SIGN OF CHANGE: Speedy's Hardware in SoMa

Speedy’s Hardware just opened this spring on Folsom between 6th and 7th Streets in the South of Market neighborhood, although store owner Samuel Lee has owned the building for many years. He grew up in San Francisco and has been an electrical contractor for more than 15 years. With many new businesses and residents moving into the area, Sam recognized the lack of a hardware store where neighbors could pick up what they need without having to travel far.

Sam's construction industry experience, awareness of the growing need in the community and entrepreneurial spirit motivated him to begin researching hardware store co-ops. He envisioned a neighborhood hardware store with a large inventory and friendly, knowledgeable staff. He spent more than a year planning and renovating the ground floor of his building at 1061 Folsom Street next door to Victoria Manalo Draves Park.

Speedy’s has already received a warm welcome from neighbors and customers. For the final touch, Speedy’s will be installing a brand new illuminated sign this fall.

Urban Solutions’ staff introduced Speedy’s to the services the organization provides to assist SoMa small businesses with façade and tenant improvements and facilitated the business obtaining a grant from the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency to pay for a portion of their sign.

"We're very excited to be serving the SoMa neighborhood,” Sam said. “The neighbors have been very welcoming. And we are very grateful to Urban Solutions for helping us with the purchase of our exterior sign. So many people have come in saying they didn't even know we opened, so it will definitely provide much needed exposure for our store.”

The store is vast and well-organized, offering a wide array of tools and equipment along with healthy and inexpensive snacks at the counter for contractors on the go. Customers can find all of their basic hardware needs at this Do it Best store, including Hillman fasteners, National Hardware, Stanley tools, electrical and plumbing supplies, a full paint department, power tools, housewares, key making, lawn and garden supplies, pet supplies, and more. And if the product you are looking for is not in the store during your visit, the staff will find it in their local warehouse, which stocks more than they can fit in the Folsom St. store at one time.

The next time you’re headed out to the hardware store, check out Speedy’s, and meet your new neighborhood business owner, Sam Lee, and his staff.

FEEDING THE SPIRIT: Businesses Expand in Fillmore

The New Fillmore newspaper headline this summer declared, “Street Life Up, Crime Down,” with community members largely attributing the South of Geary improvements to increased interest in the area as businesses are growing and opening.

In collaboration with the San Francisco Redevelopment Agency, Urban Solutions has been providing support since last year to small businesses through free management workshops and grants of up to $25,000 each to 18 businesses through the Community Benefits Fund (CBF) Business Development Grant Program.

The support has allowed start-up, existing and established businesses to provide a variety of neighborhood services, as well as create and retain full-time, part-time and consulting jobs. Some examples:

FOOD

• Launch of two kiosks, which created jobs: New Orleans Style Snoballs, serving shaved ice desserts and gumbo, and Jazzy Stop ‘N Go, a deli with catfish specialties.
  
• Plans to transition home-based Bumzy’s Cookies to bring a secret family recipe to operations in a store for retail.
  
• Launch of a new food product line for the 1300 on Fillmore restaurant to sell at the Saturday Fillmore Farmers Market, where they created jobs for four community youth. Products include a barbecue sauce, jam, vinaigrette, cornbread mix, gumbo starter and dry rub.
  
• A plasma television and mount to compliment the outdoor seating experience for Sheba Lounge customers.
  
• Installation of a new awning and signage for the Fillmore Street Café, as well as new plumbing and electrical renovations.
  
• New storefront design and corporate identity, commercial table, blenders and freezer for Jubili, a shop serving unsweetened frozen yogurt and cereal.
  
• Inventory for Miyako Ice Cream, as well as a new space-efficient counter and refrigeration unit at a height where children can see the ice cream choices.
  

BEAUTY & CARE

• New styling chairs with a custom headrest for beauty salon Pearl Misha Styles of the Millennium to better serve customers with disabilities.
  
• Replacement mirrors, a television and a computerized system to track sales for New Chicago Barber Shop #3.
  
• New, upgraded spa chairs for Empress Nails to provide manicures and pedicures.
  
• Launch of a new product line for Jazz’z Spa and Salon, as well as new salon equipment, chairs, workstations and floors.
  

ARTS & EDUCATION

• Professional-grade camera, sound and editing equipment for Infin8 Sync, a collaborative providing exposure for independent artists. Funds will also help support marketing and promotions for Bring Your Own Art (BYOA) events and the annual Independent Artists Week.
  
• Surround sound equipment, an upgraded electronic system and drapes for a new state-of-the-art auditorium called the Lush Life Gallery in the Jazz Heritage Center, a cultural and educational complex dedicated to the jazz history of the city. Funds are also being used for logo-branded inventory for sales to support the non-profit.
  
• Facility rentals and field trips allowing The Village Project and Handful Players to organize performances and activities for neighborhood youth.
  
• Development of a Web site and purchase of a Point of Sales (POS) system to help automate and track sales for Marcus Books, the oldest independent Black bookstore in the country. This created three part-time jobs.
  

SERVICES

• Environmentally friendly dry cleaning equipment and façade improvements for Progress Cleaners.
• A MacBook computer and a copy machine to handle larger volume photocopying services for Ethio Bay Services, a mailing, copying, shipping business.
  

Earlier this year, the CBF Business Development Grant Program was recognized by the National Development Council as a semifinalist for the 2009 showcase of Innovative Community Development Projects, selected from more than 200 entries.

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Comments or questions? Contact Janice@urbansolutionsSF.org