The Bazaar Cafe at 5927 California near 22nd Avenue, best known for their live music, “How To” classes, and charming garden, has hit hard financial times.

Owners Les and Makiko recently posted a letter on their website, explaining that they owe $7,000 for bills that are quickly coming due:

We have a serious shortage of funds and are unable to pay several major obligations that are due just after the first of the year. Specifically, sales taxes to the State (past due), Workers Comp insurance (due January 2nd), café rent (due January 1st) and the usual utilities, city business licenses and fees right around the corner in January.

They are asking the community to give whatever they can before January 2nd to help them raise the funds to keep the cafe open:

Please, if you can, make a contribution in an amount that is comfortable for you. If, on the other hand, you cannot afford to help, that’s OK. Please, please don’t put yourself in a bind on our behalf… we still appreciate your past support and hope you’ll come by the café as often as you can.

To help them out, click the “Donate” button at the top of this page on their website to send funds via PayPal. If you don’t have a PayPal account, you can also mail or drop a check off at the cafe at 5927 California Street.

The Bazaar Cafe is one of only a few places where you can hear live music in the Richmond District. They regularly feature an eclectic lineup of independent artists, some of them local to the neighborhood. In the past year or so, they also added additional programming like free “How To” nights where patrons could learn everything from how to build a bike from scratch to how to write a perfect love letter.

Thanks to all the RichmondSFBlog readers that sent in this news. I hope the cafe is able able to stay afloat and I will be personally making a donation to help out. Good luck Les and Makiko, I hope we can continue to have you in the neighborhood.

Sarah B.

UPDATE: According to their Facebook page, the cafe was able to raise the needed funds:
Great news folks….we’ve surpassed our goal of $7,000! Thanks, thanks to all of you for your generosity and moral support. I’ll be contacting donors individually soon, as well as providing a complete update online. We’re a bit overwhelmed just now and grateful beyond what we can express.

The end of the year is near and it’s always fun to look back at what attracted readers here on the blog:

2011: Most Read Stories

1. KGO interviews ADA litigator; Pot de Pho is latest casualty among dozens being sued as
recently as this week. Where is Eric Mar?
2. Video: Funnel cloud touches down at Ocean Beach this morning
3. Wreckage from an 1878 clipper ship peeks through on Ocean Beach
4. Hacked! Digital road sign warns of zombies plundering San Francisco
5. Newsom shows off his skateboarding skills at Rochambeau Playground
6. Neighbors’ guide to the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park
7. Coyote sighting and casualty this morning on Park Presidio Boulevard
8. The odyssey of the original Beach Chalet
9. A closer look at the new Presidio Landmark apartments
10. Crowds line up for Fresh & Easy Neighborhood Market grand opening

Keep in mind that the most read stories are also influenced by what other media outlets pick up on as well as search engines. My favorite thing about the list – most of those stories were generated by readers sending in tips.

2011: Most Commented Stories

1. Neighbors’ guide to the Outside Lands Festival in Golden Gate Park (210 comments)
2. Looks like PETCO will be shut out of 5411 Geary. How do you feel about it? (77 comments)
3. KGO interviews ADA litigator; Pot de Pho is latest casualty among dozens being sued as
recently as this week. Where is Eric Mar? (58 comments)
4. Supervisor Mar considering increased chain store restrictions (57 comments)
5. Round 2 in the PETCO battle: Supervisor Mar says stay out of our ‘hood (50 comments)
6. Speedway Meadow name change approved. Now it’s “Hellman Hollow” (45 comments)
7. Dry ice dumped in GGP’s Lloyd Lake. Result of Hardly Strictly festival cleanup? (37 comments)
8. Barks & bites: Petco still battling to open Unleashed store at 5411 Geary (36 comments)
9. Did Yet Wah at Clement & 22nd Avenue close for good? (36 comments)
10. Richmond residents declining Smart Meter installations from PG&E contractors (31 comments)

Clearly our readers have a lot to say about the issues that our local businesses face, and the events that take place in Golden Gate Park.

What will 2012 bring? Hopefully a lot more interesting stories, giving us plenty to talk about! Thanks to everyone for your readership and participation.

Sarah B.

