San Francisco, CA — The San Francisco Small Business Commission (SBC) is recognizing longstanding, community-serving, and culturally vital businesses through the Legacy Business Program. Since January, the SBC unanimously approved 23 businesses for the Legacy Business Registry. Currently, a total of 365 businesses have been added to the Registry, which began in 2015.
“So far this year the Small Business Commission has had the pleasure of recognizing nearly two dozen Legacy Businesses who have been serving San Francisco and its visitors for over 30 years,” said Cynthia Huie, President of the Small Business Commission. “These businesses range from a preschool in the Sunset to hospice care in the Castro; from traditional Chinese bridal attire in Chinatown to tie-dyed tees in the Haight. These businesses demonstrate the many ways our City’s citizens work together to serve the needs of their communities.”
New Legacy Business Spotlight
La Mejor Bakery is one of the 2023 additions to the Legacy Business Registry. They are considered an anchor business within the San Francisco’s Latino Cultural District and to the Latino community more broadly.
La Mejor Bakery was founded by Doña Carmen Elias, a former Bank of America teller who
retired from banking at age 40. Doña Carmen was born in Mexico City and moved to San Francisco as a child in the late 1960s due to her father’s work. After his office job ended, Don Gonzalo Morales – Doña Carmen’s father – returned to the trade he knew as a young man back in Mexico City: baker. He worked for a number of bakeries established at that time including La Reyna Bakery & Coffee Shop, La Mexicana Bakery, Dianda's Italian American Pastry, La International, and Dominguez Mexican Bakery. Throughout these years, Doña spent a lot of time in the panaderías, often working as a babysitter to the kids in the places where her father was employed, until he passed away at age 52.
In 1993, a failing panadería closed on 24th Street, not far from where she grew up. With encouragement from family friends, Doña Carmen decided to come out of retirement and open her own bakery for the first time. She named La Mejor after a bakery of the same name in Tijuana where Carmen’s father and his friends would gather. This memory of Doña Carmen’s father was the inspiration for its name.
Since its opening in 1993, La Mejor has hired from within the local Spanish-speaking, Latino community and supported the neighborhood as the largest contributor of pan dulce at events and festivities along the 24th Street Corridor.
The full details of the 23 new additions to the Legacy Business Registry are below.
Bloomers
2975 Washington St., Pacific Heights
Nominated by Supervisor Catherine Stefani
Bloomers is a full-service florist featuring artistic arrangements crafted with fresh flowers of exceptional quality. Their designers have decades of experience and will choose local, seasonal flowers and materials whenever possible for their custom designs. Bloomers believes that the beauty of flowers plays a unique role in enriching essential moments in life.
Blue Light
1979 Union St., Cow Hollow
Nominated by Supervisor Catherine Stefani
The Blue Light is a neighborhood food, music, and sports bar founded by legendary rock star Boz Skaggs in 1978. Welcoming and warm, our bar is an inviting place for people to gather in San Francisco’s historic Cow Hollow neighborhood.
Caffe Greco
423 Columbus Ave., North Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Caffe Greco is one of the most authentic Italian caffes in the city, serving world-famous Illy coffee and award-winning homemade tiramisu, cannoli, and gelato in a quintessentially European atmosphere. They have been an innovator and trend-setter, receiving rave reviews by many publications over the years. Caffe Greco's commitment to high quality, impeccable service and friendly atmosphere will continue to serve as a model of excellence, success, and pride.
Castro Village Wine Co.
4121 19th St., Castro
Nominated by Supervisor Rafael Mandelman
Castro Village Wine Co. is a boutique wine store since 1980 specializing in fine California wines and providing an inclusive and welcoming space to anyone curious about wine from the Castro neighborhood and beyond.
City Dogs
177 Brannan St., South Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Matt Dorsey
City Dogs offers canine grooming and bathing services for Bay Area dog owners. Founded in 1989, City Dogs aims to minimize stress and promote the best interests of the canines in their care without sacrificing quality.
