Supervisor Eric Mar has set up a public meeting for this Friday to discuss the request filed by the Jack in the Box at Geary and 11th Avenue to get an after-hours operation permit. If approved, the permit would allow them to remain open from 2am until 6am every night, returning them to 24 hour operations.

Some residents are opposed to Jack in the Box remaining open 24 hours after a tragic hit-n-run accident occurred nearby on Thanksgiving morning. The fight leading up to the incident initially started in the Jack in the Box. Residents that live nearby complain the restaurant attracts the wrong crowd after the bars close at 2am, resulting in noise issues and a higher-than-normal volume of police calls.

One group has organized a petition and gathered over 1,000 signatures in opposition to Jack in the Box receiving their after-hours permit. After delaying the decision earlier this month, the Entertainment Commission is set to decide on the permit request at their January 24 meeting.

Still other residents want the Jack in the Box to get their permit back because it is one of the few 24 hour restaurants in the neighborhood.

Supervisor Eric Mar spoke at the January 10 Entertainment Commission meeting when the issue was first discussed. You can read his full statement here, which recommends “the increase of security guards to 7 days a week from 10pm-4am” and “adding a second guard for Friday and Saturdays to better patrol the parking lot and perimeter on evenings when more bar and late activity occurs”, along with other security improvements.

Jennifer Cunanan, a spokesperson for Jack in the Box, left a comment on one of our recent posts about the permit issue:

We recognize that late night nuisances are a problem in the neighborhood — largely due to drunk patrons from the nearby bars. It is a neighborhood problem, not just a Jack in the Box problem, and together with the nearby bars, restaurants, and businesses in the area we should cooperatively work together with Richmond District SFPD to improve safety and quietness in the late night/early morning hours. In general, San Francisco is a 24 hour city with not that many 24 hour eateries. As some customers came forward during the Hearing, they were happy to have a choice and an option of getting a fast hot meal during the odd hours of 2AM to 6AM, and never had a problem.

Friday’s public meeting will be held at the Richmond District Police Station in the Community Room beginning at 2pm. We have not received confirmation yet on whether representatives from Jack in the Box will be there, but we think it’s very likely.

Sarah B.

At this Wednesday’s general membership meeting of the Planning Association for the Richmond (PAR), Safeway will give an update on the plans for the remodel of their Ocean Beach / La Playa location (project website).

The video above is from February 2011, and gives a conceptual rendering of the remodeled store and underground parking deck. The square block on which the Safeway sits will also feature housing on the northeast portion.

No word yet on when the store remodel will take place. Once construction is started, the project is expected to take 10 months. The store will remain open during the project.

The PAR meeting this Wednesday begins at 7pm at the Richmond Recreation Center, 251 18th Avenue. PAR meetings are open to the public, even if you are not a member.

Sarah B.

Back in November 2011, Yet Wah (2140 Clement) ceased operations and only a small “Sorry, we are closed” sign appeared on their door. At the time, we tried the phone number on their awning and got a disconnected message.

But something is afoot. The “Sorry we are closed” sign was recently appended with a handwritten “REMODEL” underneath it.

From a quick glance through the doors, it appears that the carpet has been changed to tile in the main dining room. But aside from that, hard to tell what else is going on; the shades along Clement are still drawn. A search of the Dept. of Building Inspection database indicates that no permits have been filed against their address.

Their phone number is still disconnected and the former Yet Wah website is now an empty page.

No word yet on when they’ll re-open and if there has been any change in ownership.

UPDATE 1/17/2012: Cub reporter David H. says a For Sale sign has been posted in the window. Looks like they won’t be re-opening until they find a new owner.

Sarah B.

Photo by David H.

Just after Christmas, the Bazaar Cafe on California near 22nd Avenue sent an email to its patrons and supporters, letting them know they were in danger of closing due to tough financial conditions. They asked for help via donations to raise the needed $7,000.

That seemed like a tall order given the state of our economy and it being the tail end of the holiday season. But not only did they receive what they needed, they exceeded their goal quite handily, raising nearly $20,000 from just 212 donors.

KGO 810AM recently stopped by the cafe to talk to some of the patrons, as well as owners Les and Makiko about their “It’s a Wonderful Life”-esque miracle. Listen below (2:17):

Audio clip: Adobe Flash Player (version 9 or above) is required to play this audio clip. Download the latest version here. You also need to have JavaScript enabled in your browser.

Thanks to RichmondSFBlog reader Robin – who is interviewed in the piece – for the tip.

Sarah B.

On Tuesday evening, the City’s Entertainment Commission met. On their agenda was to decide whether or not the Jack in the Box on Geary at 11th Avenue should get their after-hours permit approved, which would enable them to once again stay open from 2am until 6am every night.

During the meeting, the Commission voted instead to delay action on Jack In The Box’s application until their meeting on January 24 (6:30pm at City Hall). The reason given was to allow time for Supervisor Eric Mar to convene a neighborhood meeting that includes residents and the owners of the Jack in the Box restaurant.

Prior to the meeting, a petition was circulated that opposes Jack in the Box’s request to stay open after hours.

The petition has received 714 digital signatures so far. In the CBS news video above, organizer David Lee claims that he has gathered over 1,500 signatures from residents opposed to the Jack in the Box returning to 24 hour operations.

