This week, Hoodline takes a look back at highlights from the 1,500 stories we told in 2014, from bar and restaurant openings to profiles of local residents to our biggest neighborhood controversies. Today's focus: the people and personalities we met along the way.
It was a big year for meeting new people around town, from local business owners to eccentric neighborhood fixtures to faces seen passing through a neighborhood near you. On this last day of 2014, we bring you the definitive guide to the people we met along the way this year.
Hayes Valley
We went behind the counter with a number of local merchants this year, including Michelle Polzine of 20th Century Cafe, Matt Bissinger of Maker & Moss, John Situ of Double Decker, the Hulme brothers of Suppenküche and Biergarten, and Bala Subrahmanyam, a.k.a. The Cakemaker.
Saroyan Humphrey/Saroyan Photography
We chatted with creative folks who bring art and music to the neighborhood, including Hayes Valley Art Coalition co-founder Madeline Behrens-Brigham, musical director Ryan Connolly of Resound Ensemble, security gate virtuoso Todd Young, new Gough Street gallery owners Jules and Amelie Maeght, local artist Eric Broers, and graffiti guerrilla Zamar.
We talked cocktails with local author Dinah Sanders and traded hashtags with our Twitter pal Patrick Connors. The outgoing Bill Dickenson told us about his Hayes Valley Social Club, and Jardiniere's Mike Dreyer gave us a look at the restaurant's rooftop garden and beekeeping operation.
Divisadero
Various owners told us the tales of their long-running Divisadero businesses in 2014, like Sameer Nasser of New Star-ell, Giddy Beshue and Nebiat Tesfazgi of Club Waziema, Brian Hibbs of Comix Experience, Robert Williams of Panhandle Guitars, Helen Kwon of Helen's Wigs, Jason Hopkins of Your Scents Trading, Mike Davis of Everlasting Tattoo, Ted Nasser of Health Haven, Derek Toliver and Annette Dennett of PACT, and Sam Heng of Bus Stop Pizza.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
We also chatted with some of the newer movers and shakers on the strip, including Ryan Farr of 4505 Burgers & BBQ, Josey Baker of The Mill, Wes Rowe of Wesburger, Jason Limburg and Greg Faucette of Wine Kitchen, and Jupiter Henry and Lauren Fletcher of Bites With Spice.
In our ongoing series of local bartender and bouncer profiles, we tapped in with Racquel and JQ Hester from The Page, Caleb from Nopa, Chris Libby from Madrone, and Michael Wieck of Bar 821. We also had two Divisadero installments in our ongoing series of brief on-the street interviews, here and here.
We met notable local residents like novelist Richard Brautigan, activist and organizer Amy Farah Weiss, and new Divisadero Merchants Association president Solange Gabriel.
And we talked with some local entrepreneurs, like succulent salesman Neil Serrano, Big Umbrella Studios director Harrison Love, and Amber Schadewald and Britt Spangler of Hello, cheetle.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
NoPa
The area north of the Panhandle is apparently a hub for crafty folks, including clothing curator Allyson Hillerby of Birthday Life Vintage, seamstress Liz TerboLizard of Cut & Sew, and Joel Perez of Joel's Upholstery, all of whom we met in 2014.
In other business news, we met the ever cheerful Monica Lomas of Verde SF, bike messenger Marcus Miller of Center City Delivery, and owner California Walsh of the Chop Shop hair salon. And keeping his eye on those and other businesses was JJ Strahle, president of the North of the Panhandle Neighborhood Association.
Present-day folks also gave us lots of insights into the area's past this year. Wiggle expert Joel Pomerantz took us on a Thinkwalk around the neighborhood, while historian Susan Potter gave us a tour of the Baker Street home of The Native Daughters of the Golden West. Steward Emmitt Watson led us around the amazing Neptune Columbarium, and Dr. Lee Morris and Jennifer Tracy told us the history of the more than century-old San Francisco Pet Hospital. And we chatted with 90-year-old Art Bierman, whose efforts in the '50s and '60s helped prevent a freeway from plowing through the Panhandle.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
Inner Sunset
Though we didn't start regular coverage of the neighborhood until December, we still met some interesting folks in the Inner Sunset this year.
Founder Ricky Hanson showed us around 7th Avenue's Gratitude Center, and Paul Cuschieri invited us into the cabinet shop he's been running for the past 60 years. Comic book aficionado Frank McGinn told us all about his Irving Street store, Amazing Fantasy, while manager John Taylor described some of the challenges Le Video.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
We met substitute teacher and novelist Emil DeAndreis, and talked java with owner David Feng of Snowbird Coffee. And finally, we chatted with passersby in our ongoing series, Souls of the Inner Sunset.
