Thanks to Buckeye Sue

Just for fun I went out to take photos of "Buckeye Sue's" childhood home on 38th Avenue the other day. In the process I came across yesterday's crazy house, plus this old commercial building on Noriega at 45th.

City records show it was built in 1949. I was attracted to it because it is pink. But then I saw all the tile. I also noticed a city Job Card, checked and there is an active permit for construction for "health food, acupressure, and acupuncture" use.


This storefront is on the Noriega side.

And this one is on 45th.


Sue - here's your block and old house. You can actually get cool views on Google Street View, too, just type in the address. Yum, you were so close to Polly Ann's.

Office Building

This office building is another one of those places I vaguely remember going into as a kid. I would love to know if anyone has any information about what it was originally.

(Update: This Henry Doelger's Headquarters. A "Doelger Homes" sign can be seen behind the gate on the left.)

It's on Judah between 8th and 9th Avenues.



The City records indicate the left half was built in 1914, and the right in 1940. With all that glass block, I don't think 1914 is right. But the addresses for the parcels don't seem to match the records either. Maybe there's another building behind it.

So many 1940's details from the clock to the numbers over the door.


Even the gate looks Art Deco to me.

Here's a peek inside:



I don't know if this sign is meant as a reference to the movie of the same name, or if the contact phone number just fell down.

In My Hood

I took this photo the other day at (obviously) Sunset Shoe Repair on Irving between 7th & 8th Ave. That reminded me of a Sunset Blog I have been meaning to tell everyone about - In My Hood SF by Grace Cunnane. She interviews and reports on people in the Inner Sunset. Here's the entry about Glenn, of Sunset Shoe Repair.

Also, I have added links to my favorite Sunset and San Francisco related sites over to the right.

Folk Wisdom

The last business at this service station at Irving and 16th was called "Folk Wisdom". According to City records is was built in 1926. I haven't been able to find what kind of gas station it was originally.

(Edit October 4, 2010 - it was a Mohawk Station. Read Frank Dunnigan's "Streetwise - Irving Insights", and see a photo of the pumps)


I had a lot of fun poking my camera through the fence.

Wonder what kind of flags hung here?


I don't think you will find a mechanic any more:


It is quite "Closed":

I wish I had taken more photos of this wall, but it is all the way in the back. The sign on the left door says "Ladies". It looks like a random wall put up at an angle. I wonder why.

Fast Food Confessions

Since it is Sunday, I have decided today will be a day of confessions. I confess I have patronized chain stores and eaten crappy food.

Confession #1. I kind of like this bright paint job. It brings out the details on this old bank.
Confession #2. I bought a bean burrito here within the past few months.


Confession #3: As I child I often ate food from this corner. Back then there was a Kentucky Fried Chicken and an H. Salt nearby. I loved H. Salt and it's funky English Newspaper decor and packaging. Sometimes we would sit in H. Salt. Sometimes we would get take out from one, the other, or both. I credit KFC in large part for my becoming a vegetarian later in life.

Confession #4: I can't remember. Where exactly was H. Salt? And wasn't what is now Taco Bell a Radio Shack?

Confession #5: I can't remember a lot about the Silver Spur (next to Taco Bell), although I have been there several times.

Confession #6: I went to Starbucks shortly after these photos were taken.

Forgive me for all my sins against my stomach, my arteries, my brain, and the neighborhood.

Epiphany at 9th and Moraga

I grew up in Golden Gate Heights. I went back yesterday to take some pictures of the closed "corner store". I was taking pictures of this one, the one we mainly went to...

then I looked over at the other former "corner store".

And I realized that these two differently-styled buildings, which I walked or drove by thousands of times, embody what I love about Sunset architecture.

I would pass this intersection every day after school, often stopping for a Coke. I'm not sure why, but I usually went to the 1930's looking one. My best friend lived on the other side of the street, so if I was with her we went to the Mediterranean looking one.


They had the newspaper on display, and I remember watching the death toll from the Jonestown massacre rise day by day. Made quite the impression on a little girl.

Tile on Lawton

The tile on this storefront at 25th and Lawton is amazing.

And notice that the walls aren't smooth, they undulate which adds even more movement to the tile design.


It was built in 1936.


I've heard there was a Sun Valley Market at 25th and Lawton. Does anyone know if it was here?

Supermarket Tile

A reader provided some history in the comments on the post about the market at 31st and Judah.

One of the things I love about old storefronts is the tile. And this one has a lot of it.



This vent cover is really neat.









And there is quite a variation in them around the neighborhood.








The bumped out header, for lack of a better term is kind of unique.


I just noticed the other day that the same red tile is on the residential/commercial building next door.


Here is the entryway for the residential/commercial:


And the little storefront:

Past Life

I wonder what this building was in a past life? It is on the corner of 31st and Judah. According to City records it was built in 1937. I don't find a photo of this intersection in the S.F. Historic Photo Collection. It looks like it could have been a grocery store, but I know there was a Safeway at 30th & Judah later. Hmm, now that I think about it, is the Gymnastics club in the old Safeway building? Need to investigate.