Bi-Rite Creamery is currently in the application process for a parklet, to be placed somewhere between its soft serve window and the nearby bike corral, said co-owner Anne Walker.
“There’s seating on the sidewalk, and this would give us more space for people to gather,” said Walker.
So far the parklet has had no opposition from the neighborhood, she said.
Customers who want to support the parklet can sign a petition inside the creamery, near the cash registers.
The parklet would replace parking space along the street, much like the Creamery’s bike corral. Walker said it’s too early to speculate about how the parklet will look.
How about installing parklets along the entire block? Then park the cars on the sidewalk. People who don’t wish to patronize these places and residents who just want to move along unimpeded can then have the entire street, which should be closed off anyway, except for residents who need to leave their garages/driveways. Of course, the parked cars will eventually develop a sheen from dropped bits of ice cream, tart flakes, pork belly drippings, bacon bits and hot sauce, but hey, that’s the price of living in the City. Surely an entrepreneur can come up with a product that will be formulated specifically for Audis, BMW’s, Mercedes and Lexi to clean the sheen.
Living 3 doors down from the soft serve, I can tell you what this parklet will bring: more havens for our roaming homeless shouters (there are at least 2 who love to scream foulness at 3am) We own a car but only use it for big shopping trips. (Yes there are car owners who are conscientious public transit advocates) The loss of just one more parking space means competing against the food tourists hogging up driveways while they cherish their nomnom ice cream. I can’t tell you how many times we have tried to unload groceries while jackholes in huge SUVs blandly look at us and say “we’ll just be a minute.” 18th St. still has a few of us long term working class residents who cannot afford the riches of our block. We were here long before all the overpriced foodgasm, before Sam started buying half the garages to store $3 potatoes. I applaud the stanchions and crowd control Bi Rite set up to allow better flow, but this parklet will do nothing to ease the chaos on this block.
Delfina is what really needs a parklet so that the sidewalk can be used by people trying to walk down 18th
How about as a condition to getting a parklet the Bi-Rite empire stop their delivery trucks and vendors from double parking on 18th which blocks the Muni.
@Dinorah brings up a good question about the value of putting in a parklet across the street from Dolores Park, but the park will soon be closing in sections for about 18 months and as a short-term replacement the additional public seating can helpfully retain some of the customers the surround businesses would loose during the park closure.
There are plenty of ways to get to the park via public transport. Less parking is actually a good thing.
Oh and line waiting hipsters – you can by a half pint of ice cream from the Bi Rite store and there is usually no line.
The people waiting on line for the Creamery are tourists. The Creamery is the #1 restaurant on TripAdvisor, so every SF tourist who checks out TripAdvisor thinks it’s worth the wait. Just like the Louvre.
I guess it is up to customers to decide whether or not to support the parklets and the businesses that put them in. We were in North Beach last weekend and photographed the area that is being torn up for the Central Subway. There is a parklet in front of two restaurants within a block of the construction zone. Wonder how happy the owners are with their decision to purchase a parklet now. How many customers will want to hang out there.
Great news. This parklet is desparetely needed as there are way more people than cars on this block who are crammed into way too small of space while the world’s most inefficient machine (the car — 4000 lbs to hold 1.2 people on average and take up 12×4 when it’s parked) takes up too much space. The more parking sucks, the less people will drive, and that is great for all. I can’t wait for the day when they permanently close down this block of 18th St permanently to cars. SF’s first pedestrain/bicycle only street and a continuation of Dolores Park!
Can’t happen. The people who live on that block guard their garages with guns.
Did you buy and eat a chocolate truffle in the park or something ?
I love the parklets. They reward those who bike and walk, which is exactly what we need more of. I have no sympathy for those who feel they need to drive everywhere and complain about everything. Also isn’t it better to create a nice environment for locals and tourists to enjoy (which should stimulate local business) and stop padding the pockets of city officials? Go park your cars in walnut creek or morgan hill!
Don’t forget moms with kids! And moms with kids on bikes!
There’s a typo in the second to last paragraph: “swish to upport” should be “wish to support”. Though I do like the idea of customers who swish!
Thanks! That’s been fixed. Helene
I’m opposed to the trend of these parklets taking away much-needed city parking spaces. They block off the street even when the business is closed, and they only really benefit customers of that store, turning public street parking into a private business service. Bi-Rite is great, but I don’t think they should have a parklet.
18th St. doesn’t have enough room for cars in the first place. If the city had any common sense it would have shut 18th to cars long ago.
Turning public street parking into a private business service.
So when a space is occupied by one person for hours or days, that’s “public use”. When it’s used by dozens of people, some of them customers of nearby businesses, that’s a “private business service”.
I think you’ve got “public” and “private” mixed up.
My understanding is that parklets belong to the city, not to the businesses in front of which they are located. As such,everyone, whether customers or not, have the right to use them. However, I have been told by unknowing staff at more than one restaurant in the Mission that I am not entitled to use “their” parklet because I am not a customer.
Parklets are a nuisance. They perpetuate the Greenwashing of the hypocritical Board of Supervisors who astro turf Golden Gate Park (and the Beach Chalet) and add 6000 cars to Parkmerced claiming the project is green.
Parklets don’t pay their fair share – they reduce revenue collected from parking meters. No more parklets and let’s start reevaluating those that already exists to take them away and stop attacking San Francisco resident car owners whom this also hurts.
I think the vigorous bean-counters over at Bi Rite would not be proposing a parklet if they thought it would damage their business.
I love the idea of having a parklet at one of the most popular food stops in the area. It’s appropriate and welcome, and I’m sure they’ll do a great job.
Hey Bi Rite – don’t forget about your new Divisadero location. Parklet please!
“Parklets don’t pay their fair share – they reduce revenue collected from parking meters. ”
Off-topic rants combined with wildly inaccurate claims. Gotta love ’em. For those who are interested in facts, the city collects a sizeable one-time construction permit fee and a yearly ‘rent’ on the space. Oh, and as Alai mentions, there are no parking meters on this section of 18th.
There aren’t actually any meters there!
Parking meters get 2 bucks an hour, only M-S from 8-5. The parklet produces increased Sales taxes at the surrounding businesses from open to close, including Sundays. Net win for the city budget.
Speak for yourself. The fewer cars the better.
Dolores Park is across the street. Why would they need a parklet??? That’s really wanting too much. Share resources.
How is a parklet not sharing resources? If someone takes up a parking space (especially a non-metered parking space) that’s not sharing. If the space is converted to public space for humans (instead of cars) to use, that sounds more like sharing.