A few SLMs from around the hood:
1401 Church St at 26th St
1601 Church St at 28th St
1598 Sanchez at 29th St
1001 Castro St at 22nd StDecember 6, 2009
Ode to the SLM
Lotto? Check. Thunderbird? Check. Pack of cigs for the kids? Check. Late-night munchies? Got you covered. Cheap sandwiches with no pretense? Got that too. Everything you can't get at Whole Foods. Fact is, we visit these corner stores when everywhere else is closed, or when we can’t walk more than 75 steps for a carton of milk or stick of butter. These (in the words of a coworker from long ago) “shitty little markets” (SLMs) are scattered throughout Noe. You have to wonder, are they disappearing as Noe evolves, will they adapt or will they always have a place just as they are?
A few SLMs from around the hood:
1401 Church St at 26th St
1601 Church St at 28th St
1598 Sanchez at 29th St
1001 Castro St at 22nd St
A few SLMs from around the hood:
1401 Church St at 26th St1601 Church St at 28th St1598 Sanchez at 29th St1001 Castro St at 22nd St
sure do miss the SLM on the block of Church between 29th and Day.
ReplyDeleteThe last pic is at Castro Street (not Church). As I am 1/2 block away, I use it when I am too tired (read lazy) to go down on 24th. It's pretty convenient to have this on top of the hill.
ReplyDeleteFixed. Thanks.
ReplyDeleteI guarantee that St. Paul Mkt will never go away. The dude inherited the building from his dad (so rent has to be $0) and clearly has no intention of "moving the needle" in response to the Whole Foods invasion... (Probably doesn't even intend to mop up.) But he's a nice guy and sells beer.
ReplyDeleteI love the sign at Chuck's "Sun Valley" Grocery. Sounds so organic. But the place is a liquor store. Brilliant.
You forgot the dump at the corner of Duncan and Guerrero. I live up the block and avoid that SLM. Instead, I go to 26th and Gurerrero, which rocks.
ReplyDeleteScrew you for calling these stores "shitty little markets"...especially Chucks place. You are obviously NOT a native and do not realize that these markets are such a convenience, as well as being local gathering places to catch up on neighborhood news. I will be changing my homepage away from your shitty little blog effective immediately.
ReplyDeleteI agree that calling a small, local store a "shitty little market" is demeaning and mean. I'm sorry but that kind of language is just not right. You come off as a mean spirited 'shitty little ass'.
ReplyDelete(note: 1001 Castro is at Castro and Alvarado, not 22nd).
ReplyDeletelove these places, even as I now use WFs and other 'new' establishments.
One thing I suggest is if you value the convenience of these places, continue to buy ice cream / beer / whatever from time to time from them. They have saved me many times when I didn't want to make the uphill / downhill walk to 24th.
- fan of 1001 Castro (at Alvarado)
Like Noe itself, this SLB (shitty little blog) and your SLT ( shitty little tweets) thinks a lof of itself. Most of these markets and especially Chucks are family businesses that improve living in Noe and they and their families are s part of the community. Chuck's is much more than a liquor store, and I would much rather buy my local coffee and everyday items there and support Chuck and his family rather than Wholefoods or Safeway. Support your local cornerstore!
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ReplyDeleteSLM is a "term of affection"?? Really??? Just like when someone says something particulary offensive & then they say "just kidding"? Come on folks, these are small, family owned markets and they truly have been woven into the fabric of this neighborhood. When I was laid up from knee surgery recently, not one, but two of these markets kindly offered to deliver to my door anything I needed. Where else are you going to find that??
ReplyDeleteWhen I grew up in the City, we generally referred to them as "the corner store", even when they weren't technically on the corner. I think "SLM" is a little too condescending to make it as common parlance - I'll use it only when those guys working the store from dawn to the wee hours actually start calling themselves that. I know a number of these markets ARE actually kind of dumps, but doesn't "SLM" diss the markets where they're putting in the long hours and the dull, grinding work to do a good job? I think maybe you should reconsider the words of your SLCW (shitty little co-worker) and take down that "SLM" monicker - warts and all, these "corner" stores are an integral part of the history and culture of the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI can never make it past the prominently displayed porn to get to the milk - always in the back of the store. Why do they have to be so dark and claustrophobic? God forbid you be in one during an earthquake or robbery.