Jack in the Box’s status in the neighborhood came into question after a tragic incident. In the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, a fight inside the Jack in the Box later led to a brutal hit and run accident on the corner of 9th and Geary.

The victim, 29 year old Albert Bartal, remains hospitalized with serious brain trauma. Bartal’s family started a Facebook page and a website to raise funds for his recovery. According to a post from his mother, Albert remains in a coma.

Police eventually arrested Eduardo Shaparo Esquivel, a 22-year old South San Francisco man who was identified from security footage from inside the Jack in the Box during the initial fight.

Since the incident, it was revealed that the Jack in the Box was staying open 24 hours a day, despite not having the required city permits to do so. As a result, they were forced to cut their hours and close at 2am every night.

The Entertainment Commission will address the issue again on their January 24 agenda. In the meantime, expect a neighborhood meeting to be scheduled by Supervisor Mar.

On a humorous note, the Examiner pointed out today that while testifying at the Commission meeting, Supervisor Mar admitted a penchant for Jack in the Box’s tacos.

“I eat late night tacos at Jack in the Box,” he said. “I just admitted I eat fast food.” It’s a tad ironic given his McDonald’s Happy Meal legislation that went into effect last month (which even earned him an interview on the Daily Show).

Sarah B.

Just after Christmas, the Bazaar Cafe on California near 22nd Avenue sent an email to its patrons and supporters, letting them know they were in danger of closing due to tough financial conditions. They asked for help via donations to raise the needed $7,000.

That seemed like a tall order given the state of our economy and it being the tail end of the holiday season. But not only did they receive what they needed, they exceeded their goal quite handily, raising nearly $20,000 from just 212 donors.

“As I begin to write I find that I am struggling to find words to adequately express our appreciation to all of you. The words “thank you” seem small in measure for what you have done for us, but let’s start with that… THANK YOU,” the cafe wrote on their website.

When we published the story last weekend, many were skeptical, commenting that if the cafe couldn’t stay afloat on their own, shouldn’t they just go out of business? It’s a fair point, but clearly the Bazaar Cafe has enough fans and neighbors that want to see it succeed. Or perhaps those neighbors just don’t want to see another empty storefront in the neighborhood, and appreciate a small cafe that offers a cozy place for a cup of coffee and live music.

“It’s incredible that this little cafe has touched so many lives and got so much in return. As a longtime regular (first place I played music, and I met my husband/got married in their garden!) – I am in awe,” wrote RichmondSFBlog reader Robin when she sent us the news.

Owners Les and Makiko say they will use the extra money raised to make needed improvements to the cafe, including repaired and improved lighting for the garden and improved signage to start. They’ll also tuck some away in case there’s another rainy day.

The cafe also has plans to ensure a brighter financial future for the cafe, including holding several benefit concerts in the coming year. They’ve also established a tax-exempt nonprofit foundation – Bazaar Foundation for the Arts, Inc. – to help fund “concerts at schools, libraries and other nonprofit and for profit spaces by paying, thus supporting, local songwriters and other musicians.”

While there may not be a Santa Claus, it looks like our community was ready to fill his shoes for the cafe this season. Well done, Richmond District.

Sarah B.

Some Richmond District residents are signing an online petition to prevent the Geary Street Jack in the Box from reclaiming their after hours permit.

The fast food restaurant, located on the corner of Geary and 11th Avenue, has been a longtime sore spot for local residents and police. Until recently, the restaurant was open 24 hours a day and was a magnet for rowdy patrons leaving nearby bars at 2am.

In the early hours of Thanksgiving morning, a fight inside the Jack in the Box later led to a brutal hit and run accident on the corner of 9th and Geary. The victim, 29 year old Albert Bartal, remains hospitalized in serious condition. Police eventually arrested Eduardo Shaparo Esquivel, a 22-year old South San Francisco man who was identified from security footage from inside the Jack in the Box during the initial fight.

Since the incident, it was revealed that the Jack in the Box was staying open 24 hours a day, despite not having the required city permits to do so. As a result, they were forced to cut their hours and close at 2am every night.

But the restaurant is returning to the Entertainment Commission on January 10 to ask that their after hours permit be reinstated. A new permit would enable them to stay open between 2am and 6am every night.

That prompted action from David Lee, president of the Richmond District Police Advisory Board, who began circulating a petition late last week, asking that the Commission deny the restaurant’s permit. His goal is to obtain 1,000 signatures in time for the hearing.

As neighbors, we believe that the neighborhood would be much better off if Jack in the Box closed between the hours of 2am and 4am. Moreover, the repeated police calls at Jack in the Box drain precious police resources from the rest of the neighborhood in the late hours when they are most needed.

Earlier this year, the manager at the Jack in the Box worked with the Richmond Police Advisory Board to make security improvements to the property, including improved lighting, adding security guards on Thursday through Saturday nights, and trimming overgrown landscaping.

Nevertheless, the location remains a source of distress to nearby residents and police who respond to regular incident calls from the restaurant.

The Jack in the Box after-hours permit application will be on the agenda at the January 10, 2012 meeting of the Entertainment Commission, which takes place at 6:30pm in room 400 at City Hall. The online petition urging the Commission to deny the permit can be found here.

Sarah B.

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.