San Francisco lockdown: Mission District restaurants and boutiques board up windows in fear

photo by Julian Mark

Restaurants and boutiques in San Francisco's Mission District -- a vibrant neighborhood at the heart of the City's struggle with gentrification and inequality -- are boarding up their windows apparently in fear of riots or robberies. The businesses are closed until at least April 7 due to the shelter in place mandate. From Julian Mark's story in Mission Local:

We actually dont want to do it, said Dylan MacNiven, the owner of West of Pecos. I dont think its good for the public to see this, but now that everyone else has done it, were going to be the only one on the street without it.

MacNiven was in the process of placing the final boards on his windows on Thursday afternoon, and he said the bar and restaurant was hesitant but then a multitude of surrounding businesses had done the same[....]

Were doing it so we can sleep at night, said Needles and Pens owner Breezy Culbertson.

Culbertson said she will be out $300 to board the windows. Just one of their front windows would cost $2,000 to replace. Its a bummer because it feels like it is bad for morale, said a man named Scott who was helping Culbertson install the boards.

"Apocalypse Chic: Valencia Street businesses board up their windows" (Mission Local, thanks Tim Daly!)

Were doing it so we can sleep at night, said Needles and Pens owner Breezy Culbertson.https://t.co/4h4XXViseD

— Mission Local (@MLNow) March 20, 2020