Design Media
3171 21st St., Mission
Nominated by Supervisor Ahsha Safai
Design Media is a local digital communications agency serving global organizations since 1978. The integrated solutions and immersive experiences design captivate and engage audiences and exceed business goals. They are passionate about helping their clients grow their impact through creative storytelling and intelligent platforms – integrated ecosystems that are cutting-edge and human-centered.
Developing Environments
540 Alabama St., Mission
Nominated by Supervisor Hillary Ronen
Developing Environments, an artist live-work community, is creating a powerful legacy of effectively safeguarding the arts in San Francisco by providing truly affordable live-work space for locally-based artists. They are a creative hub and a secure home to artists across all disciplines, acting as a critical haven for their minds and bodies, and ensuring that their dynamic practices have a healthy and robust place to incubate and grow.
Dragon Seed Bridal & Photography
735 Clay St., Chinatown
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Dragon Seed Bridal & Photography specializes in the traditional Chinese qipao, also known as the cheongsam - a long, figure-fitting, one-piece garment with a standing collar that was developed in the 1920s and evolved in shapes and design over the years. They also design and customize traditional skirt and jacket combinations known as qun kwa. Their custom dress shop first opened in 1978 and is one of the last of its kind in San Francisco, helping retain Chinese culture and customs.
Guerra Quality Meats
490 Taraval St., Sunset
Nominated by Supervisor Myrna Melgar
At Guerra’s Quality Meats, quality products and personal service have been the foundation of their business since 1954. Over the years, they added the deli, greatly expanded their selection, introduced full-service catering, and more.
Hing Lung Company
1261 Stockton St., Chinatown
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin.
Hing Lung Company AKA Go Duck Yourself is the staple for Cantonese barbecue in Chinatown. The Chinese characters of “Hing Lung” translate to “prosperity” in English. Both locals and tourists alike enjoy their famous barbeque.
La Mejor Bakery
3329 24th St., Mission
Nominated by Supervisor Hillary Ronen
La Mejor Bakery is a Mexican bakery located in the heart of the Mission neighborhood. Their bakery is an anchor to the Latino community, has been around since 1993, a time when pan dulce was sold on practically every corner. Today, La Mejor Bakery is one of the few Mexican bakeries in the Bay Area that preserves its authentic flavor.
Love on Haight
1400 Haight St., Haight-Ashbury
Nominated by Supervisor Dean Preston
Love on Haight is located in the heart of the historic Haight-Ashbury district of San Francisco. Their tie-dye products are emblematic of the famed Summer of Love and the culture that persists in the neighborhood. Over half of their products are cut and sewn right here in San Francisco and they support over 175 artists.
Maitri Compassionate Care
401 Duboce Ave., Castro
Nominated by then-Supervisor Jeff Sheehy
Maitri (pronounced “my-tree”) is Sanskrit for “compassionate friendship.” The heart of their work is their Residential Care Program, which provides compassionate medical and mental health care to people in need of hospice, 24-hour respite care, or recovery support after gender affirmation surgery. They started in the height of the AIDS crisis in San Francisco in the 1980s, as a place of solace in a community being ravaged by the disease. Since then they have expanded their services, always striving to provide care that is dignified, nonjudgmental, and unconditional.
Mendels / Far Out Fabrics
1556 Haight St., Haight-Ashbury
Nominated by Supervisor Dean Preston
Mendels is a one-stop-shop for crafting, art, knitting, fabric, and other creative supplies in the heart of the historic and colorful Haight-Ashbury neighborhood. They are a family-run business since 1958 and filled with all of the supplies that creative types need: sewing materials, drawing tools, fabric dye supplies, paints, papers, glitter and gems, basic craft supplies like chenille stems, jingle bells and wiggle eyes, fabric for costumes, vinyl fabrics for table coverings, costume accessories including wigs, masks, makeup, and feathers.