Castro
Owner David Gray gave us a tour of his Castro Street nursery Hortica, while Brad Becker and Aaron Amanza talked to us about the history and mission of the GLBT National Help Center.
Our year in Castro profiles included several folks often seen on the streets and sidewalks of the neighborhood. We chatted with Howard Johnson, an 83-year-old crossing guard at McKinley Elementary. We remembered Barry LeBlanc, a homeless resident and fixture at Peet's Coffee who passed away in January. And we ogled Chris Kohrs, the so-called "Hot Cop of the Castro," as he used his noted physique to raise money for charity.
Finally, we interviewed the outrageous performer Lady Bunny, and had stop-and-chats with some of the many colorful souls of the Castro.
Dijon/Souls of Society
Upper Haight
We talked to noted locals like Haight icon and R. Crumb inspiration Mr. Natural, and punk legend Stan Flouride. We chatted with our new Police Captain Raj Vaswani, and got a brief visit from our Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
We learned of local businesses courtesy of the folks who run them. Anna Branning and Mara Murphy told us about their Page Street letterpress studio, Dutch Door Press. We talked blues music with founder Mike Kappus of the local booking agency Rosebud.
We also checked in with the founders and directors of various local non-profits. Patrick Buckalew and Debbie Linley invited us into the Huckleberry Youth Programs clinic at Page and Lyon, Program Director Robert Miles educated us on the current needs of the Haight Ashbury Food Program, and co-founder Christian Calinsky updated us on homeless outreach program Taking It To The Streets.
We talked to local artists and content creators, including choreographer Todd Eckert, the Kurashige sisters of dance company Sharp and Fine, publisher Liz Fedak of Hatch Beat, founders David and Melissa Beaulieu of nudie mag BelleSF, and Ellen Holderman of our neighbor blog Cole Valley SF.
Photo: Liss Fain Dance
Local institutions gave us a new glimpse this year. The Park Branch Library came alive for us, thanks to branch manager Benjamin Cohen, while horticulturist Mario Vega gave us a rare look behind the scenes at the Conservatory Of Flowers. Meanwhile, librarian Darice Murray-McKay told us all about her plans for a Haight Ashbury Museum.
Unsurprisingly, there was no shortage of eccentric and eclectic folks to profile this year. We met costume king Bruce Beaudette, cardboard sign collector Dan Harder, and the stroller-pushing Bubble Guy. We also mourned the loss of local icons Fast Eddie and Suzy "Izu" Interlandi, both of whom passed away in July. And we visited with people seen on the streets of the Upper Haight, here and here.
Lower Haight / Alamo Square
In the Lower Haight, we chatted with Fey Chao, owner of the all-vegetarian Love N' Haight Deli, and Harry Strauch of the now-closed Gallery 683. We tripped into the Light Fantastic salonspa with owners Marlo Sawalha and Tania Tucciarone, and talked with artist Jeremy Fish about his latest projects and challenges.
Andrew Dudley / Hoodline
We also chatted with a few Lower Haight residents working to make a difference in the city this year. Thea Selby talked to us about her goals as a newly elected member of the City College Board of Trustees, while activist and legislative aide Vallie Brown described how the neighborhood has changed in the past 15 years, in part due to her efforts. And Lower Haighter Elliot Haspel told us about his volunteer efforts with Choose Health SF, which fought (unsuccessfully) to get the city's soda tax initiative passed in November.
Up in Alamo Square, we met dog walker Terry Williams, and the ubiquitous PJ Norris, a.k.a. King Kobbler. We also caught up with Pauric "Blake" O'Flaherty of the award-winning Pauric Electric, and learned about the history and efforts of the Alamo Square Neighborhood Association.
Stephen Jackson/Hoodline
Finally, we met some of the characters on the streets of the Lower Haight, not once, not twice, but thrice.
Lastly, on a citywide note, we celebrated the anniversary of the 1906 earthquake with 108-year-old survivor Bill Del Monte. "They all ask me what the secret is," he told us. "I'm going to take it with me."
For more of Hoodline's year in review, check out 2014's most notable controversies and restaurant and retail news, the most bizarre and outlandish stories of the year, the past year in years past, and 2014 in crime and calamity.
