1. Joe And His Cable Car Restaurant
After 49 years of service—delicious burgers, crispy fries, putting smiles on people’s faces, and probably adding a few inches to their waistlines—Joe’s Cable Car Restaurant closed last March when Joe decided it was time to retire. We miss you, Joe!
2. That Fighter Jet You Used to Play On At The Corner Of 19th And Vicente
Yes, the fighter jet that you used to use as a jungle gym, crawling around in the cockpit and scampering through the corrugated metal exhaust pipe, is gone; but don’t worry, it hasn’t moved too far. These days, the old plane is in a hanger undergoing restorations just 45 minutes from its old home at the Larsen Park Playground in Sunset. Apparently she looks better than ever.
3. Who Needs A Historic Century-Old Shopping Center When Westfield Mall Can Expand?
It’s been a while since the Emporium, a mid-line department store downtown, has been in business, but long-time residents will know what I’m talking about. The Emporium was in business for 99 years, from 1896 to 1995, before it was bought by the Federated Department Stores. These days, it’s a part of the Westfield Mall downtown—because who needs history when you can have Bloomingdales?
4. And Who Needs Christmas Cheer When Westfield Mall Can Expand?
With the closing of the Emporium in 1995, something else came to an end: All Christmas cheer forever. Okay, that might be a bit much, but the end of the Emporium’s annual Christmas carnivals left a gaping hole in San Francisco’s holiday cheer. There was even an indoor ice rink and an auditorium for lectures and concerts by the Emporium Orchestra. It was truly magical. Now there’s a Cheesecake Factory.
5. The Public Housing Nightmare That Was Geneva Towers
San Francisco may have lost some of its charming old buildings over the last few years, but the Geneva Towers wasn’t one of them. This place actually started out in the late ‘60s as an exclusive private dwelling for doctors, lawyers, and a whole other cast of characters straight out of “Mad Men”. Over the years, though, things started falling apart. Literally. The elevators stopped working, plumbing so deteriorated the water ran brown, there was rampant drug dealing and shootings… you know, not the best scene. Finally, in 1997, after years of abandonment, the towers were knocked down and replaced with lower-density units.
6. The Museum Of Craft And Folk Art: Making Crafting Cool Since 1982
After 30 years of unique craft and folk art exhibits, MOCFA closed its doors in 2012, ending its long run with an exhibit called “Fiber Futures: Japan’s Textile Pioneers.” You couldn’t find exhibits like these in other museums; and today you can’t find them at all. That’s what made MOCFA so unique, and for all of the lovers of arts and crafts out there, there is still a hole to be filled. Perhaps with paper mache.
7. The Tamale Lady At Zeitgeist
It was a sad day last year when SF city codes and regulations forced the Tamale Lady, aka Virginia Ramos, to stop selling her beloved namesake treats at Zeitgeist. Ramos was “one of those transcendent characters that San Francisco nurtures best,” as Joe Garofoli put it in his 2003 piece on her. She may be transcendent, but SF certainly isn’t showing her any love these days.
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8. This Gingerbread House Wasn’t For The Faint-Hearted—And Certainly Not For Kids
No, I’m not talking about the beautiful and intricate gingerbread house that the Fairmont Hotel creates each year; I’m talking about the underground rave scene at the Gingerbread House in Potrero Hill. For years, this warehouse space was devoted to devoted ravers, those glowstick toting, pacifier-sucking, furry boot-wearing party animals up until the early hours of the morning while the rest of San Francisco slept.
9. Sam Wo Wooed Us With Poor Service, And We Loved It
In 2012, after 100 years of service, Chinese restaurant Sam Wo served its last spring rolls and wonton soup. This hole-in-the-wall restaurant was known for its cheap dishes, greasy Chinese comfort food, and, of course, a rude waiter named Edsel Ford Fung, who was famous for his brusque attitude and for slamming patrons’ dishes onto their tables back in the day. Comfort food with a just the right amount of attitude. Oh how we miss it.
10. The Red Vic Movie House In The Haight
This little movie theater was one of the wonderful things about the Haight neighborhood. It was worker owned and operated since 1980, had delicious buttery popcorn, comfy seating, an array of films from re-released box office hits to indies, and, best of all, an $8.50 admission price.
