After nearly four years in the Castro, fast-casual chicken-and-rice concept Rooster & Rice (4039 18th St.) closed its doors Friday, December 23.

Banking customers at the Wells Fargo branch inside the Church & Market Safeway (2020 Market St.) will soon have to find a new location.

After over five years in the Castro, LGBTQ+ social club The Academy (2166 Market St.) has announced a significant expansion of the club's footprint.

Overnight on Monday, the Castro's Parisian-themed bakery and cafe Le Marais Bakery (498 Sanchez) had its storefront window smashed and the business burglarized for the second time in about a month, leaving its owners frustrated and disappointed.

After three years in the Castro, progressive Indian restaurant Bhoga (468 Castro St.) is calling it quits. However, the space won't sit vacant for long.

After nearly 12 years, Castro neighborhood fine jeweler D&H Jewelers (2323 Market St.) has departed and moved to a new location in the Mission.

Popular Castro cookie shop Hot Cookie (407 Castro St.) is celebrating its 25th anniversary with festivities all month long including rollback pricing and a customer appreciation party. Festivities kicked off Tuesday and will last throughout the entire month.

The 9th Annual Lesbians Who Tech & Allies Summit kicks off Wednesday in the Castro, and as of Tuesday night, two blocks of Castro Street were fully blocked off for the event.

Last week at the monthly virtual Castro Merchants membership meeting the group announced that it has declined to sign a letter in support of Another Planet Entertainment's proposed changes to the 100-year-old Castro Theatre.

Last month, the San Francisco Small Business Commission added Castro mailbox and shipping store P.O. Plus (584 Castro St.) to the city's Legacy Business Registry, which recognizes "longstanding, community-serving businesses" that have established themselves in area neighborhoods for at least three decades.

Le Marais Bakery & Cafe in the Castro is becoming Bistro Le Marais, and they're opening a Grande Creperie window on the 18th Street side in back of the existing restaurant.

On Friday September 16, Castro community gathering space and art pop-up Third Space opened at the former gay bathhouse/sex club Eros (2051 Market St. at Church).

After a quick remodel and concept change, Niji Japanese Sushi & Bar has opened at 3970 17th Street (near Castro).