The tenants of the building at 21st and Folsom were awoken Monday morning by the deafening sound of windows shattering when a car crashed into Joey & Pat’s Italian Bakery on the bottom floor. Later that morning, they looked on at the abandoned Lexus sticking into the building’s storefront. Damage appeared severe, with windows smashed, part of the foundation uprooted, and the building’s entire corner cleaved in two.
All of the tenants will have to move out, the insurance agent said.
Though the two officers on the scene could not confirm the details of the incident they did say that the car crashed into the storefront at roughly 2 a.m. this morning and the car’s drivers, described only as two women, took off on foot and have not been apprehended.
“The pole that supports part of the building is a safety concern,” said Johnny Nava, an insurance specialist with Farmers Insurance Group, who was evaluating the damage this morning. “All tenants have to move out to make sure they are safe until it’s cleaned up and looked at structurally. We will send contractors [to assess damage]”.
When asked about the relocation of tenants, Nava said he is unclear, as they still have to figure out how things will get repaired, but that they will assume responsibility and will provide the owner and tenants resources.
The bakery Joey and Pat’s has been in business for the past three years. The bakers start preparing to bake during the early morning, although they were not there when the crash happened. Only two blocks away from there on South Van Ness, two people died when a car crashed into the liquor store on the corner of 21st and South Van Ness in January.
Officer Jason Acosta said that there were no eyewitnesses to the incident and no leads on who the perpetrators might be. “The Hit and Run Detail will run the plates and we’ll find out more then,” Acosta said.
At 9:30 a.m. today, building inspector Brett Howard instructed the building’s owner Edward Schmitt to leave the Lexus until the affected corner of the building could be shored up. Removing the car prematurely could cause severe damage.
“Earlier, we heard cracks like it was coming down, so we’re shoring it up right now,” said Schmitt, who has owned the building for 10 years.
Workers were soon on scene placing beams around the car to bear the building’s weight. The Lexus should be removed later today. The second-floor tenants above Joey & Pat’s, a family of seven, did not have to evacuate but were instructed to stay out of the front part of their unit.
Numerous passersby expressed sadness for the unfortunate bakery on the corner. One woman who had plans to pick up a birthday cake was sad to see the bakery closed and in such a state.
“What a poor guy, this is such bad luck,” said the woman of the bakery’s owner. “I love coming in here, he’s always very personable.”
Any news greatly appreciated. Especially if the people have been caught.
Those of us who used to visit Joey and Pat every day would like to know.
Any updates on this story? The Chronicle has nothing, not even info about who owns the Lexux.
Fifi: we will update soon. Thanks for the reminder. Best, Lydia
Hopefully, SFPD catch up with the two lowlifes that caused this horrendous accident. Probably driving drunk, without a license &/or iin a stolen car. Throw away the key on these two! Fortunately, no one was hurt. All the best to you Joey & Pat’s!
This is my Dad’s favorite bakery! I am so sorry this happened. I really hope they stay open. They are so kind to my son. I wish them a pain-free rebuilding.
I went by earlier and expressed my condolences. The owner told me they plan to stay open…I don’t know if that’s changed, but I am going to swing by tomorrow and buy one of their wonderful hot cross buns if they are open (the best in town.)
Bummer! That’s one of my favorite bakeries in the city. Real old school Italian, and their pastries are affordable and not too sweet. Too bad 🙁
Wow, such a bummer. That bakery has some really good stuff.
So, in the land of BIG Data, can the demographic/psychographic nerds among you determine how often a Lexus with 2 women can be expected to run away after crashing into a bakery?
So was the car stolen? If not, wouldn’t that provide a powerful clue as to the identity of the perpetrators?
This is so terrible. Joey and Pat are really nice, hardworking people. This will be such a setback for them.
Wow. What a drag for the business owner, the residents and the property owner. I’m glad no one was hurt. Probably drinking and driving.
I generally only play backseat editor when it involves factual errors, like rental apartments vs. condominiums. But this phrase jumped out at me, “an abandoned Lexus crashed into the building’s storefront.” I suppose that statement could technically be correct because the driver abandoned the car after the accident, but when I read it, I imagined an empty car crashing into the building.