Divisadero Corridor

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Take a look back at the Divisadero Corridor as we made our way through 2025. These are some of my favorite photos, many of which have not been shared before - not even on our very photo-centric Instagram.

As I say often, this project began when I moved to this neighborhood in 2004 and took photos with a little Olympus Stylus 300 point-and-shoot digital camera. Working as a freelance writer and editor (the camera was supposed to help me add photographer to that resume), I usually took a break in the afternoon and wandered around the Corridor making images of what I was seeing. At first it was mostly photos of old cars, fading storefronts, graffiti and the occasional other person I saw walking by. As you've heard, that Divisadero was nothing like today's Divisadero, except for one thing: the people.

What I noticed early on in this project, was that everyone I met while out on the Corridor was especially proud to call this neighborhood home. Whether they were born and raised here in the Western Addition or had lived in a rent-controlled apartment for decades; whether they were a newbie here to work in the tech industry or a maker who could score some affordable space and start a business following their passion. The word "community" has come in and out of vogue over the 20+ years I've been documenting Divisadero, but it's a good word and one you will hear people say over and over again when describing what it is that they love about this place.

Divisadero Street, a north-south corridor that runs through the City, a crossroads for the east-west one-time cross-city freeway project that gave us the Oak and Fell streets we have today, is more or less the center of San Francisco.

Before I get too far into this year-end recap of what went on, what went down and what just was out on the Corridor, I'd like to offer up a big shoutout to all you Community Corridor supporters. It was a tough decision for me to start asking for some financial backing for this project documenting our neighborhood. It has been (and still is) a labor of love to share with you what I see out there and put it into a format that can reach the most people the fastest (the Divisadero Corridor Instagram account).

I'd still like to see support for this neighborhood resource grow in 2026, but the reason I've kept at it in 2025 is because of those of you who have stepped up to appreciate the value that a project like this can provide. We're not exactly Mission Local yet - but I want the Instagram account and these posts to be the leading source for what's happening in this part of the City. Our Instagram followers keep growing for reasons I think are three-fold:

We are the best neighborhood in the City!

We get lots of love from our followers who tag, share and send tips every day.

We provide engaging and useful hyperlocal content on our feed that simply can't be found all in one place anywhere else.

So, without further ado, here are the stories that got the most likes, feedback, traction and just plain deserve not to be forgotten.

The Oak Street pinwheels - see bonus video above. Probably nothing charmed us more during a very cool and windy spring than the whimsy of the pinwheels on Oak between Divisadero and Scott. We hear they were installed by a neighbor. They magically appeared for a few weeks and then...they vanished.

300-block loses two long-time businesses. We said goodbye to thin-crust pizzeria Ragazza after 15 years at the end of March and we'll be losing Cookin', the vintage cooking supply store, after nearly four decades at the end of the year. Rumors continue to bubble up that there is a new tenant coming to the Ragazza space (windows are currently covered with butcher paper). As for Cookin', owner Judy Kaminsky is planning a sale to sell off all inventory - but in her well-known irascible fashion, she told the publication Jweekly that unless you're an industry professional, "you're not invited". Judy loves to talk about cooking and cookware, so we believe if you are a serious cook and need one last item to make the perfect holiday meal, she may let you in.

Gamescape turns 40! - and we were treated to a wonderful story of the business as told by the original owner Bob Hamilton (Tom's dad) in a video produced by local Jason Jervis of Seven X Productions.

Tenants move back into building gutted by fire. In 2022, a fire in the building on the corner of Divis & McAllister displaced approximately 13 tenants and two long-time businesses. While some of the original tenants returned to refurbished apartments back in February, the two businesses - the Oasis Cafe and Kava Lounge - still have not been able to reopen. And there's no word on if they ever will.

Found video interview with author Anne Rice . You may have heard the stories that the late Anne Rice set a famous scene in her novel "Interview with the Vampire" in a house on Divisadero Street. But this year we got 100% confirmation that the house is indeed in the 500-block in an interview with Rice conducted across the street from the house in 2011. This was a story that we were tipped off on by dozens of followers. Thanks to their leads, we were able to track down the original video from the aptly named Instagram account, Vampire Chronicles.

