Animal Place’s Vegan Republic. Photo: Facebook
Animal Place’s Vegan Republic, which opened as Republic of V in February 2014 as the first grocery store in the Bay Area to offer completely vegan products, closed in July. The owners cited a substantial drop in sales due to COVID-19, but they’d been seeing declining business for more than a year which they attributed, ironically, to the “huge popularity” of veganism. In an Instagram post, Vegan Republic wrote, “Chain stores are pulling away customers with their newfound openness in carrying vegan products, and it’s a blessing and a curse.”
Au Coquelet