Late last year, we reported that North Beach Chiropractic was likely to be forced out of its space at 401 Francisco St., after its landlord tripled the rent. Proprietor Dr. Chae Park's lease is up at the end of the month, and while he tried to negotiate until the end, "the landlord didn't budge on the price,” he said.
The good news, however, is that Park has secured a new space at 425 Divisadero St., where he plans to reopen his practice on July 1st. With the move comes a name change: since he's no longer in North Beach, the practice will now be called Beacon Chiropractic. “There is a beacon within all of us,” he told clients in an email explaining the change.
When we spoke to him last year, Park told us that the owner of 401 Francisco, who runs an architectural firm from the same building, has plans to either take over the space himself, or return the lease to market-rate.
Park will miss his practice in North Beach, which he's run for the past three years. “I've tried to serve my people as best as I could,” he said, noting that he couldn't have made it without his current clients. “I have nothing against the landlord. He owns the building and he can do what he wants with it.”
But the closing of his practice in North Beach is not the end, he told us—it's just another chapter coming to an end, and he feels at peace. “I feel like my angels have been looking out for me,” he said. “Telling me it's time to move.” The rent increase was simply the catalyst that caused him to take action.
Park told us that he is excited about moving to a neighborhood that's closer to his home. “I'll be able to walk to work,” he said. “I feel like I fit in better there.” There's even free parking at his new spot, something that was lacking in North Beach and elsewhere in San Francisco.
He also said that the neighborhood is changing, and that he's happy to be a part of it. “Ever since the Bi-Rite and The Mill moved in, it seems like the population almost doubled. It's hip, it's a younger demographic, but it's distinctly Divisadero.” He hopes to have a booth at the Sunday farmers market where he can connect with the community.
The physical health of his new neighbors is already on his mind: “Is there wellness here in the neighborhood? Are they smiling? Are they connecting with their neighbors? These are some of the things that I'm concerned about,” he said.