New murals. Street art always gets a lot of love, and this year there was a lot to love by way of commissioned murals. You cannot miss the Pink Lady by Jas Charanjiva on the side of Rare Device (Hayes & Divis). Further up the block, the mural on the side of Eddie's Cafe (McAllister & Divis) by Anni Liu was an instant hit. Who doesn't love Eddie's, penguins, flowers and the Golden Gate Bridge? Garage door murals add a jolt of art where you least expect it. We hope you've passed by the psychedelic hairless cat by up-and-coming street art superstar Liv Losee-Unger (aka ORLUarts) on Oak Street as you approach Divis (near the old Vinyl Cafe). Did anyone notice all three new neighborhood murals are by women street artists? Hooray if you did!

There was lots of love for two new businesses that opened up at the end of the year - and we hope you have time to stop in over the holidays because both will serve you well. First up - we've got Bitters & Bottles Spirit Shop. Simply put, when you are making designer cocktails at home and are missing that one very specific ingredient, B&B's going to have your back. They are also now permitted to do cocktail tastings (both with and without alcohol), so keep an eye out for those. And, just in time for the winter cold snap, Pho Divis has us covered with all the Vietnamese pho and noodle standards. Great additions!

The fire at Pho Divis sister restaurant Banh Mi Viet in June shocked us all (fortunately no one was hurt). The outpouring of support for this little sandwich place from the community was astounding, and special mention to goes to Michael "Spike" Krouse, owner of the Madrone Art Bar, who immediately offered his neighbors the use of his bar as a pop-up space. It took me about 10 days to get over to the pop up to show my support, but was I shocked when I got there! Banh Mi Viet had quickly cleaned up, repaired and regrouped and was open again in their original space.

Finally, our last big story of the year concerned Daisy - a little green 1966 Volvo 122s that has been parked around the mean streets of the Corridor for years. Since the start of Instagram, Daisy developed a bit of a modeling career, becoming "the most photographed car in the neighborhood". Daisy's disappearance sparked much love, concern and green heart emojis. The owner informed us Daisy had been stolen! And then, just as we began to accept the loss of Daisy, and her perfectly parked presence in front of one of our majestic Victorians or classic Edwardians, she reappeared! Daisy was recovered by the police and towed back to the neighborhood, but just for a few days. The damage had been done, and the owner did not see much of future for Daisy, who was already in need of extensive repairs. So, this week Daisy fittingly rode off into the sunset, for the last time.

Daisy rides off into the sunset. Photo by Daisy's owner.

Daisy in happier times. Photo by Kathy Drasky.

There's one more post coming your way in 2025 -- a video montage of my favorite photos of the Divisadero Corridor taken this year. Similar to recapping our big stories, the photos paint a picture of who we are. Taking photos on the Corridor was the start of this project all the way back in 2004. It's still my favorite part of the "job".

[September 3, 2025[

In August, a new mural by artist Anni Liu went up on the side of Eddie's Cafe (Divisadero at Fulton).

Summer is San Francisco's most confusing season. The days are long, but cool. It's light out until 9pm, but the fog obscures any potential sunset. One month turns into the next not so much with the fear or sadness of time passing by too quickly, but with anticipation of what's to come - September, October, warmer days, the best weather of the year! It should make us all feel a little better about the state of the world.

If you're like me, you've sought warmth in other parts of the country (even if it's just wine country). But you have to admit, no matter how good that sunshine and hot weather felt on your skin and psyche you loved coming back to San Francisco. Here's a few things (besides the fog) that you might have missed.

Fatal "E-Bike" Accident on Divisadero (at Fell)

On July 21 at approximately 11pm, a man on what some say was an e-bike, but others claim might have been something more powerful (like an e-moped), hit two pedestrians who were crossing against the light. The rider, Matthias Mederer, 64, was critically injured at the time and later succumbed to his injuries. The pedestrians survived.

There is video out there, but we've been asked not to share it.

There has been much speculation as to who was "more" at fault here: a rider on a two-wheel vehicle that was speeding (even if he had the right of way) or the pedestrians who shouldn't have been crossing against the light. Although it's been six weeks since this accident, many questions remain unanswered. I'm following the story on the KQED website.

650 Divisadero Approved for Affordable Housing (Again)

I say, "again" because we've all been hearing about this for several years. Yet, it looks like this time the property on Divis at Grove (currently the home of Seismic Retrofitters) is actually going to become a 10-story, 107-unit dwelling that will be classified as "100% affordable". According to YIMBY, construction is slated to begin at the end of 2026 and be completed by 2028.

Former D5 Supervisor Dean Preston has called this plan (in which a tax on the rich to fund social housing - Prop. I, passed in 2020) "a democratic socialist victory."

Whichever side of the spectrum you fall on, more neighbors on Divisadero is a good thing!

