Small Business Commission adds four long-running businesses to Legacy Business Registry

The San Francisco Small Business Commission voted unanimously on Feb. 7, 2025, to approve resolutions listing four applicants on the city's Legacy Business Registry: Cha Cha Cha, City Optics, the Golden Gate Park Band and the San Francisco Flower Market.

The commission's Legacy Business Program Manager, Richard Carrillo, told the commission the four applications met the three criteria for listing and had received positive recommendations from the Historic Preservation Commission and Planning Department. "Before you today are 4 applications for your consideration for the legacy business registry," Carrillo said during his presentation.

Why it matters: Legacy designation recognizes long-standing local businesses and organizations that contribute to San Francisco's cultural and economic character; it can factor into future planning and preservation discussions and signals city recognition of a business's historical role in a neighborhood.

Cha Cha Cha, a Caribbean-inspired restaurant founded in 1984 with locations in the Haight-Ashbury and Mission districts, was represented at the meeting by a family member of the founder and the current owner. A family member said Cha Cha Cha "has operated in San Francisco for over 40 years" and described the restaurant as "part of a San Francisco institution." Owner Onur (identified in the record as Onur), who said the Mission location reopened in 2023 after a temporary closure, told commissioners: "ChaChacha is a cherished San Francisco institution that has enriched our city's cultural fabric for over 4 decades."

City Optics, founded by Dr. Jeffrey Rich in 1988 and located in the Marina and Cow Hollow neighborhoods, was presented in the staff report as a long-running optometry and eyewear retailer whose core feature for listing is optometry. The Golden Gate Park Band, founded in 1882 and noted for free concerts at Spreckels Temple of Music, was presented as an organization whose core feature is music.

Speakers connected with the San Francisco Flower Market emphasized its century-plus history, immigrant roots and role in supplying regional florists and small businesses. Vance Yoshida, identified as president of California Flower Market, LLC (the prior owner), described multigenerational ties to the market. Jeanne Taggart Bose, executive director of SF Flower Market Inc., told the commission the market now operates as a 501(c)(3) nonprofit supporting vendors and said the market has 22-plus vendors and provides livelihoods for about 250 workers. A long-term worker, Rose Robinson, said the market serves "over 45,100 small businesses" and called it a cultural and economic cornerstone.

The commission opened public comment and heard multiple personal statements in support of the four listings. Commissioners responded with remarks noting personal memories and the businesses' community contributions. President Huie then called for the motion on a combined set of resolutions.

Votes and formal action: Commissioner Zazunas moved to adopt the resolutions supporting the four legacy-business listings; Commissioner Ortiz Cartagena seconded. In roll call, Commissioners Benitez, Cornett, Dickerson, Ortiz Cartagena, Vice President Zazunas and President Huie voted yes. Commissioner Herbert was absent. The chair announced: "Motion passes. Congratulations." The resolutions were approved.

What the commission recorded: Staff noted each applicant had been submitted to Planning on Dec. 18 and heard by the Historic Preservation Commission on Jan. 15. Staff also recommended framing a motion as "a motion in favor of the resolutions" to add each business to the registry.

Next steps: The approved resolutions will be processed according to the Office of Small Business and Historic Preservation procedures for legacy business listings; staff may follow up with each applicant on next administrative steps.

Ending: Commissioners and public commenters framed the votes as recognition of multi-generational small-business contributions to neighborhood life and to San Francisco's cultural identity.