G. Allen Johnson February 12, 2021Updated: February 13, 2021, 10:45 am
CineArts at the Empire, a three-screen movie theater in the West Portal neighborhood of San Francisco, announced it has closed the theater permanently. There is hope that another tenant can be found. Photo: Stephanie Wright Hession
CineArts at the Empire, which first began screening films in the silent movie era, will not reopen, parent company Cinemark Holdings Inc. announced this week.
The closure is a “normal course of business and the result of the careful and ongoing review of our theatre fleet, particularly in light of the impact of COVID-19,” Cinemark said in a statement.
Frank Dunnigan, WNP member and columnist. -
Tourism has been a growing business in San Francisco ever since the Midwinter Fair of 1894 lured visitors to the temperate climate and scenic attractions in Golden Gate Park and nearby areas. Most people who visit today will end up seeing the usual tourist spots the city has to offer Fisherman’s Wharf, Chinatown, cable cars and Lombard Street but when you want to show off the beauty and charm of San Francisco a bit closer to home, keep in mind that there’s plenty to see and do in the western half of town.
Frank Dunnigan, WNP member and columnist. -
A few months ago, we looked at some long-gone neighborhood businesses whose owners lived among us. Today we look at even more favorite places, including some owned by people or corporations from beyond the Avenues.
Adeline Bake Shop A West Portal fixture (plus downtown locations) for fifty years. Owned by the Lembo family, living nearby on Wawona Street, Adeline had the best Danish pastry in the neighborhood, but their last shop closed in the late 1990s.
Bino s Northwest corner of 32nd Avenue and Noriega Street: Classic tablecloth-style “dinner house” restaurant, operated 1951-1981 by 30th Avenue residents Anita Bino and her husband Louis (formerly of Grison’s).
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Historic Italian restaurant Original Joe s opens a new spinoff in S.F. loaded with pizza and pasta
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Little Original Joe s Ultimate Paradise Pizza with pepperoni, salami and bell peppers.Little Original Joe’sShow MoreShow Less
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The interior of Little Original Joe s, which includes a market space where customers can shop for dry goods like flour, or pick up frozen dinners.Little Original Joe’sShow MoreShow Less
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Little Original Joe’s the spin-off project from the team behind San Francisco’s historic Original Joe’s restaurant opened this week on West Portal Avenue as a takeout spot and neighborhood marketplace.
Streetwise: Alive and Well at 50+
by Frank Dunnigan Frank Dunnigan, WNP member and columnist. -
Many of us are shocked when we read or hear about beloved old San Francisco businesses and landmarks that have vanished in fact, such losses tend to be a recurring theme in this column. This month, though, it’s time to recall just a few of the many great places that still remain splendid survivors from another age, all of them 50+ years old and filled with memories that draw us back again and again to enjoy good times and to share our experiences with others.