11. The Original Gold Dust Lounge In Union Square
Yes, the Gold Dust Lounge is still alive and prospering in its new location (on Jefferson Street right next to Ripley’s Believe It or Not), but locals still miss the old classic where Johnny Z and the Camaros played, where there was a mural covering the ceiling, and where the moment you stepped in, you felt like you’d been transported to old Las Vegas. Rumor has it, Bing Crosby used to own the original and there was a tunnel in the basement so that Bing and his buddies could go from place to place without being noticed.
12. The Hottest Union In Town At The Lusty Lady
The Lusty Lady was certainly the most unique strip club I’ve ever heard of. It started out just like any other club—until in 1997 when the lusty ladies of the club decided to unionize. Ever since, it was run by its own crew of dancers, then, in 2003, the ladies went a step further and turned the club into a co-op, buying it from its original owners. It was a place where customers couldn’t tell the dancers what to do or say; where the women picked what they wore and didn’t wear; and, until 2013 when it closed its doors, a place where the lusty ladies themselves were in charge.
13. The Curious Curiosity Shoppe In The Mission
This Valencia Street favorite closed down in February 2013. Residents miss the strange and awesome mix of art and artifacts—especially those local indie artist residents, whom the Curiosity Shoppe supported greatly.
14. That Old Furniture Mart Building You Never Went Into
Once upon a time, in a land called Mid-Market, there was a Furniture Mart building between 9th and 10th. It was dirty, it was old, and it was very Mid-Market. Today, Twitter is there. It’s new, it’s shiny, and it’s becoming more and more Mid-Market.
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15. The Old AAA Building Has Become Condos—And WTH Is Nema?
Another fabled tale of San Francisco’s past: Once upon a time, there was the AAA Building, just off of Market. Today, the building is being remodeled and turned into 399 luxury condos with sleek glass walls and rent starting at $2,000 for a studio (for real). Once it was just called Market. Now it’s shiny and new so we call it Nema.
16. The Carnelian Room And Its Breathtaking View
Perched 52 stories above the city, The Carnelian Room was a mainstay for weddings, anniversaries, and special occasions. After nearly 40 years in business, the swanky restaurant called it quits, serving its last meal on New Years of 2010, mostly due to the rough economy at the time.
17. Candlestick Park—And The San Francisco 49ers
This year, the San Francisco 49ers might have to drop the first part of their name and replace it with “Santa Clara,” because that’s where they’re heading. The team has been in SF since 1946 and now, because of a some shady dealings back in ‘97, a former mayor’s pressure, an admittedly rather outdated stadium, and a whole lot of other reasons, the Niners are leaving Candlestick Park to join the throngs of tech companies in Santa Clara.
18. The (Original) Guy Pretending To Be A Bush
Gregory Jacobs, i.e., the original Bushman, had been scaring passersby at Fisherman’s Wharf since the early ‘90s, until he died in February of this year. These days, his long-time friend David Johnson continues the job; but regulars of the Wharf miss Jacobs for his quick wit and ever perfect timing (like that moment you are just taking a sip of your coffee).
19. Lo Siento, Pero No Esta Noche
Translation: “Sorry, but not this night;” at least not for the beloved dive bar, Esta Noche. Esta Noche was SF’s only Latino gay bar, and just a few months ago, it closed its doors after 33 years. Don’t worry, it will be turned into (yet another) New York style lounge with House music, DJs, and lots of red velvet. Why not just go to Vegas?
20. Doggie Diner—Well, Everything But The Dog Heads
This small fast food chain served hot dogs and burgers in the Bay Area from the late ‘40s to the early ‘80s. Unfortunately, the chain went out of business in ‘86, trying to stay afloat with all of the McDonald’s and Burger Kings popping up; but a couple of the famous dog heads still remain, dotted around San Francisco like as tributes to the beloved old restaurant.
21. The Thrills (And Seaside Chills) Of Playland At The Beach
When I first visited San Francisco years and years ago, before I even thought about moving here, I wondered, why on Earth is there no boardwalk here? To my 8-year-old mind, it was the perfect place for a boardwalk filled with carnival rides, hot dogs, and cotton candy—but then again, so was everywhere. Little did I know that from 1928-1972, this was a reality; a beautiful, ride-packed, sticky-food-filled place called Playland at the Beach.
These are just some of the places and things you’ll never see in San Francisco again, but with a city this steeped in (oftentimes weird) history, there have to be hundreds more. What are some of your fondest memories of things gone but not forgotten in SF?
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