Historic Preservation Commission approves four businesses for legacy registry

The San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission on March 1 unanimously approved staff recommendations to add four long-running neighborhood businesses to the city’s Legacy Business Registry.

Planning staff presented the nominations and urged approval. Brandon Gunn described Mendel’s, a third‑generation arts-and-crafts store at 1556 Haight Street founded in 1958. Ada Tan presented Bernie's Pet Shop Inc., a dog‑grooming business founded in 1989 and operating at 177 Brandon Street since 2011; staff said Bernie's provides grooming services to thousands of dogs annually and offers job‑readiness training to local youth. Heather Samuels presented Guerra Quality Meats at 490 Teravala (Teraval) Street, a butcher, deli and grocer serving the Sunset and Parkside neighborhoods since 1954. Toluatoibi presented Castro Village Wine Company, a boutique wine shop near 19th and Castro founded in 1980 and described as one of the neighborhood’s long‑running LGBTQ‑owned small businesses.

Public commenters voiced support. Adam Tongsfoot, representing a supervisor’s office, said the office was “in full and enthusiastic support” of adding Castro Village Wine Company. An emotional public commenter spoke in favor of Bernie's Pet Shop, saying she “can’t think of a better city in the world to do business.” Mark Sherman, a partner at Guerra Quality Meats, recounted the shop’s multigenerational history and told the Commission he had promised an outgoing partner he would “keep this business going for another hundred years.”

Commissioners praised the nomination packages and staff work, calling out the cultural and community value of immigrant‑founded and multigenerational small businesses. Planning staff explained that historic resource information and building ratings are included in staff reports and that surveys are focused on neighborhood commercial corridors, particularly in priority equity geographies.

Commissioner Johns moved to adopt the recommendations to approve the four legacy business registry applications; the motion was seconded and the Commission voted unanimously in favor, recorded as 6 to 0. The Commission will place the approved businesses on the final registry list per the department’s process.

The Commission did not identify any outstanding conditions or amendments to the nominations during the vote; staff will complete the administrative steps to add the businesses to the registry.