After more than 50 years in the Castro, corner store Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Co. (598 Castro Street) will shutter next week.
Buffalo Whole Foods shared the news on multiple signs posted in the storefront's window.
Hoodline contacted Buffalo Whole Foods but did not receive a response. The store is co-owned by brothers Said and Hisham Bsisso. An exact closing date has not been announced.
Buffalo Whole Food has announced its closure. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
The Bsisso brothers are the sons of Sami Bsisso, longtime owner of Noe Hill Market, one block away at 19th and Noe. Sami Bsisso passed away from COVID in 2021. Said and Hisham Bsisso took over the family business in the wake of their father's death.
Just a day before Sami's passing in 2021, the family finalized the purchase of Buffalo Whole Food & Grain Co.
In May, Noe Hill Market was sold to new owners, and the family appears to be getting out of the corner store business altogether.
Earlier this year, Buffalo Whole Foods launched a GoFundMe campaign to help offset some of the costs associated with running the business. As of publication, the campaign has raised $2,480 of a $6,500 goal.
Signs in the window announce the store's closure. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
According to the fundraising campaign, Buffalo Whole Foods has faced some financial struggles, including a temporary closure from July 2024 through December 2024 to undergo a soft-story retrofit.
"During that difficult time, they suffered significant inventory losses and had to cover ongoing expenses with little to no income," explains Buffalo Whole Foods.
"Your support will allow the store to restock its shelves with essential groceries, catch up on costs from the months it was closed, and secure a lease renewal so it can remain in this location," added Buffalo Whole Foods.
The text on the campaign indicates that the store was currently trying to negotiate a new lease for the store.
Inside Buffalo Whole Foods. | Photo: Steven Bracco/Hoodline
Despite being in the neighborhood for over half a century, Buffalo Whole Foods is not registered as a San Francisco Legacy Business.
A mural on the 19th Street side of the building titled "Laughing Gorilla," was restored in 2019. Artist David Seibold painted the mural following the 1989 Loma Prieta earthquake and during the height of the HIV/AIDS epidemic.
Customers who wish to say goodbye are encouraged to visit the store. Items in the store are marked down 40%.
An active listing indicates the approximately 1,028-square-foot space is currently for lease. A new tenant has not been announced.
