A new antique store has opened in the Castro, hoping to woo more designers to the neighborhood by targeting high-end antiques and collectibles.
Evolve (4115 19th Street) is the creation of owners Richard Sablatura and Jeffrey Doney . The jewel box boutique specializes in prints and engravings from the 18th and 19th centuries, with an additional emphasis on European furniture and natural artifacts. The latter category is best represented by Doney's extensive butterfly collection, which adorns the shop.
Sablatura explains that the two, who are both gay, had long discussed opening an antique store. When the 19th Street location opened up the time seemed right to pursue the dream. "Really, the stars aligned and it all came together," he said.
Doney's background is in architecture, and he provides the design know-how and collector's eye for Evolve. The store's stock has been gathered over time, and the two continue to go out on buying expeditions to develop the collection. Additionally, the shop features items sold on consignment for other antique dealers.
According to Sablatura, the business side of the duo, sales for the first six months have exceeded their goals, and they are optimistic for 2014. One focus for the new year is to build relationships with designers and decorators to encourage them to look beyond the Design district, and to peruse Evolve's collection.
For more information, including photos of some of their feature items, visit www.evolvestudio.co.
Lighting the entrepreneurial fire
Another San Francisco small business took a major step in the latter half of 2013. Christina Espinosa, the heart behind the brand The Heated , made the former side project her full-time job. Espinosa originally sold her screen-printed kitchen towels as merchandise to promote her musical career, but she soon found that the screen-printing was becoming more successful than the music, so now she is fully concentrated on developing her product line.
The towels are currently sold in specialty boutiques throughout the Bay Area, as well as online in her Etsy store. Espinosa's top selling designs feature San Francisco icons such as the Golden Gate Bridge and Sutro Tower, and fittingly all of the towels are printed in San Francisco. The towels themselves are made in the U.S.
Espinosa, an out lesbian, noted that she has never hidden her orientation, freely posting photos of her wedding to her Twitter and Instagram accounts.
"I wonder if being a lesbian was actually a small advantage for me, because it made me and my products stand out a little," she mused.
In the coming year, Espinosa is planning to expand The Heated to include a line of screen-printed cards and flour sack napkins to match the kitchen towels.
The path for a single entrepreneur is not simple, but Espinosa encourages others to step out to see what is possible.
"I was just a self-starter with no formal training," she said. "I didn't even know how to do the screen-printing, except for the directions on the box. But I took an idea and ran with it, and I think a lot of people could do that. If you want to learn something, just go for it."
The Heated towels are carried by various boutiques, including Local Take (3979-B 17th Street, San Francisco), Marion and Rose (461 19th Street, Oakland), and Modern Mouse (2223 South Shore Center, Alameda), as well as online at www.etsy.com/shop/theheated.
Ixia turns 30
While new businesses continue to pop-up, one of the oldest gay-owned businesses in the Castro, florist Ixia (2231 Market Street) celebrated its 30th anniversary in November.
According to owner Gary Weiss, "I believe we are the third oldest LGBT[-owned] store in the Castro after Orphan Andy's (3991 17th Street) and Michael Bruno (2267 Market Street) ..."
In those 30 years Weiss has seen a tremendous amount of change in the Castro, and he worries about the direction that the historically gay neighborhood is headed.
"I'm frequently in disagreement with others about formula retail in the Castro. I'm on the side of making sure that the distinctive flavor of the Castro remains," said Weiss in an interview with the Bay Area Reporter. "If we continue to dilute the reason why the Castro exists, then people from all over will feel less that it is a destination that they need to come to."
On the question of whether more formula retail should be allowed to open in the neighborhood, Weiss observed, "It's always the same discussion, that this next company isn't so bad for some reason. But then, where is the tipping point? When do you suddenly realize that there are too many chain stores?"
But Weiss is excited by the Castro sidewalk-widening project, set to be completed this year.
"This entire plan is so amazing," he said. "It's the best possible thing that could happen for the Castro, and I have to give credit to [District 8 Supervisor] Scott Wiener for pushing this through."
Weiss noted that business for Ixia actually improved during 2013, so he is hopeful for a busy 2014. He credits the passage of marriage equality in particular for boosting the wedding side of his business.
Healthy San Francisco settlements announced
On December 30 the San Francisco City Attorney's office announced the results of a major investigation of the Healthy San Francisco surcharges paid by customers and collected by many city eateries. These surcharges are intended to offset health care coverage costs mandated by a city ordinance in 2007.
Last January, City Attorney Dennis Herrera began a citywide investigation and audit to determine whether restaurants were appropriately disbursing the collected funds. A total of 57 businesses were part of the investigation, which resulted in 38 negotiated settlements totaling more than $2 million. Herrera's office offered a one-time 50 percent amnesty, and many restaurants reached settlements under that agreement.
The restaurants reaching settlements with the city include three Castro eateries: Cafe Flore, 2298 Market Street, $19,670; Burgermeister, a local chain with a location at 138 Church Street, $134,088; and Squat and Gobble, a local chain with a location at 3600 16th Street, $200,766.10.
An additional two restaurants reached non-cash settlements, and 17 were cleared of wrongdoing.