Hoodline Highlights: Historic Sam Jordan's Makes 'Bar Rescue' Appearance

Hoodline Highlights: Historic Sam Jordan's Makes 'Bar Rescue' AppearancePhoto: Meaghan Mitchell/Hoodline
Hoodline
Published on December 30, 2016

To close out 2016, we've asked our local neighborhood writers to choose their favorite stories from the past year, and to explain why they loved them so.

Today, we hear from Bayview neighborhood editor Meaghan Mitchell:

As a native San Franciscan with strong cultural roots in the city, I’ve made it my personal goal to serve underrepresented neighborhoods like Fillmore and Bayview through hosting community engagement activities, but most recently as a reporter for Hoodline. When I was announced as the neighborhood editor for Bayview in May, I immediately began to brainstorm about places I wanted to cover and Sam Jordan’s Bar & Grill was at the top of my list.

What piqued my interest in Sam Jordan’s was the rich history behind it. First, it’s a San Francisco landmark famous for being the first African-American-owned bar in San Francisco. More importantly, the late owner Sam Jordan was not only known as a light-heavyweight boxing champion and Navy veteran, but also a community activist who often offered his space as a checkpoint for community mobilizing.

My most recent coverage documented Sam Jordan’s Bar & Grill's appearance on the hit television show Bar Rescue. This was my favorite story in 2016 because, along with my neighbors, I witnessed a transformation of a business in my community that I believe was well-deserved. Often when we lose prominent figures of our community, their impact also dies. It’s important that we tell their story, keep their legacy alive and respect it.

Below is an excerpt from the first story, published on July 11th, 2016.


While cruising down Third Street, you’re bound to notice Sam Jordan's Bar & Grill, which has stood between Galvez and Hudson streets since 1959. The bar is named for its founder, a light-heavyweight boxing champion and Navy veteran, who passed away in 2003. It was the first African-American-owned bar in the city, and received historic landmark status in 2013.

But the next time you stop inside Sam Jordan's, you might notice that it has a new look. That's courtesy of the popular Spike TV show Bar Rescue, which led a renovation of the bar earlier this month ...

Click to continue reading Meaghan's favorite Bayview stories of 2016, Next Chapter For Bayview's Historic Sam Jordan's: A 'Bar Rescue' Makeover and Bayview's Sam Jordan's Weighs In On 'Bar Rescue' Appearance.