The Excelsior: Resisting change or ready for a new business model?

"While the rest of San Francisco has transformed at a breakneck pace, one neighborhood has maintained a sense of pride in resisting change. In the Excelsior, six of the shops on the city's main commercial drag are legacy businesses that have been there for more than 60 years. Some of the spaces, like Royal Baking Co., are celebrating their 100-year anniversary this year. Most others have at least a couple decades under their belts."

"And though change is coming, many of the new gourmet coffee shops, yoga studios and wine bars have been started by Excelsior residents in buildings owned by Excelsior residents. Excelsior Coffee, Love and Light Yoga, and the new wine bar Talawine have all debuted in the last six years and were founded by people who have either grown up in the neighborhood or currently live there."

"It is the "multicultural cultural district," said District 11 Supervisor Chyanne Chen: Waves of immigrants from different cultures have settled into loftily named Vienna, Persia and Dublin streets over the decades. Each community leaves its mark. Salvadorian and Chinese bakeries take up the tiny mid-century storefronts, Italian delis and Filipino take-out counters stand in the same place for generations. Independent Dollar & Up stores and bargain depots, laundromats and beauty supply stores all line Mission Street - perforated with competing nail and hair salons."

Excelsior’s main commercial corridor maintains deep-rooted, multigenerational businesses, including six shops with over 60 years and Royal Baking Co. marking a century. New enterprises often originate from residents and occupy locally owned buildings, with recent openings such as Excelsior Coffee, Love and Light Yoga, and Talawine. Waves of immigrant communities shaped Vienna, Persia, and Dublin streets and established Salvadorian and Chinese bakeries, Italian delis, Filipino take-out counters, laundromats, beauty supply stores, and discount retailers along Mission Street. Prominent local enterprises occupy repurposed landmarks. The corridor’s sales-tax receipts largely exceeded 2019 first-quarter levels, with notable gains in 2022.

Read at Mission Local