PRESS RELEASE
San Francisco Small Business Commission honors 13 longstanding businesses in 2025
San Francisco Flower Market, Cha Cha Cha, Columbus Cafe, and the Golden Gate Park Band, among eclectic businesses added to the Legacy Business Registry
San Francisco, CA — On Monday, March 24 the San Francisco Small Business Commission unanimously approved four business to the city’s Registry of longstanding, community-serving, and culturally vital businesses. This adds to the nine businesses already added to the Legacy Business Registry since the beginning of 2025, the program’s 10th year. The Board of Supervisors established this first-in-the-nation program in 2015, which officially recognizes and supports Legacy Businesses as essential to the city’s character and economy.
“Our legacy businesses have served our communities for decades, and we are committed to creating an environment where they can continue to thrive,” says Mayor Daniel Lurie. “That’s why we’re making it easier to do business in San Francisco—lowering business taxes, eliminating operating license fees, and streamlining permitting. We want to attract new business to our city while ensuring our existing businesses have the support they need to succeed.”
“As a small business owner myself, Legacy Businesses inspire me,” says Cynthia Huie, President of the Small Business Commission, whose shop – On Waverly – in Chinatown recently celebrated its first year since opening. “They have learned their trade and built communities up around them. They contribute significantly to the cultural fabric of San Francisco.”
Businesses added to the Legacy Business Registry in 2025
Breast Cancer Prevention Partners
1388 Sutter St., Suite 901
Since 1992, Breast Cancer Prevention Partners (previously named Breast Cancer Fund) has been
the leading science-based policy and advocacy organization working to prevent breast cancer
by eliminating our exposure to toxic chemicals and other environmental links to the disease.
431 Castro St.
Established in 2004, Castro Nail Salon is a mainstay of the neighborhood for manicures, pedicures, and waxing.
1801 Haight St. and 2327 Mission St.
Cha Cha Cha is a Caribbean-inspired restaurant in Haight-Ashbury and the Mission offering delicious tapas, world famous sangria, local beers, craft cocktails, entertainment, catering, and event hosting.
2154 Chestnut St.
Founded in 1988, City Optix offered experienced optometry and a wide range of high fashion frames.
562 Green St.
Since 1935, Columbus Cafe has been a parlor in the center of North Beach, originally a mainstay for longshoremen.
Spreckels Temple of Music
The Golden Gate Park Band provides free concerts to the people of San Francisco, including classic band favorites, operas, marches, Broadway show tunes, orchestral transcriptions, novelty tunes, folk music, big band swing music, and original works for concert band.
225 San Leandro Way
First opening in 1989, the museum offers an impassioned, multifaceted, immersive experience created by acclaimed artist Gregangelo Herrera and a team of dedicated artists. The Gregangelo Museum showcases an exploratory and introspective brand of immersive artistry and services.
1332 Castro St.
Hamano Sushi specializes in Japanese cuisine, with both à la carte and Omakase-style dining.
1 Union St., #240
One Union Recording Studios is San Francisco’s premier audio post-production facility that delivers audio recording, mixing, and editing for television, radio, and film.
2235 Chestnut St.
Partita sells handmade and custom designed jewelry designed and fabricated on site.
1641 Jackson St.
Phaedrus is San Francisco’s largest independent BMW and MINI repair specialist with over 23,000 square feet of shop space.
3568 Sacramento St.
Rims & Goggles retails high-end luxury eyewear, focusing on unique and independent brands that are not commonly found.
901 16th St.
Open since 1912, San Francisco’s acclaimed Flower Market is the largest wholesale flower market in Northern California with products coming from all over the world.
In addition to the businesses above, the following businesses were added to the Registry in December 2024:
- Ace Mailing
- African-American Shakespeare Company
- Geary Print Shop
- J's Laundry
- Lehr's German Specialties
- Walter Adams Framing
About the Legacy Business Registry
A Legacy Business is a for-profit or nonprofit business that has operated in San Francisco for 30 or more years. The business must contribute to the neighborhood's history and/or the identity of a particular neighborhood or community, and it must commit to maintaining the physical features or traditions that define the business, including craft, culinary or art forms. If a business has operated in San Francisco for more than 20 years but less than 30 years, it may still be included in the Registry if the business otherwise faces a significant risk of displacement.
The registration process for the Legacy Business Program includes nomination by Mayor Daniel Lurie or a member of the Board of Supervisors, a written application, an advisory recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission, and approval of the Small Business Commission.
Inclusion on the Registry provides Legacy Businesses with recognition and support as an incentive for them to stay in the community. The program also provides educational and promotional assistance to encourage their continued viability and success in San Francisco.
The Legacy Business Program is managed through the Office of Small Business. For more information about the Legacy Business Program, including a list and map of businesses on the Legacy Business Registry, visit www.legacybusiness.org.