amanda had an awesome core idea and together we added more and more into it to make Tantrum what it is today. (Miraculous that we did all of that in 2 months! It makes me smile thinking about it.)”

That's right folks, Peet's Coffee will be officially opening this Wednesday! We've definitely been waiting a while, since Tully's closed its door last fall. It looks like there will be some patio tables as well as a few tables inside, including the bench seat next to the window. In typical Peet's fashion, they have an array of coffee and teas, including the new craze: Matcha Lattes. Matcha is basically green tea, so be prepared to receive a green creamy drink from the barista. We're hoping that there will be free wi-fi because as of yet there is no free wifi at any of the coffee shops in the hood (Does La Boulange have it yet?).. 

To all those who wake up when the sun does, you'll be pleased to note that Peet's will be open at 5:30am M-F and 6am Saturday and Sunday. They will close at 8pm daily, which is great considering Tully's always closed so damn early. 

We're excited to welcome Peet's into our hood and happy to have them caffeinate the neighbors!

The Ice Cream Bar and Soda Fountain in Cole Valley has proposed a parklet!! What are your thoughts? Do you think it's a great idea, considering that The Ice Cream Bar has limited indoor seating and it would help create more business for them? Or do you think that Cole Valley is already tight on parking spaces that taking another 2 parking spaces (remember when SFMTA took a bunch on Carl Street due to N Judah Rail Replacement/Improvement Project??), that CV neighbors desperately need. 

On Nextdoor, Ted Loewenberg from the Haight Ashbury Improvement Association invites you to write to DPW with your thoughts. He also invites you to CC him at tedlsf[at]sbcglobal[dot]net so he can provide feedback to the ICB.

Source: Uppercasing

A UCSF employee was robbed at run point last Friday (April 5th) around 5pm at Cole Street and Carmel Street. The victim was approached from behind and was ordered to hand over her belongings, including a backpack and iPhone, putting a black handgun to her side. The suspect was described as being 25-30 years old male who ran to a new model Ford. 

Do you have any information on the robbery? Call SFPD or send tips via text message 415-575-4444.

As a neighborhood that prides itself on safety and being family-friendly, we at ColeValleySF are disturbed and hope that this is a one time incident. But regardless, those walking around be aware of your surroundings even in our hood., especially when you are checking your phone. 

For more information about the robbery:
http://sfappeal.com/2013/04/cole-valley-mugger-to-victim-you-have-10-seconds-before-i-shoot/

Check UCSF's blog post on personal safety tips:
http://www.ucsf.edu/news/2013/04/104926/armed-robbery-near-parnassus-bay-campus