Committee recommends approval of Margaritos liquor license transfer in District 9

The San Francisco Public Safety and Neighborhood Services Committee voted unanimously on Feb. 23 to recommend that the Board of Supervisors approve the transfer of a Type 48 on‑sale general public premises liquor license to Francisco Javier Villalobos for Margaritos, a proposed neighborhood bar in District 9.

Chair Supervisor Catherine Stephanie moved that "the public convenience or necessity would be served" and directed the clerk to prepare a resolution reflecting that recommendation. The motion passed with three ayes from Vice Chair Angadio, Supervisor Dorsey and Chair Stephanie, and the committee forwarded the recommendation to the Board of Supervisors for final action.

Officer Salmasen of the San Francisco Police Department’s Alcoholic Beverage Control (ABC) liaison unit presented the committee with a PCN (public convenience or necessity) report and told members, "I have 0 letters of protest, 0 letters of support," and described the site as located in Plot 454 in Census Tract 209, an area the liaison characterized as high‑crime and high‑saturation at Mission Station. Salmasen said the ABC liaison "recommends approval with the following Number 1, petitioner shall actively monitor the area under their control in an effort to prevent the loitering of persons on any property adjacent to the [premise] ... and that entertainment provided shall not be audible at any nearby residence."

Applicant Francisco Javier Villalobos, who identified himself as the previous owner of Spitfire Rose Bar, told the committee he seeks to relocate a Type 48 license to a long‑standing bar location on Fourth Street and said, "I want to open a community bar that represents San Francisco mission culture that allows for our people in the neighborhood to come and socialize while having a few drinks." Villalobos said operations would be indoors, with background music, two to three TVs at most, and a capacity he described as 50 people.

Clerk John Carroll explained public comment procedures and reported there were no public speakers in the chamber and no remote callers requesting to speak on the item, so no public testimony was received beyond the applicant and the ABC liaison report.

Next steps: the committee’s favorable recommendation will appear as an item on the Board of Supervisors agenda on March 7, 2023, where the full board may consider the resolution and the license transfer request.