In recent years, businesses around the city have fought to stay in operation in the wake of mandatory seismic retrofit upgrades. A number of businesses in the Upper Haight have been affected by the new law, including Tantrum, which was forced to put a planned expansion on hold, and the Homeless Youth Alliance, which lost its space and has struggled to find a new one.
Clothing and gift boutique Earthsong (1701 Haight St.) is the latest store to be affected, with construction set to begin as soon as September 6th.
"The financial loss is potentially huge," says Bruce Becker, who's owned the shop for 11 years. "This earthquake retrofit could easily put us out of business, especially if it goes the full two months."
Though Becker's landlord has made numerous accommodations for Earthsong, including a staged construction process that will allow it to stay open in part throughout and a possible rent discount, Becker estimates that "my sales will be down anywhere from 40 to 70 percent for the one-and-a-half to two months of this construction."
"Our landlord has been fair with us, but his hands are tied, as the city is making him do this," he said. "Constant hammering, banging, crowbar prying, workers' constant chatter ... it disturbs the entire atmosphere of a small store, and customers do not want to stay inside."
Earthsong shares a building with Thai restaurant Siam Lotus and boutique Tibet Styles. We spoke to the owner at Siam Lotus and a shopkeeper at Tibet Styles, who both said that they hadn't yet been notified of any impending construction by their landlord.
Becker said that the retrofit is just one in a series of current threats to the Upper Haight's retail businesses, including the ongoing Haight Street infrastructure improvement project.
"I'm afraid that ... many Haight merchants will be put out of business," he said.
