Commission recommends five long-standing businesses and organizations for Legacy Business Registry

On March 20 the San Francisco Historic Preservation Commission recommended five legacy business registry applicants for consideration, highlighting their cultural and neighborhood significance and, where relevant, risks of displacement.

Shelley Caltagroni of preservation staff summarized five applications: Ben Kyoto Company (a Japanese confectioner established 1906, the last remaining maker of mochi/manju in San Francisco), the Glide Foundation (an Upper Tenderloin institution with longstanding social-service programming), Picture Machine Tattoo (a tattoo shop founded in 1976 with original artworks), Randy's Place (a bar in Ingleside in continuous operation since 1975) and WaMei School (a bilingual preschool established in 1974 with community education programs).

Speakers from the community emphasized Ben Kyoto's 113-year family history, Glide's daily meal program and social services, and Randy's Place's role as a neighborhood institution with a long-serving operator. Staff noted Picture Machine operates on a month-to-month lease and is therefore at risk of displacement; staff recommended safeguarding movable and fixed features as appropriate. Neil Ballard and other commenters urged approval and praised the registry as a way to retain neighborhood character.

The commission voted to recommend Ben Kyoto (Item 9A) to the Small Business Commission on a 5–0 vote, and to recommend approval of items 9B through 9E (Glide, Picture Machine Tattoo, Randy's Place and WaMei School) on a unanimous 6–0 vote. Commissioners praised the program as a way to preserve historic small businesses and community-serving organizations.