Bi‑Rite Market is officially setting its sights on San Francisco’s Richmond District, with plans to take over the longtime corner grocery spot at California Street and 22nd Avenue. Company leaders say they have secured a lease at the former 6001 California Market site and are planning interior upgrades and accessibility work before opening. If permits and contingencies line up, Bi‑Rite is aiming for a 2027 debut.
According to SFGATE, permit filings submitted to the city’s planning department last month show Bi‑Rite intends to occupy 6001 California St., with records reflecting roughly $380,000 in approved upgrades for new toilets and improved accessibility. Patrick Mills, Bi‑Rite’s co‑CEO, confirmed the company “has engaged in a lease” while it works through outstanding “contingencies.” “If everything goes as planned, we’re targeting an opening in 2027,” Mills wrote in an emailed statement.
What the California Street site offers
The property’s commercial listing describes a freestanding building originally built for grocery use, with about 3,481 square feet on the ground floor and a 645‑square‑foot mezzanine, plus existing refrigeration, high ceilings and large skylights. Those details appear in the property’s listing on PropertyShark. The listing also calls out vintage blade signage and a neon remnant from a former market, features that make the corner feel tailor‑made for another neighborhood grocer.
How this fits Bi‑Rite's growth
If the Richmond store opens, it would bring Bi‑Rite’s San Francisco count to four locations. The company most recently rolled out a large Polk Street market in 2024, a move covered at the time in a piece on its spacious new store in Russian Hill. Bi‑Rite’s own site traces the brand’s roots to a Mission District market opened in 1940 and details the Mogannam family’s later renovations, including a 1998 remodel that added a kitchen and prep space, per Hoodline.
Next steps and timeline
Bi‑Rite emphasizes that the lease is engaged but not finalized while contingencies are resolved, so construction is not yet a sure thing. The roughly $380,000 in permit‑authorized work indicates that early efforts will center on accessibility upgrades and interior improvements, and the 2027 opening date should be viewed as a best‑case scenario. Neighbors and shoppers can keep an eye on city planning filings and the commercial listing for firmer dates and design details as the project moves forward.
