Neighbors/Small Businesses Win Another Victory Against STARBUCKS in the Richmond District - SF

Strike up another victory against the invasion of BIG BOX and Chain Stores in SF neighborhoods!
After a month and a half of organizing and advocacy, Richmond District residents have scored another victory against STARBUCKS which had again been trying to sneak into our inner Richmond neighborhood, this time with a proposed cofee kiosk in the newly rebuilt SAFEWAY Grocery Store on 7th Avenue at Cabrillo Street.
This afternoon we learned that Safeway, after hearing concerns from neighbors and small businesses in the area has backed down and will not seek a CONDITIONAL USE PERMIT from the SF Planning Department as required by our formula retail policy in the City [Prop H].

Earlier this month Bryan McKeon, David Tornheim, Jesse Fink and others had begun gathering signatures of support [again] for our small businesses and preserving the unique and diverse character of our Richmond District. We were successful over the summer in a similar campaign to keep STARBUCKS out of the Inner Richmond at a proposed site on Geary at 5th Avenue.
Safeway will be issuing a letter stating that they will not be seeking the conditional use permit for the STARBUCKS, but they will be using the kiosk that was set up for STARBUCKS for Safeway's own coffee.

BIG Thanks again to our Richmond small independent businesses -
Velo Rouge Cafe [Arguello @ Fulton],
Toyboat [Clement @5th],
Blue Danube [Clement @4th],
Javaholics [Balboa @6th] and
Cafe Muse [8th Ave @ Fulton]
for standing up for the unique character of our community! Thanks also to our allies Steve Williams, Lisa Feldstein, Dean Preston, Katherine Roberts, Christina Olague and others also for standing with the Richmond Residents Against STARBUCKS.