ReplyDeleteThese stores are so shitty that I'll do without milk/etc. until a clean well-lighted store opens up.
What's wrong with corner stores? They're not meant to be cute boutiques. The couple that runs Modern Market is incredibly sweet.
ReplyDelete1001 castro is great! an asset to the neighborhood.
ReplyDeleteI am not a SFO native but I do know that without Bill and Eddy at 1001 Castro/22nd, my family would miss the neighborhood feel and of course the gossip. I don't drive so they have been a godspend. I lived in NY where they were called bodegas and we loved them.
ReplyDeleteAs long as the little markets stay open til 1 am, they're getting more of my business than Whole Foods...
ReplyDeleteCleaned-up version?: SLM = Small Liquor Market
ReplyDeleteI still like "neighborhood corner store". OK they're not all gems, but you can tell the ones they put a lot of time into making it work (the one on 24th and Church was a godsend in the gap between Bell and WF). Like any small business, the place reflects the person who owns/manages it. Good or bad, it's personality - something that makes life in SF unique.
Noe Corner Market, Douglass @ 21st - what's up Bob!
ReplyDeleteAs long as we're giving shout-outs to our fave SLMs (and if that offends you, grow thicker skin, seriously), I have two words: SHU. FAT. 24th and Church. Great selection, friendly owners, everything you need. Haven't seen any porn there, but I haven't been looking. But whether it's a bottle of Jameson, a Diet Coke, some playing cards, or a sandwich you need, you won't leave disappointed.
ReplyDeleteWhatever you do, don't attack the shitty little nail salons next. You'll be run off of the blogosphere!
ReplyDeleteTo the guy who said "grow a thicker skin" - yeah right, go ahead and tell the guy behind the counter he works at a "Shitty Little Market". Seriously. I dare you! I'll bet his smile will grow a mile wide just thinking of how much people appreciate his putting in 12-hour days in a zero-upwardly-mobile, dead-end job. People just love it when you tell them how unappreciated they are. Make friends, influence people!
ReplyDeleteThen, when you get tired of mocking other people's jobs, you can go for bigger thrills (but along the same lines) by traipsing to Hunter's Point and spewing the N-word in a real friendly way. Hey, you mean it in a GOOD way. Make friends, influence people!
The obvious point is that disrespecting people makes you seem less respectable yourself.
What a slb you are....ie snarky lightweight blog....we know who these store owners are, but who are you? Identify yourselves if you are going to slam our local businesses. Do you, or any of you on this blog, live in this neighborhood?????
ReplyDeleteIt looks like you guys graduated from the Stalin School of Journalism.
ReplyDeleteOk ok its the holidays so be nice to each other and smile..
ReplyDeleteTo 12/8 6:17 pm -
ReplyDeleteThe guys that own my corner store own the whole building. That's more than I own. You think they give a damn what you call their market? Not as long as you keep dropping your disposable income there. There are plenty of things to get upset about other than some dumb acronym.
Yeah, I agree. It's dumb.
ReplyDeleteInteresting thing about the corner stores is they are basically illegal uses now under zoning
ReplyDeleteThe ones we have are all we will ever have
Zoning kills cities
Stalin School of Journalism... love it. This however is not journalism, it's an anonymous blog, though I'm afraid the next generation may lose sight of the difference.
ReplyDeleteI think we call this our shitty little blog. Entirely affectionate, of course, although I think it does stink from time to time. (I also think it's entirely intentional - notice how these posts get the most comments.)
ReplyDeleteChuck's sells awesome local coffee beans by the pound. We always buy there. Go Chuck's. Never heard the term SLM before. Sounds extremely elitist and derogatory.
ReplyDelete