Sacramento Street is (all-caps) ALIVE !

I took a stroll up my high-street last Saturday morning and was quite gratified to see it bustling with activity as the Sacramento Street merchants were preparing for the annual street fair. It was perfect San Francisco weather, everyone was setting up their outdoor stalls, accompanied by live music (in store; and even a piano from inside a VW bus!).

It was now more than several years ago that I was having  my hair cut at David Oliver's. David was a London-to-San Francisco transplant and as I had spent a good part of my youth in London in the Swinging '70's he and I I always shared fun memories of  London at that time - Kings Road, The Chelsea Drugstore, Granny Takes a Trip, World's End, The Speakeasy.

That particular day, David and I were mulling over the Sacramento Street "state-of-the-economy". Rents were high and business was down. I held the notion that a bit of self-promotion would help. I asked David why there wasn't a merchants association and he told me that a few years prior they made another attempt but it petered out. So we talked about how to revive it and I did a bunch of outreach and pulled together a group of nearly 50 Sacramento Street merchants to give it another try. And we did. And it lasted for a little while - but once again it didn't hold for reasons which don't bear going into now.

Traci, Ross & Huckleberry

Fast-forward a few years years and enter Traci Teraoka, who runs a wonderful shop Poetica. Traci and I first met when I was pulling together what must have been the 5th or 6th iteration of the Sacramento Street Merchants Association. We stayed in contact and a couple of years ago when she came up with her new store concept she took the reins to pick up where I left off - and with her energy, thoughtfulness and pure positivism she has done it!

Today Sacramento Street has a fine collection of great stores with a focus on home decor, interior design, galleries, unique fashion, things for the kiddies, restaurants and the many personal services that make a "high street" a great "high street" - and in this case a real San Francisco high street.

In addition to Traci there are many others whose interest and support I would like to note.

• Denase, who I first met at  David Oliver's and after his passing opened up her very successful salon, Estila
• Paulette, who has the wonderful ultimate ribbon store Ribbonerie
• Pamela Van Beekum who runs the World Travel Shop website and is so helpful in promoting our great San Francisco destinations
• Twiga who offers a fantastic collection of jewelry and art from Africa
• Roberta Mundie, an urban planner, a long time Sacramento Street resident who I first approached about putting up a new street map in her storefront window and then represented in leasing her ground floor space to Anyon Interior Design run by Lindsey Brier who is delightful to know.
• Marilyn Jaeger who runs a fantastic skin-care studio where I get treated to occasionally by my wife!
•  two of my favorite restaurants where the food and staff are delightful - Osteria and Sociale
• and of course David Oliver.

I know that there are others that I have missed but this is one of the longest blog posts I have ever written I think. And so it is time to stop. But not without my customary link to a song that is somehow related (at least to me) to the subject - I know it's a stretch but this song speaks to resilience, and so I think it is somehow fitting!