SF Eater reports that Yoshi’s, 1300, Rasselas, and Sheba Lounge, all congregated on the lower portion of Fillmore St., are all asking the San Francisco Redevelopment Association for what amounts to Citibank status. To quote:
…..the foursome—which originally received public financing during the district’s redevelopment—is asking the city for a combined $2.4 million in new loans: $1.5 million of that figure is requested by Yoshi’s alone; 1300 is asking $624,000 “for immediately working capital” and the others are seeking a combined $280,000.
The city has actually already loaned 1300 funds additional to those originally allocated. “Earlier this month, the city authorized an emergency $100,000 loan to 1300 that allowed the restaurant to meet payroll and pay off vendors.”
This is a curious situation. Why loan money again and again to an already failing restaurant in a failing economy? And if money’s loaned to this set of eateries, why not a set in SOMA or the Tenderloin if the goal is to “redevelop” a district in need of make-over? And again, if the goal really is to redevelop, are overpriced restaurants/clubs the best route to achieve said goal? Particularly in the historic jazz section of Fillmore, there might be myriad more inventive (and perhaps resident economy friendly) ways to bring new energy to the neighborhood.
So let’s help the Redevelopment Association, which like our federal governing bodies, seems a bit confused on how to stimulate an economy. What better use for 2.4 million dollars can we find the Fillmore (or at that price, in more than one struggling district)?
This is infuriating
1300 is actually pretty nice. They should offer free Valet parking.
is it so nice it deserves several hundred thousand of our tax dollars? SF residents should eat for free
Well geez. My suggestion is to start a music school or a concert hall like preservation hall that includes lesson in music and dance. Could also be a slam poetry site– something with a lot of connection to the past and future talent of that area.
Is this for real? Do we not have a say in these things? A townhall meeting?
If this goes throught I want six months worth of free sushi for everybody who likes jazz even a little bit, dammit.
San Francisco’s “Big 3.”
Somebody should have told em that people who appreciate jazz and be willing to pay for the crazy amount of money for tickets and food are become fewer and fewer. You don’t create a restaurant catering to a dwindling population demographics. That’s business 101 for restaurants.
The demographics that pay a lot of money for food and music are all listening to hip hop.
As a tourist guide that have made various trips to the lower Fillmore area numerous times I have heard too many comments on that area , right now I am led to belive the comments are true about the owner of rassela’s restaurant and his girlfriend who owns Sheba lounge right across the street both having no personality and is a complete thug that terrorizes tourists and people who do not bow to him and his girlfriend(SHEBA RESTAURANT LOUNGE OWNER). There is no humor, personality or customer service in both places. They act like pirates robing passer by people.