Committee recommends Board consider Trader Joe’s liquor‑license transfer for 555 Fulton Street

The Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee on Feb. 22 voted to send a resolution to the Board of Supervisors recommending approval of the person‑to‑person, premises‑to‑premises transfer of a Type 21 off‑sale general beer, wine and distilled spirits license for Trader Joe’s store 226 at 555 Fulton Street.

Supervisor Joel Engadio, the committee’s vice chair, moved that the clerk prepare the resolution and transmit it to the Board with the committee’s recommendation for consideration on March 5, 2024. Member Dorsey and Vice Chair Engadio recorded aye votes; the clerk announced there was no opposition and the motion carried. Chair Stephanie was excused from the meeting.

Officer Samuelson of the San Francisco Police Department’s ABC liaison unit told the committee the department had received “0 letters of protest, 0 letters of support” for the application, identified the site as Plot 551 (described in the report as a low‑crime area) and said it is in Census Tract 162, which the department characterized as a high‑saturation area. According to the officer’s presentation, Northern Station had no opposition and Administrative Land Use recommended approval with a condition that the petitioner actively monitor the area under its control to discourage loitering on adjacent property.

Dan Kramer, outside counsel for Trader Joe’s, said the store at 555 Fulton Street is scheduled to open in early May. “After many years of planning, discussions, and effort, the Trader Joe’s at 555 Fulton Street is finally scheduled to open in early May of this year,” Kramer told the committee. He said the store will be “a grocery store first and foremost,” carrying produce, meats, fish and specialty items, and that “it is estimated that less than 10% of the store’s display areas will be devoted to the sale of alcohol.” Kramer also said Trader Joe’s reviewed the conditions requested by police and planning and would accept and adhere to them. Melanie Chesley, the area manager, was present to answer operational questions.

The clerk opened public comment on the agenda item and reported no members of the public spoke on the item. With no public speakers, the committee proceeded to the motion to forward a resolution finding public convenience or necessity would be served and to transmit the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for its March 5 agenda.

The Board of Supervisors will consider the committee’s recommendation at its March 5, 2024 agenda; the committee action was limited to forwarding the resolution with a recommendation and did not itself grant the license.