While we've also heard that new developers have been found for 400 Divisadero (the former Touchless Car Wash) and that the DMV property between Broderick and Baker at Fell and Oak might someday be home to a mixed-use property (which will incorporate a shiny, new DMV), there's no recent news on either of those developments.

fnnch Museum in the Pink Painted Lady Open through September

Love those honey bears (or not), this is a great addition to take your visitors to see inside one of the Painted Ladies at Alamo Square. Local pop artist fnnch started his street stencil work on and around Divisadero more than a decade ago. During the pandemic, multiple masked versions of his honey bears were affixed to windows throughout the neighborhood (you can still spot a few of these). Go have a look - it's free, and that alone should make you smile.

Cookin' Good

[June 9, 2025]

More than a year ago, San Francisco-based artist Dan Bransfield added the Divisadero Corridor to his iconic line-up of San Francisco neighborhood posters. We all felt honored to be in the club that included the usual well-known 'hoods like Chinatown, the Castro, Haight-Ashbury, and the Mission. I'm not sure if we were somewhere in the middle, or near the end of this ambitious undertaking, because eventually Dan covered every major neighborhood and many microhoods. Each poster features the local businesses that line the neighborhood's main corridor with a series of "insider" #IYKYK images - in our case, the Page Bar's antlered elk, a muscle car parked in front of Precision Auto, the Perish Trust typewriter, NoPa's cheeseburger, and many more. Sounds like San Francisco's "most eclectic neighborhood" to me!

But in any undertaking of this magnitude, someone or something is always invariably left out. And when missing businesses weighed in last year, Dan revised the poster to include them. A few weeks ago, a new version of the poster debuted and was posted on our Instagram feed. Again, some long-time businesses pointed out that they were left out - as were the handful of new businesses that have opened since the previous poster.

I contacted Dan to double-check that our post featured his most current updated poster and he confirmed that what you see above is indeed what he now has on offer. I let him know that several folks were upset about being left out and Dan replied, quite honestly, "There are so many places I can't fit them all!" Fair enough - unless you're one of the missing businesses and/or a supporter of them, in which case, this version of the Divisadero poster remains incomplete.

So, what effort does include everybody? How about our very own Divisadero Corridor directory, which you can find here. Each business has a link to their current website or Instagram account. Feel free to share this, or add the link to your collateral. (And, if for any reason you don't see your business, just let me know and we'll get that fixed ASAP!)

Another great place for all-inclusiveness, of course, is our Instagram account, @DivisaderoCorridor. This summer we celebrate 10 years of posting the latest images snapped not just on Divisadero Street (between Haight and Golden Gate), but also from the surrounding areas that feed into this main business Corridor - which includes, more or less, north to Geary and south to where Divis meets Castro, and east and west from Divis to Masonic and Fillmore.

I err on the side of not leaving anything or anybody out. If you regularly check our IG stories, that's where you'll see a wide range of what makes us so, well, eclectic. On any given day our "story", which will disappear in 24 hours, includes neighborhood news ranging from live performances, merchant updates, food and drink specials, art openings, bus schedule changes, construction updates and as always, photos by our neighbors showing daily life on the Corridor. While I encourage everyone to tag us, I guess some days I run into the same challenge with the updates Dan Bransfield had with the Divisadero poster, "I can't fit them all." But in the world of digital media, check back in a few hours.

#ICYMI

In this case, you might really have missed this - everything happened so fast! Late one early June afternoon, those who have signed up for AlertSF received messages about an "incident" at Divisadero and Fell. Several others, who were out and about, heard and then saw multiple fire trucks on the 500-block, and within hours, still others walked by to see that Banh Mi Viet had sustained what looked to be a business-shuttering fire. Although the cause remains unknown (to us), neighbors at the Madrone Art Bar stepped up to offer pop-up space for sandwiches while Banh Mi Viet cleaned up and re-organized. Within two weeks, we passed by to see Banh Mi Viet back in business. A true feel-good story of the neighborhood networking and businesses helping one another out. We're glad no one was hurt, and that a beloved business was spared a fate all-too-common to old buildings that have been repurposed multiple times and as a result are prone to fires.

We're sad to report that the "pinwheel pop up" that lined the south side of Oak St. from Divisadero to Scott has been removed. While we never determined who did this, and can only assume it was a creative neighbor who wished to remain anonymous, those colorful pinwheels spun virtually 24 hours day during a very windy spring.

