Genevieve Potter has loved her time in Glen Park, but after a 22-year run as the owner of The Sassy Salon her time here coming to an end – but she’s only moving her business a hill away.
“I’m moving to a space that’s just a hop, skip and a jump away, over in Noe Valley,” the long-time stylist, who goes by “Bebe,” told the Glen Park News.
Potter, who has a specialty in curly hair, moved into the tiny 500-square-foot space next to the Glen Park Café in August of 2000 and has been cutting, coloring and perming hair there ever since.
“I’ll make it through the holidays and then come back for a few days in January and empty everything out,” she said of the salon.
“Glen Park has become a second home and over the many years here in this tiny village I have made so many long-term connections and relationships and dear friends, she said. “The neighborhood and my clients have been incredibly supportive in helping us thrive for so many years and get through the pandemic with just a few nicks.”
Her new space is at Jersey and Castro streets, by the Noe Valley Walgreens. Customers can still find her at www.sassysalonsf.com or by phone at 415-587-8087.
Potter is moving after a rent increase, which her landlord Ana Victorson said would bring the space up to current retail market rates.
“I’m really happy for her, I’m glad she’s been successful,” Victorson said of her long-time tenant. She said she has had several inquiries about the space and is hopeful she can have a new tenant by February.
Numerous Glen Park storefronts are empty
Filling commercial space in the city, and in Glen Park, has not been easy in the past year said Janet Tarlov, president of the Glen Park Merchants Association and former owner of the Canyon Market.
“We will miss Sassy Salon a lot, and this adds another vacant storefront to our portfolio of vacant storefronts,” she said.
There are at least four currently open. The Modern Past space at 677 Chenery has been empty for several years as it was in probate after the building owner died. It’s been purchased by two local owners who are working to fix up the building, and the apartment above it, both of which have fallen into disrepair.
“The retail space is huge and it’s going to be a great storefront when they finish fixing it,” said Tarlov. “It will be really exciting to see what goes in there when the work is done.
A pilates exercise studio which has been on the second floor of the retail space at 650 Chenery, next to Perch gift shop, is now closed and paper has been taped over the windows. It’s not clear what’s happening with the space.
Le P’tit Laurent restaurant, at the corner of Chenery and Diamond Street, remains closed though it has spiffed it up for Christmas by putting decorations in the windows and wrapping some of them like gifts.
“Trying to find employees right now is really challenging, especially in that industry,” said Tarlov.
Finally, the space occupied by Glen Park Dental on 590 Bosworth Street, next to Dignity Health and across from the BART station, remains empty. Glen Park Dental has relocated to a space at 4 Joost Avenue, at Joost and Monterey.
Some spaces are being filled
Thankfully some retail spaces that had been empty are now filled. At 630 Chenery, Strand Salon has moved into the space formerly occupied by Urban Soul Salon. “It’s fantastic to see that it’s been activated,” Tarlov said.
Across the street, SF Speech Therapy has moved into the space at 661 Chenery, replacing a physican who had been there before.
Having healthcare professionals in the neighborhood, including dentists, optometrists and now speech therapists, is great and a boost for the retail core, said Tarlov.
“People who are coming into the neighborhood to get their teeth fixed or their eyes checked or speech therapy for their kids, it’s good for all the merchants.”