Mr. Bing’s
201 Columbus Ave., North Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Mr. Bing’s is a neighborhood bar since 1967, located on the cusp of North Beach, Chinatown, and the Financial District where regulars, locals, tourists, and other industry professionals hang out and meet up for friendly drinks. They are known for our great music, outdoor seating, delicious cocktails, friendly bartenders, and being open seven days a week until 2:00 a.m. Mr. Bing’s is a true gem of a bar, with a lively and welcoming atmosphere and a genuine sense of camaraderie among its close-knit patrons and exceptional staff.
Ng Hing Kee
648 Jackson St., Chinatown
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Ng Hing Kee Inc. has been selling Chinese newspapers, books, magazines, stationery, music, movies, gifts, and snacks since 1976. Ng Hing Kee has onsite shipping services for customers and is also approved and authorized by the California Department of Motor Vehicles under their Business Partner Program to process vehicle registrations, title transfers, and other approved services to Chinatown residents.
Peña Pachamama
1630 Powell St., North Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Peña Pachamama is a unique musical restaurant celebrating world music in the heart of North Beach. Peña Pachamama serves organic, non-GMO, plant-based food like tasty Bolivian tapas, samplers, and entrees. Their dinnertime performances are by talented artists from all over the world.
Pirro’s Pizzeria
2244 Taraval St., Sunset
Nominated by Supervisor Joel Engardio
Pirro’s Pizzeria specializes in the art of pizza using traditional recipes brought over from Sicily by the restaurant’s founder, Fred E. Pirro. Their pizza is characterized by its thick, fluffy crust topped with a rich tomato sauce that is made from San Marzano tomatoes, and then layered with a generous amount of cheese. Pirro’s Pizzeria has been bringing Sicily to San Francisco since 1954.
Playmates Cooperative Preschool
2340 42nd Ave., Outer Sunset
Nominated by then-Supervisor Gordon Mar
Since 1950, Playmates Cooperative Preschool has provided a safe, nurturing, diverse community of families and staff working together to foster the creative, social, physical, emotional, and cognitive development of children. Playmates is a non-profit organization that is open to a diverse community of families from different socioeconomic levels.
Simple Pleasures Café
3434 Balboa St., Richmond
Nominated by Mayor London N. Breed
Simple Pleasures Café is the oldest coffee shop in the Richmond District – first opened in 1978 – and an important hub for the neighborhood and community. They are a traditional bohemian style café with old-world coffee roasting. They also offer a robust food menu with everything from small bites to full meals, including their well-known stuffed bagel sandwiches. Simple Pleasures Café celebrates arts and culture with open mic nights and free music performances, and their walls are adorned with a beautiful mural alongside historic photographs.
South Beach Yacht Club
899 2nd St., South Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Matt Dorsey
South Beach Yacht Club is a volunteer organization dedicated to their members' greater enjoyment of sailing and boating. With nearly 500 members, their yearly calendar is packed with races, cruises, social events, and a lot of good fellowship. They provide an active Racing Program, a Youth Sailing Program, and a small Community Sailing Program open to the public.
Swensen’s
1999 Hyde St., Russian Hill
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Swensen’s has been an ice cream parlor in Russian Hill since 1948. Their ice cream is made by hand on-site, using classic recipes and the freshest ingredients. They have traditional ice cream flavors like chocolate, vanilla, and fruits like strawberry and raspberry, as well as complex flavors like Swiss orange chip, cookie dough, and sticky chewy chocolate.
Tony Nik’s Café
1534 Stockton St., North Beach
Nominated by Supervisor Aaron Peskin
Tony Nik's Café was one of the first bars to open in North Beach when Prohibition was repealed in 1933. It was called a café because, at that time, food was required to be served with alcohol. The bar was remodeled in 1949 adding the stylish bar canopy, the unique checkerboard wooden wall tiles, and the wall mural by local artist Nadine Torrance.
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.
The registration process for the Legacy Business Program includes nomination by Mayor London N. Breed 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.
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