“Tenderloin Buzz” is a recurring update on changes, tidbits and other news from the Tenderloin. Got news? Send us tips at tips@missionlocal.com.
District 5 Supervisor Bilal Mahmood announced on Feb. 19 a proposal to create a new Theater Arts District along Market Street between Fifth and Ninth streets, at the southern border of the Tenderloin.
The proposal would bring public art installations, street performances and pop-ups to the four-block area, which is home to five historic performance and music venues: The Warfield, the Orpheum, the Golden Gate, the ACT Strand, and the Bill Graham Civic Auditorium.
“The Theater Arts District is about making Market Street live, breathe, and speak the theater, turning the incredible venues we already have into a destination people experience both inside and outside,” said Mahmood in the Feb. 19 press release.
Supervisor Mahmood told the San Francisco Standard he hopes to raise $5 million to fund the project through a public-private partnership, similar to the Larkin Street Revival Project, which Mission Local reported in the last Tenderloin Buzz.
A new kind of barbershop opened on Thursday in the Tenderloin: “The Shop” at GLIDE combines hair care and conversation in an effort to combat substance abuse and mental-health issues.
According to Supervisor Bilal Mahmood, local legend Danny Glover was there for the inaugural cut. The Shop is focused on serving Black/African American men over 50, and locals who use drugs or are affected by overdoses, especially those living in the Tenderloin.
GLIDE’s website calls the barbershop a “culturally sacred space” of the barbershop as “that can be a “gateway to health, wellness and connection.”
Professional barbers certified in “active listening” will engage with clients — much like young street barber Desmond Cannady, who we featured in a recent story. The barbers can also connect clients to health care or treatment as needed.
The Shop is at 330 Ellis St. It’s open 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Saturday, and stays open until 7 p.m. on Wednesdays.
Urban Alchemy will stop operating a 280-bed homeless shelter at 711 Post St. at the end of the month. The nonprofit’s $27 million contract with the city, which began in 2022, is ending on March 31.
Jess Montejano, spokesperson for Urban Alchemy, said the organization is “incredibly proud” of their team’s work at the shelter.
“Our focus now is ensuring a smooth handoff, so the guests that use 711 Post continue receiving the support they need,” he said in a written statement.
The Department of Homeless and Supportive Services said in an email that it was “actively working to identify a new nonprofit provider to assume operations in April 2026,” and added that there would be no interruption in shelter operations during the transition.
A San Francisco security guard was charged with murder and illegal possession of a firearm last week after a fatal shooting at Turk and Taylor Streets on Feb. 11.
According to the district attorney’s office, video of the incident shows Oakland resident Sefanaia Alatini, 37, who was working at a Turk Street parking lot, walking away from a conversation with the victim and returning with a firearm.
The victim allegedly pulled out a small bottle and sprayed it at Alatini, then began to walk away. Alatini then allegedly shot the victim in the back.
Friday, March 6, marks the deadline for business owners to apply for the latest round of SF Shines Equipment Grants.
The program, which is administered by the Office of Workforce and Economic Development, offers up to $10,000 in financial assistance to small businesses who want to buy new equipment or upgrade their existing equipment. Applicants will know if they are selected on March 27.
Come out and soak in the sun in Boeddeker Park this Sunday afternoon for a free bluegrass concert. The event is part of a concert series on the second Sunday of each month by the Tenderloin Community Benefit District.
Alex Spoto of Dog’s Breakfast, also the program director at the Tenderloin Museum, will play the fiddle, while Max Lopez plays the accordion and the guitar.
Attendees can expect nice weather and Cajun-inspired live music. The concert will take place from 1 p.m. to 2 p.m.
Additional reporting by Eleni Balakrishnan.
Cajun music ain’t bluegrass.