For nearly a month now, the feisty residents and independent retailers in the Mission District of San Francisco have been abuzz over the national retailer’s bid for a new space at 988 Valencia St. The hippest corner of San Francisco, most widely known for its incredible burritos, vibrant street scene and eclectic culture, has long prided itself on being free from stores like the Gap, Banana Republic and Starbucks. Instead they have the beloved Four Barrel Coffee company, taxidermist’s paradise Paxton Gate and veritable treasure trove of all things printed, Little Otsu. Shopping on Valencia Street is not like shopping in any other place, and the neighborhood’s residents intend to keep it that way. No formula stores, no chain stores, not even if it’s American Apparel.
Despite their mantra “Made in Downtown L.A.,” the behemoth purveyor of all things cotton has faced some brutal P.R. along their ride to the top. Dov Charney, the company’s founder and CEO has earned several lawsuits along the lines of sexual harassment, complementing AA’s sexually explicit ad campaign rather aptly. Much as the clothes themselves are sweatshop free, few would describe the corporation as exemplary. While a tarnished reputation might explain the less than warm welcome to Valencia Street, the company seems to have plenty of patrons in San Francisco’s hipster zip code if the dress code is any judge.
In fact, the character and worthiness of American Apparel are not in question; rather, the issue raised by their proposed new location relates to the precedent it may set for other such businesses. Were other big box stores to follow suit, people fear rents of retail spaces would skyrocket, gentrification would be complete and the district’s truly independent businesses would be forced out.
In a detail that reads at first hypocritical, the coincidence speaks to a strong commitment to the real issue at stake: supporting local business over mere convenience.
The opposition to AA has set up shop at a topical blog, where local businesses and residents have slapped together a pretty aggressive campaign to keep the store from opening. On the blog, an allied local business, Pirate Cat Radio recently announced an action in front of the proposed space at 988 Valencia St. at 10:00am on Saturday, January 31 “to show commitment to maintaining a locally-owned economy and support for the unique businesses of the neighborhood.” Or if bureaucracy’s more your speed, you can attend the planning commission meeting on February 5 at 1:30 pm in Room 400 at City Hall. Go ahead, tell them how you really feel.
Image Credits: DovCharney at Flickr under a Creative Commons License & p200eric at Flickr under a Creative Commons License
It hasn’t been a month, it’s been a week and a half. This whole thing
is a guy with a blog, most of us here don’t even agree with him and
people are being lame when they try to pump this thing up.