Labor Day Special: The Lower Haight of 1998

Labor Day Special: The Lower Haight of 1998
Andrew Dudley
Published on September 05, 2011
It's pretty rare to stumble upon a website that hasn't been updated in 13 years. It's even rarer to find such a website that's all about the Lower Haight. Yesterday, while researching another story, we found just such a site.

For your Labor Day pleasure, we present the Lower Haight Resource Guide, a late-'90s compendium of everything Lower Haight. Topics include the openings of Rosamunde and Wak Shack Salon, the closures of Dexter's Diner (now Naan N' Chutney) and Ya Halla (now Chilli Cha Cha), a protest planned for the then-new Theatre Lofts, and a section entitled "A brief history of the Touristization of the Lower Haight." There's even a comprehensive list of every shop and restaurant in the neighborhood, with fantastically subjective descriptions. For example, of Pasta Pomodoro, which had just opened at the corner of Haight and Steiner, the author writes, "I can't understand why the hell anyone would ever patronize this festering sore on the ass of my neighborhood." The site's creators, Avery and Janet Glasser, apparently moved to Hartford in 1999, leaving behind what may have been San Francisco's first neighborhood blog. (If you know of an older one, do tell!) Fortunately for us, they've kept the site operational, even after all these years. We thought the site would be an especially fun find for those Lower Haighters who, unlike us, have been here 13+ years. So if names like Spaghetti Western, Naked Eye, and The Top get your nostalgia flowing, take a moment and check it out. And if it triggers any noteworthy memories, let's hear 'em!