As Community Program Manager at Bi-Rite Market, Shakirah Simley married her passion for “good food” and social justice, helping to nourish San Francisco’s underserved communities. On Tuesday, Simley announced her departure from the health-food market after five years and on Thursday, she celebrated her farewell at the Women’s Building on 18th Street. Champagne flowed and warm words were exchanged, but...
“When I came to San Francisco, I saw that fantastic sign…with no explanation but it was enough for me,” wrote Glen Mehn in a 2002 letter to the city protesting the removal of the icon. “I knew where I wanted to live…in the Mission, close to that sign.” Read the Full Story HERE.
Bi-Rite Market celebrated its 75th anniversary with an intimate lunch on Friday, in which its owner spoke of how the Mission has changed since his childhood and the pride he has for the market’s ethical stance. “[The neighborhood] is really important, it’s where I grew up,” said Sam Mogannam, whose family has owned the grocery store since 1964. “I started...
Some 200 foodies shuffled through the La Cocina Night Market on Saturday night at 18 Reasons tasting the signature dishes of four food entrepreneurs. The night market is a relatively new, last-Saturday-of-every-month event that brings together two of the Mission’s leading food non profits – 18 Reasons, a food education and empowerment non profit started by Bi-Rite, and La Cocina, an...
Roughly 30 concerned neighbors gathered at the event space 18 Reasons Tuesday for an event hosted by San Francisco’s Department of Recreation and Parks. Among the collection of local employees, neighbors and merchants, was an air of seriousness in the room, which suited the matter under discussion: Dolores Park, and its party problem. The park, which is nearing the end...
The Food and Farm Film Festival Begins Tonight. See you at the Search for General Tao’s. The Food and Farm Film Festival 2015 returns in its 3rd year. Friday April 17 – Sunday April 19 2015 at the radical and independent Roxie Theater in San Francisco, in partnership with Bi-Rite Market. All proceeds go to 18 Reasons program Cooking Matters. 18...
Zachary Crockett was riding his bike when he saw the flames coming from the building at Mission and 22nd street. He felt compelled to do something, and immediately set up a Gofundme campaign, hoping to raise $2,000. A few weeks later the fund had raised about $180,000, and Thursday evening, the residents displaced by the horrific fire were finally able...
If there was a silver lining to the horrific fire at 22nd and Mission last month, it was how it brought out the best in our community– the way people rallied around the GoFundMe campaign; the generous effort of local restaurants, organized by Tartine and Bi-Rite, to feed displaced tenants; and the genuine concern of residents that those tenants had...
Thank you to Bi-Rite for joining Mission Local! Readers may know Bi-Rite at 3639 18th St. because you’ve recently been into the grocery store to fill up your shelves or to the takeout counter to grab a sandwich before going to Dolores Park. Or maybe you know them because of the incredible orchestration by Bi-Rite’s Shakirah Simley and Tartine’s Vinny Eng to deliver meals to the families displaced...
Updated daily so check back for new ways to get involved. Some 65 residents including 17 children were displaced in the January 28th fire at Mission and 22nd and there has been an outpouring of support from the neighborhood and beyond. Some have started to move to Treasure Island, and others are still looking for places nearer to the Mission. Last chance: Zachary Crockett’s fund...
When displaced tenants from the fire on 22nd and Mission streets flooded into the Salvation Army for shelter or assistance, it became clear that the victims of the blaze would need to be fed. And when Vinny Eng, the Operations Director at Tartine, and Shakirah Simley at Bi-Rite grocery, caught wind of the need it didn’t take long for them...
It is 9:15 a.m. but these photos were taken earlier this morning. It is now 58˚ and expected to rise to 64˚. Details for the next ten days here. Today’s Block: 18th to Dorland, Dolores to Guerrero. “The block I covered this morning (18th St.) is certainly one of the busiest in the neighborhood and as the sun rose over Mission...
This fall you may have seen an incredibly oblivious jerk hogging the sidewalks of the Mission to play basketball. In sweatbands and baggy athletic shorts, he weaved through the line at Bi-Rite, dribbled on the bench at Samovar Tea Lounge, and generally took up an annoying amount of space. He was literally turning public space into his own, personal playground—and...
Doom and gloom hover in the foggy air this grim day… no, it’s not the residual stench of Giant’s riot smoke, it’s the chilling specter of Halloween (also, the first rain we’ve had in many, many weeks, thank goodness). To celebrate, we offer this brief guide to enjoying the day. Where to get your candy on Don’t let the rain stop you...
