New Netflix Series 'Girlboss' Comes To The Haight For Filming In August

New Netflix Series 'Girlboss' Comes To The Haight For Filming In AugustPhoto: Camden Avery/Hoodline
Camden Avery
Published on August 02, 2016

Starting next week, crews will be in the Haight filming segments for the forthcoming Netflix series "Girlboss," based on the memoir by Sophia Amoruso, owner of the fashion brand Nasty Gal. The comedy will star Britt Robertson (Tomorrowland) as a character based on the young Amoruso. 

Filming for "Girlboss" in the Haight will take place over three days—August 8th, 12th, and 18th—out of a total of 12 shooting days in San Francisco. Location manager Gail Stempler says the show plans to shoot in an apartment over the Anarchist Collective, outside Jammin' On Haight at Haight and Masonic, and at some clothing stores on the 1500 block that have yet to be determined.

News of the filming was released only last week, leaving some Haight Street merchants frustrated. Some local merchants recently underwent a protracted (and successful) fight to keep SF Public Works from resuming the Haight infrastructure improvement project until September, to ensure business traffic on Haight wasn't impacted during the height of tourist season.

"August is our busiest month. It helps us get through the winter," Jammin' on Haight's Sunny Powers said via email. "We worked so hard to save our summer, and now, out of nowhere, someone is taking it away ... To take away our business in this crucial time is disrespectful and rude, and makes it apparent that whoever is doing this filming does not care about Haight Street or its merchants."

Others, however, say they're not bothered by the location shoot. Emily Dobies, who manages the new Ritual Coffee Roasters location at 1300 Haight, said that unless the filming results in total street closures, she thought it would be fine.

Ritual is at the eastern limit of the current infrastructure work, with backhoes and steam rollers working during the day right outside. Dobies said that the construction crews at work on the infrastructure improvement project have been "great to work with," offering to wipe down dust as needed and provide other accommodations, and that she didn't think a few days of filming would impact Ritual's business.

According to representatives from the San Francisco Film Commission, the goal is for crews to begin filming as early as 4 or 5am and wrap up by noon or so, to minimize the impact on Haight. However, permits for parking will occupy city parking spaces until 10pm.