We've got a breaking story that the oversized Seep City water map at 860 Divisadero was recently removed. A walk by confirms it is indeed gone. But we'd like to bring you a whole lot more info on this interesting piece some have referred to as "street art" which mapped the waterways under the streets of San Francisco. Check our Instagram feed later this month.

If one conversation piece must leave, another will ultimately appear. It's great to see Divisadero's first tiny library in front of J.P. Kempt at 351 Divisadero. Painted in the style of a barber pole, of course. Take a book, leave book - you know the drill.

Early days, but we reported in our stories last week that a new tenant is taking over the old Coin Wash & Dry space at 806 Divisadero. Look for Sensitive Vintage, coming later this summer.

And, to close out - there is still no additional news on what's happening at 777 Divisadero. We've all had our eyes on this property since April, when it was first reported that construction workers were on the premises. Best guesses were an upscale bakery might be coming soon; the rumor-mill churns that a one-time pastry chef from Ju-Ni had originally planned to use the space to make Basque cheesecakes (as far back as 2021). But to the naked eye (looking through the windows), there has seemingly been no progress for months. We continue to "watch this space".

A Word of Thanks

[May 1, 2025]

Last month we held our first-ever Divisadero Corridor Photo Walk, led by local photographer Baidi Kamagate. Coming and going throughout the walk, we had about 18 photographers, and I've been sharing the images they created during our two-hour magic-hour stroll on the Instagram feed. I hope you're seeing those images and following some of these talented folks, who also just might be your neighbors.

So many good aspects about this evening: Baidi's expertise in giving pointers to photographers of all levels with all types of cameras: from iPhones to the sweetest little Pentax Auto 110 (camera nerds will want to look that one up); the chance to connect with other photographers and see them make images around the neighborhood I've been documenting for 20 years -- fresh eyes!; and a chance for us to patronize two local businesses: the Mill for coffee to get us started and the Fly Bar for some drinks to unwind afterward.

Will we do another one? Well, based on the enthusiasm from this first one, it seems like we should. Maybe in the fall, when the magic hour light on Divis is completely different and perhaps we can even let it roll into the night. Divis After Dark has a pretty good ring to it, don't you think?

Legacy Business Gamescape Gets a Video

Good work by neighbor Jason Jervis and Seven X Productions on this terrific video on legacy business Gamescape. While it's too late to win a Gamescape t-shirt (clever promotion), I encourage you to have a look at the short video here. You'll learn some interesting things about this business, which has called the 300-block of Divis home since 1985!

A (Belated) Interview With the Vampire Author, the Late Anne Rice

I'd heard the rumors, too. That former Haight-Ashbury resident, the late author Anne Rice, had used a home on Divisadero Street as an influence for a scene in her first novel, "Interview With the Vampire" (published way back in 1976). But it wasn't until a tipster tagged us on an impromptu interview with the author herself that we finally had confirmation. And - a little off-the-cuff imagery of Divis in the 1970s (the liquor store now known as New Star Ell had a flashing neon sign?). Anne's husband (also an author) was on his way to an interview at a local radio station (KPOO-FM?). It all makes sense when you watch this early-days smartphone video of Anne Rice shot on the 500-block of Divisadero in 2010.

Pink Lady Mural by Artist Jas Charanjiva

You can't miss it! On the corner of Divis & Hayes, on the side of Rare Device, you'll now find the completed Pink Lady mural by Jas Charanjiva. Not only does this add a whopping blast of color to the Corridor as we approach fog season, there's a remarkable history to this piece which you can read about here. It's also fantastic to see a partnership between a local business and a mural artist. While there are a handful of murals around the neighborhood with the backing of the local business they adorn, we could always use more. I occasionally get messages from artists who want to paint a mural on Divisadero and my response to them is always the same: approach the local business with the blank wall. It seems if the business has the right to paint or decorate their exterior, they might be open to your vision.

Non-Updates

Unfortunately, there's no new information on the potential bakery-in-progress at 777 Divisadero that we reported on in the post above. A walk by this morning showed progress to be about exactly where it was last month. The space still looks to be undergoing a top-grade fit out.

Last month, the San Francisco Standard did a relatively thorough piece on the bizarre story of the racist attacks, followed by a devastating fire at the home of Alamo Square dog walker Terry Williams. We were sad to learn that Terry's mom, who suffered injuries during that fire last May, passed away in January. And, we remain diligent in trying to find out if the Go Fund Me's (there were two), which raised hundreds of thousands of dollars for Terry and his family after the fire, are being properly distributed. We know a lot of you contributed to these efforts. While there may be a "pay wall" keeping you from accessing the Standard's story through your laptop or desktop computer, it still seems accessible via mobile devices and is a "must read".

