“Excelsior Buzz” is a recurring column on changes, tidbits and news from the Excelsior. Got news? Send us tips at xueer@missionlocal.com.
The owner of Mission: Comics & Art’s new Excelsior outlet, says his comic book shop might be the first in the neighborhood — and it’s finally open for business.
Don’t let the faded red “Optometrist” letters above the store’s front door fool you. Mission:Comics–Excelsior is packed with vintage, children’s comics and the latest Absolute Batman series releases. The shop also offers a wide selection of $1 and free comic books, which Emilio Garcia, an employee at the store, says he loves to give out to kids.
The comic book store located at 5196 Mission Street at Niagara opened its doors on Aug. 31. It is one of three 2026 Storefront Opportunity Grant recipients in the Excelsior district, and the second to open its doors. The other grant recipient, City Made Quilts, hosted its grand opening in early August.
The Office of Economic and Workforce Development program issues grants to eligible small business owners who open new storefronts in vacant commercial spaces in order to promote vitality in the city’s commercial corridors.
Leef Smith, who also owns Mission: Comics & Art in the Mission District, received a $50,000 grant from the city program, which he used to make small renovations to the Excelsior location. Smith originally planned to open up the shop in July, but delays in renovations pushed the new location’s soft opening back a month.
Smith, whose father grew up on Naples Street in the Excelsior, said he is happy to be “bringing some literature, culture and providing something different” to the neighborhood.
The owner says that, since the store opened a few weeks ago, things have been slow. But, neighbors walking down Mission Street have been trickling in to take a peek inside.
Garcia, who was a customer at the Mission neighborhood location before becoming an employee at Mission: Comics–Excelsior, says it’s been fun watching as surprised neighbors come into the comic shop for the first time.
“I don’t think anyone is bummed there’s a comic shop here at all.”
The shop will be hosting its grand opening party on Oct. 10 from noon to 5 p.m. There will be a ribbon-cutting ceremony, a DJ, free pizza and —of course — free comics.
The third recipient of the 2026 Storefront Opportunity Grant, Small Change Arcade, has been slowly preparing for its grand opening.
The storefront at 4740 Mission Street at Leo is undergoing renovations and has recently gained yellow and red decal letters spelling out “Small Change.” While the windows remain boarded up for now, the arcade’s owner, Matthew Sengbusch, says it will be having its grand opening on Oct. 16 and will be publicizing the announcement on Instagram soon.
A flyer shared via the arcade’s Instagram, says that it will have 15 pinball machines, classic arcade games and 3-foot-tall mini games, a Sengbusch specialty. He refurbishes them from real, full-size 6-foot-tall vintage arcade games. He takes them apart and reconstructs them down to scale to fit in even the smallest San Francisco apartment.
A controversial proposal to renovate Crocker Amazon Park’s undermaintained, grass ballfields sparked a turf war earlier this year. The San Francisco Recreation and Park Commission voted unanimously in April to recommend the Board of Supervisors move forward with the proposal and accept a $28 million grant from the San Francisco Giants to re-do the fields with artificial grass.
The Rec and Park website says the project could break ground as early as 2027 or 2028, but is still pending final approval from the Board of Supervisors, which has not yet scheduled a vote. Community backlash over the project prompted a city response to include community review and input before final approval.
Rec and Park announced the project, which would be funded by the Giants and the city’s 2020 Health and Recovery bond, in 2025. The renovations include revamping the park’s baseball and softball fields, installing batting cages, dog play areas and making improvements to walkways and irrigation systems.
The city is proposing to cut down around 128 mature trees in addition to replacing the park’s existing grass baseball field with synthetic turf, sparking outrage among residents and environmental groups.
There are some upcoming opportunities for residents to get involved in the conversation.
Keep Crocker Real, the organization in opposition to the park’s proposal, will host “Dialogue: Keeping Crocker Real,” a photo exhibit and community discussion to learn more about the project and an alternative vision for it. The event is in collaboration with PODER Youth and will take place at the Excelsior Library branch on Saturday, Sept. 26 at 2 p.m.
The following week, there will be an Environment Commission Meeting on Monday, Sept. 28 at 5 p.m. at City Hall, during which residents can speak up about the proposal during public comment.
Did you miss Shakespeare in the Park’s staging of “Antony and Cleopatra” at McLaren Park earlier this month?
Don’t fret. You still have two more opportunities to catch the show before the season ends – but it does mean you’ll have to travel far outside the Excelsior.
This weekend, the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival will be wrapping up its 44th season with showings at the Sue Bierman Park at Washington and Drumm streets, just north of Embarcadero Plaza across from the Ferry Building:
- Saturday, Sept. 26, at 2 p.m.
- Sunday, Sept. 27, at 2 p.m.
Admission is free. No reservation or tickets are required. See more from the San Francisco Shakespeare Festival here.
