Mayor London N. Breed is rolling out the welcome wagon for a new face on San Francisco's transit board. Longtime small business dynamo Janet Tarlov, known for her stewardship of Glen Park’s Canyon Market, is tapped to bring a fresh perspective to the San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency (SFMTA) Board of Directors. In a statement that was all city pride, the mayor asserted, "Her experience running the beloved Canyon Market in Glen Park and working with merchants citywide has provided her with many insights regarding the work of SFMTA and its impact on small businesses. I look forward to her bringing this perspective to the SFMTA Board." stated in City of San Francisco Official Website.
The announcement arrives amid ever-present debates on how to better align the city's bustling transit ecosystem with the needs of local commerce. Tarlov herself couldn't hide her enthusiasm, saying, "I am deeply honored that Mayor Breed has nominated me to serve San Francisco as a member of the board of the SFMTA."
Tarlov's groceries haven’t just catered to health-conscious shoppers; they've also been a hub around which the Glen Park community revolved. Her journey from the Canyon Market to the corridors of city transit governance epitomizes her commitment to civic service. She, alongside her husband Richard, built the grocery from the ground up before selling it off to Gus's Community Markets last year. Known for its organic selections and bustling atmosphere, the market's employees heavily depended on the veins of the city's public transportation network.
With her hands in the soil of the local business landscape, serving as the President of the Glen Park Merchants Association and the Vice President of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations, Tarlov knows what it takes to successfully navigate city streets bustling with customers, delivery trucks, and the constant flow of residents. Masood Samereie, current President of the San Francisco Council of District Merchants Associations, praised Tarlov's nomination, "She is an active community leader who understands the transit habits and challenges of small business owners, workers, customers, and delivery drivers," as stated in City of San Francisco Official Website.
Despite her new stage, Janet Tarlov remains no stranger to civic commitments outside the realm of fine cheeses and organic produce. She's a seasoned board member of the San Francisco Arts Education Project and a proud alum of Oberlin College—credentials that lend her a nuanced understanding of the interplay between culture, community, and commerce. With her roots stretching from Pennsylvania to the heart of San Francisco's diverse neighborhoods, Tarlov's narrative is not simply a tale of one businesswoman's ascent but rather a reflection of the intricate mosaic that is urban life, itself poised to gain a voice amidst the city's transit deliberations.