[April 16, 2025]

Greetings to all who celebrate anything right now: Easter, Passover, Spring, 420...like the proverbial hidden Easter egg, you just need to know where to look. And, failing that, maybe you'll just get lucky and stumble across something that will brighten your day. Like the re-vamped Divisadero Halloween House, now sporting a hot pink blow-up bunny.

All energies are going into the Divisadero Corridor first-ever photo walk taking place this Friday evening - April 18. As someone who has photographed this part of San Francisco for more than 20 years, I've long enjoyed sharing images made by other photographers with different styles and talents. For several years I have featured the work of some well-known local shooters and top Instagrammers and that's how I met Baidi Kamagate, who will lead this walk around the neighborhood starting at 5pm.

We've had a lot of interest in the photo walk, so I hope I'll see some of you there. The most common question has been, "Can I shoot with my smartphone?" Of course! I'm all for losing the stigma that iPhoneography or Mobiography is not real photography. C'mon! We've all been recording what we see with our smartphones for years now.* I'm a firm believer in the old adage that "the best camera is the one you have with you." Quite often, it is all I have when I'm traversing the Corridor. That said, all types of cameras and photographers are welcome, and everyone who does the walk will have the chance to have their work featured on the Divisadero Corridor feed.

Two additional important notes about the photo walk: If you'd like to grab a coffee from The Mill before we start, please arrive around 4:30, since The Mill shuts at 5. And, depending on where the walk ends (around 7pm), let's grab a drink at the closest bar.

The new mural on the side of Rare Device by Jas Charanjiva is coming along. The Pink Lady is a symbol to empower, uplift and inspire. This is a collaboration between Jas and Rare Device, so if you have a few dollars to donate to help the artist with supplies and the incredible amount of time that goes into this, you will be entered into a raffle to win a prize package of vouchers good at several local Divisadero businesses. This link will fill you in.

Several folks have noticed some activity at the long-empty 777 Divisadero. A construction worker told me he thought it might be a bakery, and a look inside kind of corroborated his story.

It's a fancy fit-out, so I'm not just expecting any bakery. A search of the property only tells me that there were plans back in 2021 for a Oui Oui Macaroon (and Basque cheesecake shop) to be opened by Ju-Ni pastry chef Cathleen Li. Ju-Ni, as you know, has recently expanded beyond its well-deserved omakase rep into smashburgers over at Hamburger Project in the 800 block, so could I be onto something? Watch this space!

Thanks, as always, for reading - and your Community Corridor support. It allows me to bring you this news, curate images from talented photographers and dream about Basque cheesecake within walking distance. See you out there!

[March 30, 2025]

Grief, they say, comes in waves. While many of us are still coping with the loss of Little Star Divisadero* last year, 2025 has wasted no time dropping us on our head all over again. Walking along the 300-block of Divis less than two weeks ago, I saw a sign in the window at Ragazza. And I knew it wasn't going to be good.

After 15 years on the Corridor, the owners decided to go out on a high note. Citing decreased customer volume since the Pandemic and being asked to commit to a new five-year lease, they chose to close down the popular restaurant that specialized in thin-crust gems. You could eat inside the cozy, high-ceiling'd dining room or out in the back inside the fog-protected gazebo. Or, if you lived around the corner like I did, you could still get a couple of pizzas home while they were hot.

That's our last to-go order up top. We went with the Moto and the New York, New York and pulled slices out of the box before I could snap a quick photo - causing me to do a little emergency food-styling. It doesn't do justice to the whole experience, whether dining in or taking it home. If you ever walked inside Ragazza on a chilly San Francisco evening, you will never forget the warmth of the pizza oven filling the entire restaurant, coupled with the friendliness and warmth of the staff.

The sad post about Ragazza to the Divis Instagram feed was one of our most "liked", and also one of our most shared. And the comments paint a picture of just how special a long-standing restaurant can be to a community. It was the go-to for a romantic evening as much as it was a place to catch up with friends. It was the local place you took your out-of-town guests. People with teenagers fretted that their children knew no other pizza. Many a tourist staying at the Metro Hotel spent their first jet-lagged evening in San Francisco with a comfort meal of pizza and red wine. Alex M. said it best, "Close to a perfect restaurant."

And, as our second source so aptly titled their story, Arrivederci, Ragazza.

