With no return of Castro nightlife in sight, Nizario's Pizza has closed its location in the neighborhood after nearly 20 years in business.

"It breaks my heart, I love this store a lot," said Imad Bitar, owner of several Castro businesses.

Already struggling with high commercial vacancy rates pre-pandemic, the Upper Haight is losing small businesses at an alarming clip.

The Castro's sidewalks are full of diners, drinkers and exercisers, as businesses take advantage of the city's "shared spaces" program.

Storage companies across San Francisco say they haven't seen comparable demand since the 2008 recession.

In this roundup, a mix of Hayes Valley business closings, openings, and re-workings as shelter-in-place drags on into the summer.

"It was an era," says barber Philip Stover, who worked at the shop for nearly 40 years.

Two more Castro businesses have closed during the shelter-in-place

With COVID-19 case counts still manageable, San Francisco is moving to reopen some businesses earlier than expected.

"We came to the ineluctable conclusion that our tiny business won't survive," said Mini-Chic owner Coralie Tran.

Opening amidst the pandemic has "been a roller coaster," says owner Diane Ramirez. "I think everyone can vouch for that."

The company has declared bankruptcy and is closing locations across the country, with the Bay Area particularly hard-hit.

The bike shop was a social enterprise that taught repair basics and other job skills to more than 500 youth.