While the Planning Department recommends the Planning Commission approve the request to open the formula retail known as Target at 2675 Geary, the Department recommends the Commission disapprove the request to open the formula retail known as Unleashed by PETCO at 5411 Geary, the site of a former formula Walgreens.
The Department’s reasoning:
The proposed new use will not provide a development that is necessary or desirable with the surrounding neighborhood. There are a number of pet stores and services within the area, including two smaller locally-owned pet supply stores in the immediate vicinity and several others within two miles of the subject site, making the proposed use unnecessary.
The subject area has a large concentration of formula retail establishments, and adding another formula retail store will only increasing this concentration.
The neighborhood is well served by smaller locally owned pet stores and a larger destination formula retail pet supply store (Pet Food Express, on California Street near Presidio Avenue).
The proposed formula retail establishment could have a negative impact on existing neighborhood character by displacing smaller local stores that provide similar products and services.
No word on who the Department or opposing neighbors have lined up to take over the lease in place of Unleashed, a storefront that has been vacant and contributing to the character of the neighborhood as pictured above for the past five years.
∙ Proposed City Center Target Design (And Full Meeting) Scoop [SocketSite]
∙ Request for Conditional Use Authorization For Unleashed at 5411 Geary [sfplanning.org]
Within 2 miles!?!?! LOL That’s rich.
Anyway, so what do they propose go in there instead?
I’m boycotting local pet stores as a result of this and will only shop at target for my pet supplies:
http://www.target.com/Dog-Food-Treats-Supplies-Pets/b?ie=UTF8&node=672225011
This ruling was written from a few doors down at the table @ Starbucks in the Wells Fargo bank. The Starbucks and Peets (a few blocks down) does a brisk business. Are we as arbitrary and moody as the wind? And, I didn’t realize there were pet stores nearby to buy hay for my rabbit! [where????]
The Geary Corridor must be preserved as is at all cost!! Don’t you know it’s practically the Champs-Élysées of San Francisco! Especially the super exclusive blocks west of Park Presidio…
I like how they keep referring to “formula” retail. Show me a retailer, independent or otherwise, which is not formula. Unless one of these small pet stores also mounts car tires and hand sews evening gowns while doing some engineering consulting work on the side, I’d call it a formula store.
They should just can the double-speak and say “large corporations which are not headquatered in San Francisco and have not been coerced into making material donations to our special interests.” But I guess formula is faster to type.
I walk past this building regularly and it’s an eyesore. The only thing that makes it seem not so bad is the fact that one’s attention is usually drawn to that other eyesore, the Alexandria Theater. Geary is in desperate need of new businesses.
http://www.petfooddirect.com
No sales tax, deliver right to your door – great formula and out of reach of the corrupt directorate.
I think they should bring the Standard 5-10 (aka “five-and-dime”) back.
Hmm, I wonder who might be opposed to a competitor?
(hint: they’re located at 4820 Geary)
http://www.bandbpetsupplies.net/Location.html
Pet Food Express is at 3150 California which is pretty close
How did we get to a place where the dweebs at Planning dictate what type of store can fill a retail space? Between Planning, the MTA and our phalanx of useless commissions… I’m beginning to think that any day now the Parks Commission is going to start dictating parking.
Last time this happened was a Starbucks at the car dealership which replaced Cala Foods, at 5th & Geary. That place is still empty. I wonder if anyone’s made any offers, or if the dealership prefers to have it empty, or what.
“dweebs at Planning”
dweebs at planning, “progressives” on the BOS, ineffectual congress
All aren’t aliens from Mars. All are a reflection of us
I don’t understand the mindset of some. You can pretend that the only reason for these restrictions is some sort of wishy-washy, hippy-dippy, only-in-San-Francisco sort of leftist dictatorship, but the real reason to prevent corporate stores is to protect small businesses, supposedly the backbone of American conservatism. Small businesses are where the entrepreneurs are, where the fiscally conservative learn to be fiscally conservative.
I will continue to shop at B&B,
Good local pets stores also host vaccination
and inexpensive vet daysand other perservices such as pet teeth cleaning days.
you can’t get that delivered to your door at such a low cost.
Don’t much care for laws that try to micromanage everything. Interesting poll here:
http://richmondsfblog.com/2011/07/28/looks-like-petco-will-be-shut-out-of-5411-geary-how-do-you-feel-about-it/
“the real reason to prevent corporate stores is to protect small businesses, supposedly the backbone of American conservatism. Small businesses are where the entrepreneurs are, where the fiscally conservative learn to be fiscally conservative.”
If we had “protected” RCA, we’d still be watching color console TV’s. Had we “protected” GM, there would be no hybrids. Had we “protected” Maxwell House, we be drinking instant. Real entrepreneurs compete and find ways to deliver a better product at a lower cost. Protectionists give money to politicians to enact barriers to competition so they don’t have to improve. Society suffers.
Please let the store come in. As long as they comply with all reasonable requirements, they have the right to do business. Let the consumers decide whether to patronize them.sF
Free at Last,
Your examples are all corporations. Who said anything about protecting corporations?