One of our most unique neighborhood businesses has embarked on a similarly unique journey to finance a new store in New York City – they’re asking their customers and supporters to fund it.

We got an email last week from the four ladies of Paul’s Hat Works, who operate a 100+ year old hat shop on Geary that is working to “bring the hat back” into fashion. They’ve been the subject of documentaries, feature some of the most interesting store windows in the neighborhood, and have been known to pop up on local TV every now and then.

In 2011, the shop expanded their business slightly by opening up a mini-store in The Hound (140 Sutter) in downtown San Francisco. Every Tuesday, one of the ladies that runs Paul’s Hat Works is stationed there to support the hat section of the shop.

But expanding to downtown San Francisco just isn’t enough. If you really want to “bring back the hat”, then expanding to the fashion capital of NYC is a must.

To make that happen, the team at Paul’s has embarked on a $25,000 fundraising effort, asking their friends, customers and supporters to help them reach their goal. They’ve got a special website up to take donations and track their progress. So far 11 donors have pitched in $720.

Donors do get something for their generosity. Depending on how much you donate, you could walk away with a mug, a t-shirt, a new handmade hat, a champagne tour of their Geary Street business, and if you’re a big spender, a night on the town with the four ladies of Paul’s.

When we first got the news of their endeavor, we were a little unsure of the soundness of the tactic of a for-profit business trying to raise funds for their own expansion. It’s definitely something you don’t see very often.

“Yes, it is very unorthodox, but that seems to be our middle name for some reason,” said Olivia, one of the owner’s of Paul’s Hat Works. “The reason we have to do it this way is because it would be probably 5-7 years before we could afford to think of doing it ourselves and we really need a big boost in order to keep up the energy to continue here.”

So, if you also believe it’s time for the hat to come back into style and you want to help a neighborhood business spread its wings, head over to the Paul’s Hat Works NY fundraising page to donate.

Sarah B.

Abbie Dwelle (left), Wendy Hawkins and Olivia Griffin of Paul’s Hat Works. Photo: Stephen Lam / The Chronicle

Beginning very early in the morning on Wednesday, December 28 from 12:30am until 4am, the ramp from southbound Highway 101/Doyle Drive to southbound Highway 1/Park Presidio Boulevard will be closed. View the full advisory

The closure time will be used to work on the alignment of the off-ramp and install crash cushions.

This means if you’re returning from Marin, you’ll need to exit immediately after the toll booth and wind your way through the Presidio to exit at 25th Avenue, 15th Avenue or Arguello Boulevard to reach the Richmond District.

Sarah B.

On Thursday, Santa made a special visit to the Philippines Coral Reef at the Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park. Watch the video to see a bit of his underwater interview and to see how popular he is with the fish.

Merry Christmas everyone!

Sarah B.

An aerial view in 1938 over Sutro Baths and the Cliff House

Via their twitter, the SF Public Library turned us onto a fascinating map that gives you a bird’s eye – or what we’d now call satellite – view of San Francisco in August, 1938. It’s great fun to zoom in and out, exploring the city.

The map is a composite image of a set of 164 high quality, large format, black and white vertical aerial photographs that partially overlap. The photos were taken by Harrison Ryker in 1938, who according to the map’s biography, “teamed with various pilots beginning aerial photography services out of the Oakland Airport and throughout the West.”

In the Richmond District, you get a nice overhead view of the monstrous Sutro Baths complex (as seen above), as well as blacked out portions of federal land in the northwest corner.

It wasn’t until 1940 that we had a Park Presidio extension onto the Golden Gate Bridge and Doyle Drive, so you’ll see the boulevard wind its way into the Presidio instead.

We also noticed what is now the campus for Katherine Delmar Burke School at the end of California adjacent to Lincoln Park was then a complex of sports courts (one of those tennis courts still exists).

In the neighboring Sunset District, the most interesting part is what’s not there. Blocks and blocks of sand dunes still existed in the heart of the outer Sunset in 1938.

This is a really fun map to explore. If you find other interesting tidbits in the neighborhood, let us know in the comments. Enjoy!

Sarah B.

The Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park just tweeted out the photo above to announce that Santa will be diving into their giant coral reef tank tomorrow, Dec. 22, at 11:30am and 2:30pm for a special visit.