We know there are a few other places for slices and pies up and down the Corridor. There's those amazing special occasion $32 pizzas at Che Fico (the one with the pineapple is pretty dang awesome). There's the super affordable Apizza that now shares space with Loving Cup. We've got to consider ourselves fortunate to have a second location of San Francisco standard Beretta and to have the brick and mortar of Sunset Squares (which, btw, also does round) in the 'hood. Don't forget Primo Pizza, especially if you 're up in the northern part of the neighborhood. And there's even something pizza-like from Little Brother's Pizza inside the Foghorn Taproom, which took over the Little Star Divisadero space.

But I do ask you to grab a slice and give some love to the pizza joint that has outlasted them all - Bus Stop Pizza, aptly situated in front of the 24 bus stop on Divis near Haight. It's been there since 1986. If you ever grabbed a slice after school or in the midst of a night of partying - Bus Stop will remind you of all those no-frill occasions when you needed something to fill the gap between meals or beers. It's consistent, and we are lucky to have them!

__________

[March 15, 2025]

Recognize this magnolia? It's currently in full bloom in our beloved Panhandle, where I was out walking this morning. Okay, so it's a little chilly (was that "feels like 39 F" on the weather app yesterday legit? - um, yeah). But the magnolias are in bloom and we have already had three springs this winter, so enjoy the local color while you can.

In case you've missed any of the Divisadero Corridor posts on Instagram, here's a quick recap of what's been going on since the beginning of the year:

It looks like there is another new proposal for housing at 400 Divisadero (aka the long-dormant Touchless Car Wash space). As always, we like to say "watch this space" - because we've been watching it for the past 7 or 8 years. (Read more.)

Maybe our new mayor Daniel Lurie and/or our new D5 supervisor Bilal Mahmood will be able to fast track the above housing, which includes about 30 more units than a previous proposal, with fewer "affordable" units. While neither the reduced service on the Muni's 24 Divisadero, which went into effect on February 1, or the closing of "our" Walgreens at Divis and O'Farrell on February 24 can be attributed to them, both are bringing a "can do" sensibility to the City. We shall see what that will ultimately translate to.

In some of the best news, the building at the corner of Divisadero & McAllister (in the 900-block) that was gutted by fire in 2022 is showing signs of rebirth. I've heard directly from some tenants who were displaced that they are now back in their refurbished units. And, work is ongoing inside both first-floor businesses - the Kava Lounge and Oasis Cafe. Could we be sipping kava again and watching satellite-beamed soccer games while sampling Ethiopian food (or bagels and strong coffee) by the next update?

Sadly, we also shared the news of the untimely (yet peaceful) passing of local artist Pete Doolittle. If you were a regular at any of the Divisadero or Lower Haight art walks, you most likely encountered Pete and his colorful and quirky art, often rendered on discarded Victorian windows. Pete's art was truly a hyperlocal, one-of-kind specialty. Here's a great photo of Pete in the Panhandle (courtesy of 48 Hills) with some of his art. R.I.P., dear talented one.

I'm continuing to share photos by local photographers - so, if you - or someone you know - enjoys roaming around the neighborhood with any type of camera, please tag those photos @divisaderocorridor. I love to feature what we're all seeing out there and try to share every image either on the feed or in our popular stories.

[December 12, 2024]

One of the saddest stories I've followed for many years on Divisadero Corridor was the senseless drive-by shooting of high school student Aubrey Abrakasa, Jr. at the corner of Baker and Grove streets in 2006. Aubrey's mom, Paulette Brown, has spent the past 18 years advocating to keep this case open until the killer is found and brought to justice. Along the way, she has become a tireless advocate for other women like herself, single moms who have lost children to gun violence.

The momentum of Paulette's quest for justice for her son has built, not faded. She has worked with our local politicians and appointees, no matter how many times they have changed in the past two decades. And yesterday, the connections she has forged with Mayor London Breed, Supervisor Dean Preston, Police Chief William Scott, District Attorney Brooke Jenkins and many others revealed itself...so to speak. This small section of Grove Street has been renamed Aubrey Abrakasa, Jr. Street. Perhaps his name on this sign will at last bring the lead Paulette and her family have been waiting for.

It was a celebratory event, despite the sadness of the occasion. And also the fact that we will be saying goodbye to Mayor Breed and Supervisor Preston at the end of the year as both lost their recent elections. But let this video show for the record we are losing a resilient and calm-in-crisis mayor, who keeps the event together in spite of a minor malfunction.