Starbucks announced earlier this week that it will l close all 23 of its La Boulange bakery-cafes, mostly in San Francisco by September 2015, saying the stores "weren't sustainable for the company's long-term growth" and that it had begun very difficult to operate two different chains at the same time. For many Cole Valley neighbors this is a tearful farewell.

Many still remember, Tassajara Bakery at Cole and Parnassus. The bakery came into Cole Valley in 1976 and sparked a bakery revolution in San Francisco. Interesting fact, Tassajara Bakery was spin off of the delicious breads the Tassajara Zen Center in Carmel made. Neighbors and bread lovers mourned the closing of Tassajara in 1999.

In 2001, a French-born baker, Pascal Rigo, rented the space for his bakery, La Boulange (formerly named Bay Bread). La Boulange, greatly known for their French-inspired decor and menus, and the pink envelopes, was sold to Starbucks in 2012 for $100 million. The deal was seen as a strategic move by Starbucks to gain a bigger presence in the food business, particularly expand their bakery and food products.  

"After more than 40 years, we will be able to say that we are bakers, too," Howard Schultz, CEO at Starbucks, said at the time.

But at what price? Pascal Rigo is now out of a job (is leaving his post as VP at Starbucks) and now Starbucks are bakers. And those tasty treats and French decor will only be a memory.

What do you think of this news? And next question, what will go into the La Boulange storefront come September? We're hoping for another bakery! 



http://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2015/06/17/starbucks-la-boulange/28851063/

http://www.mistersf.com/farewell/index.html?fwtassajara.htm

Tomorrow, Saturday March 8 from 10 AM to noon is your next chance to hear about upcoming proposed service changes to the 6 line.

The meeting will be held by the SFMTA to discuss upcoming citywide changes, including those to our own little hamlet, and will be held at the second floor auditorium at 1 South Van Ness.

The service changes relevant to the Haight (other than changed service frequency) includes re-routing the 6 to bypass majority of Cole Valley and Frederick's Knob as part of the new Transit Effectiveness Project.

Don't want to go to the meeting. Express your comments at tellmuni.com. 

Article originally posted on @uppercasing.

Yup, this is still happening. We wonder what's next.

From the postcard:
"Please join us to learn about the Sunset Tunnel Trackway Improvement Project. By replacing the aging track and other infrastructure inside the Sunset Tunnel, the project will help improve safety and reliability of the N Judah rail service. This meeting will provide an opportunity to review the project elements and address questions and concerns about the construction phase of the project."

American Cyclery, at Frederick and Stanyan, is rolling out plans for a parklet and adjacent green space.

American Cyclery, which makes claims to be the city’s oldest bike shop, is hosting a community meeting next Thursday, November 21 to unveil its plans for a parklet and green space next to the store’s 510 Frederick space. The meeting will be an open house in the store from 6 to 8 PM.

American Cyclery, with the blessings of Supervisor Breed and preliminary approval from the planning department, is planning to turn the odd triangle of pavement in front of the store into a parklet, and converting the adjacent paved parking lot into a green plaza..

The update, according to Bradley Woehl, of American Cyclery, would calm traffic at the intersection (presumably foot and bike). Woehl said the open house is intended to invite neighbors to provide input on the planning process and hear what the project will look like.


Article originally posted on uppercasing.

Want to get involved with CVIA (Cole Valley Improvement Association?), come to their meeting this Saturday!

CVIA is having their annual general meeting this Saturday at Kezar, and they’ll be joined by former San Francisco Mayor Art Agnos. On the agenda? The Warriors on the waterfront.

For anyone not up on Agnos’s politics, he’s anti-Warriors on the waterfront, although he does say he would like them to be in San Francisco. You can read his full response here, before he takes his show on the road.

The general meeting with be at Kezar Bar (Cole & Carl) from 1-4pm on Saturday the 24th, and there’s a $10 door charge. In addition to Agnos’s guest speech, CVIA will be electing new officers, talking Cole Valley Street Fair, and presenting some awards. There will be wine, beer, and appetizers, so Steve Schick & Co. ask for you to let them know if you plan to attend. Email CVIASF[at]aol[dot]com to RSVP.

Be there and get involved. That’s an order!

Article originally posted on uppercasing. 

Every time I pass by the new InVino restaurant, there's always something new going on whether its painting the outside or trying to sneak a peek through the parchment covered windows. Luckily, we got the inside scoop from Tablehopper!! It sure looks a lot different from the old Hama-Ko interior. 

We got some new information thanks to an article on Tablehopper about the new Italian wine bar. Here's what you'll expect from food wise:

"But it’s not just a wine bar, no signore. This enoteca is going to have quite a number of delicioso things to eat, starting with an array of crudi, a variety of toppings on crostone and bruschette, and hello, three different presentations of mozzarella (all these items will be available as single items, or in flights for the ultimate in grazing). There will also be a couple of panini, and a choice selection of cheeses and salumi, plus two or three piatti del giorno, featuring plates like baked pastas and braised meats."

From Tablehopper's article, InVino should be opening around the end of August/beginning of September. Am I sensing a Labor Day weekend opening perhaps? They will be open everyday at 4:30pm except Mondays and look like they will be opening for lunch shortly after they open. 

UPDATE: They recently added signage and a small lamp at the entrance. Got a peek inside one day and saw staff folding napkins and stocking the shelves! Looks like it will be opening very soon!

To read the rest of the article and see some shots of the interior check it out here!

Bacon Bacon will be serving up delicious bacon items in Cole Valley once again! Jim Angelus successfully gained approval from the Planning Commission on yesterday!

The decision will allow the business to reopen, although a new ventilation and filtration system must be installed in a reasonable time frame, since the main reason why they closed was due to neighbors complaining of the bacon smell. 

"I like to put a smile on people's face," Angelus said. "That makes me happy serving people food."

While his Frederick Street location was closed, Angelus opened another location at the Brick and Mortar Music Hall in the Mission district to allow him to continue to cook and prepare food for his mobile operation. At that location, Angelus has also started serving lunch during the week and on weekends during shows. It will remain as the primary prep kitchen for the food truck, so more bacon for the Mission hipsters, woot!

This blog was adapted from the article via the SF Examiner. See the full article here.

As Bacon Bacon closed its' doors last Friday, it seems as though many media outlets have picked up the story, including SNL's Weekend Update. Guest star Amy Poehler mentioned the pork shop but sadly made no mention of Cole Valley.

Bacon Bacon, a beloved mobile food truck throughout the Bay Area, decided to open a pop-up restaurant in Cole Valley early last year. It had great promise with customers flocking to grab an early morning bacon and egg sandwich before their morning commute. But sadly, Bacon Bacon was forced to close its' doors on May 17th after its neighbors' complained about the overwhelming bacon aroma exuding from the restaurant. The complaints revealed some permit issues which also led to the restaurant having to shut down operations. A public hearing is scheduled to take place later this summer in order for Bacon Bacon to continue operations. But don't fear all your bacon fans! Bacon Bacon has re-opened its' mobile food truck and will continue to bring bacon to the streets of the Bay Area! 

Also, Bacon Bacon has since teamed up with Brick & Mortar Music Hall and will begin serving lunch Monday through Friday 11am-2:30pm beginning June 24th. And 'once they find their groove' they will be opening up at 7:30am to offer coffee and breakfast. Check out their Brick & Mortar location here: http://www.baconbaconsf.com/the-cafe 

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