I imagine all the fish have Christmas wishes too…

Sarah B.

[Reprinted from The Richmond Police Station Newsletter of December 21, 2011. To be added to the station's mailing list, email sfpd.richmond.station@sfgov.org.]

CAPTAIN KEITH SANFORD’S MESSAGE
As this is our last newsletter of 2011, I would like to wish you all a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. We here at Richmond Police Station are fortunate to work in a neighborhood with so many caring and concerned citizens and community groups. We want to continue to work together to keep our district safe and make sure that 2012 proves to be the best yet!

I would also like to thank those of you who were so generous in donating toys to our station’s Toy Drive for SFPD Operation Dream. One of our offices here is chock full of toys and your thoughtfulness will make many children happy.

NOTEWORTHY ARRESTS
On 12/15 at 1:55am officers were called to the area of 3rd and Geary on a report of males “tagging” the side of a PG&E truck. Officers were flagged down by the caller who pointed out a male and told the officers that he was one of the suspects. Officers detained the male who said, “Is this about the truck? Sorry about that.” The caller stated that his truck was parked on the 300 block of Clement St, and when he was walking to it he saw the suspect and one other male, writing on the side of his truck. As he walked up to them they took off running. The 29 year old male was charged with vandalism.

On 12/19 at 11pm, officers were called to 33rd and Geary on a report of a robbery that had just occurred. The victim had been on a 38 Geary MUNI and as the bus came to a stop at 33rd Ave, one of the suspects ripped her iPhone from her hand and fled out the door with the second suspect. The victim screamed and then ran after them. A witness called 911 and provided a description and direction of the suspects. Numerous officers responded to the area and the suspects were located on the 400 block of 25th Ave. The suspect tried to conceal the phone in a planter box nearby but the officers observed this action and recovered the phone. The two suspects, both 15 years of age, were charged with robbery and possession of stolen property.

NOTEWORTHY INCIDENTS
On 12/14 between 11:30am and 4pm on the unit block of Jordan, a suspect entered a residence by prying open a rear door. The suspect took jewelry and cash.

On 12/14 at 12:40pm, the victim went into a restaurant on the 1600 block of Divisadero. He placed two bags on the floor near him and placed an order. When he turned around the bags, containing a laptop and ipad were gone.

Between 12/14, 3:30pm and 12/15, 4pm on the 700 block of Spruce St , a suspect gained entry into a garage and took tools. There were no signs of forced entry.

On 12/14 at 10pm, on the 2900 block of Lake St , the victims were in the upper level of their residence when the burglar alarm sounded. One of the residents went downstairs to investigate and found a sliding glass door open. The victim’s exited the home and waited for the police. Officers discovered that the suspect had removed louvered windows from a back door and made entry taking several items. The suspect then fled through the sliding door.

On 12/15 at 7:50pm, the victim was opening the front gate of his home on the 400 block of 26th Ave when the suspect came up from behind him and closed the gate, preventing the victim from leaving. The suspect told the victim to remain calm and quiet and when the victim began to yell for help, the suspect pointed a knife at his face. The suspect asked for money but was then scared away when a relative of the victim pulled up to the driveway. The suspect was described as a male, early 30’s wearing a black hooded sweatshirt and black pants and he fled east on Clement St toward 25th Ave. The victim was uninjured.

On 12/16 between 2:30pm and 5:45pm on the 1500 block of Balboa, a suspect gained entry into a garage and took a bike. The rear of the garage is open and accessible.

On 12/16 at 4:54pm, 3 suspects, all wearing masks entered a jewelry store on the 5500 block of Geary Bl. One of the suspects smashed the display cases and took jewelry while the other two rushed the employees who began to fight with the suspects. One of the victims sustained a minor injury and the suspects, two of which were armed, fled south onto 20th Ave. The investigation is on-going.

Between 12/16, 5pm and 12/19, 9am near MLK Drive and Lincoln Way, a suspect removed copper drain pipes from a Rec and Park pump house.

On 12/19, between 9am and 5:30pm on the unit block of 7th Ave, a suspect gained entry into an apartment building and pried open the door to the garage. The suspect took golf clubs.