San Francisco’s vibrant tapestry of long-standing businesses has gained new recognition by adding 16 establishments to the Legacy Business Registry. The Small Business Commission (SBC) announced the inclusion of these long-standing, culturally significant local businesses operating for over 30 years, raising the total to 416 since the program’s inception in 2015. The latest entrants include El Faro, the claimed originator of the “Mission-style burrito”, Robert’s Corned Meats, the city’s longest-running corned beef maker, and The Fly Trap, one of the oldest restaurants in the area.
This expansion of the Legacy Business Registry highlights San Francisco’s ongoing commitment to acknowledge and support the bedrock institutions that contribute to the city’s unique neighborhood identities. Among the marked businesses is the iconic Java Beach Café, serving the Outer Sunset with local, homegrown flavors, and Bob’s Donuts and Pastries, where the aroma of freshly baked treats, such as their signature giant donut, has been drawing crowds since the 1950s. In August, an enhanced Rent Stabilization Grant program is set to launch, designed to encourage landlords to share at least 50% of the grant benefits with their business tenants.
“Legacy Businesses anchor neighborhoods and provide the backdrop for quintessential San Francisco experiences,” says Cynthia Huie, President of the SBC. Huie emphasizes the importance of these businesses and recognizes the economic pressures they face, similar to their newer counterparts. The introduction of the Business Stabilization Grant is poised to assist these pillars of the community in maintaining their presence and contribution to the city’s rich history.
The honored businesses span a diverse range of services and cultural offerings. Nihonmachi Street Fair, Inc., a non-profit that celebrates Asian-Pacific community events and youth mentorship through festivals like the Nihonmachi Street Fair, is one of the recipients. Every new addition to the Registry, from Joanne’s Beauty Boutique, a staple in African American hair care since 1976, to Lien Ying Tai Chi Chuan Academy, which has preserved Chinese martial arts traditions for generations, reflects a different facet of San Francisco’s storied community.
Businesses included in the Legacy Business Registry receive not just recognition but tangible benefits that foster their continued operation and success. A full list of the 16 newly registered legacy businesses can be found on the SF.gov announcement. The registration process for the Legacy Business Program includes nominations, a written application, an advisory recommendation from the Historic Preservation Commission, followed by approval from the Small Business Commission, as per the criteria of having operated in San Francisco for over 30 years and contributing to the history and identity of a particular neighborhood or community.
