Comments on: Community Meeting Tonight Regarding Food Carts in Dolores Park

By: MMcConnell

MMcConnell — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 22:34:25 +0000

YouGuy is right…
Sam did stand up at the hearing and suggested fixing the problems of Dolores Park before adding to them.

He is also right about Kohlberg…see here:
http://www.kohlbergventures.com/case-bluebottle.html

and how come everyone is missing the fact that Blue Bottle is also on Valencia at the new Summit???

By: YouguysisBrutal

YouguysisBrutal — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:14:04 +0000

Uh, hey know it all. I realize Im all over the blog but Bi-rite was at City Hall and Sam did stand up. Get your facts douche

By: YouguysisBrutal

YouguysisBrutal — Thu, 30 Sep 2010 08:12:36 +0000

Wondering why noone is mentioning that Blue Bottle is backed by an enormous Venture Capital Company called Kohlberg Ventures touted to make Bottle bottle the next Starbucks. Way to go righteous peeps. Fools nontheless. Its all about money my friends and James is laughing all the way the bank…

By: Rod

Rod — Wed, 29 Sep 2010 17:38:17 +0000

obviously not you, so why are you committing so much of your time into talking about it?

By: MMcConnell

MMcConnell — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:50:54 +0000

well put C- the meeting I think was an informative process for a lot involved. I did want to clarify that Fayes was not opposed to any vendor in particular, but rather wanted questions answered about the process and questioned why Parks and Rec didn’t do the proper community outreach, which they apologized for tonight.

this was a solution I proposed by using social networking like Facebook this is my current posting:

Were you aware that the SF parks were operating at a 12 million deficit? Neither did I until about a month ago. Tonight I also learned that an estimated 1.2 million pass through Dolores Park annually. So I propose an experiment in paying it forward… If you have ever been and loved a park in SF (all you 1.2million) all you have to do is donate $10 and the parks will be out of debt. I just donated for myself and 19 others… why not do the same, it’s $10.

a quick and easy link…
http://sfrecpark.org/Support.aspx

By: MrEricSir

MrEricSir — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 06:23:43 +0000

I think you summed it up pretty well. Almost too well. Are you sure you’re not running for a political office?

By: comma police

comma police — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:31:50 +0000

Dude! A coffee cart operating in PUBLIC SPACE is, like, an affront to my very being, man.

By: C.

C. — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 05:29:59 +0000

James does a pretty darned good job of covering the issues, while keepin’ it real:
http://blogs.sfweekly.com/foodie/2010/09/an_open_letter_from_blue_bottl.php

By: C.

C. — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 03:00:36 +0000

There seem to be three relevant issues here:
1. Whether commercial venture should be allowed in any of our parks.
2. Whether the community or neighboring merchants should be allowed to decide, and if not allowed to decide, how their interests, opinions or other contributions will be represented.
3. Whether there is a procedural issue with the specific current items for approval, and whether that issue would warrant approval regardless of anything like (2).
Regarding (3), there seems to be a serious issue of approval having been given already, and both BlueBottle and La Cocina having made investments. Those investments might be more significant for La Cocina than Blue Bottle, but it seems that at least, if disapproval results from any further processes, the city ought to compensate some portion of the investment.
Regarding (1), I think there is an issue of how fully parks should be opened up to commerce, and to what type of commerce. Blue Bottle as a commercial entity/juggernaut seems quite different than the indy carts of a few years back, which made the park fun and cool. Commerce all over all our parks I don’t think would be a good idea – we have Pier 39 for that – but how would lines be drawn?
Regarding (2), I don’t think neighboring merchants’ opinions or fears should necessarily be taken seriously – self-interest in diminishing competition – a supposed right in a free market economy – should be considered. It’s interesting to me that only Dolores Park Café and Fayes complained – not Bi-Rite, Delfina or Tartine. I love Fayes as my video store and coffee alternative (when there are lines for Four Barrel at Tartine), but personally I think Dolores Park Café could be something, anything so much better…
Anyone else have thoughts on these issues?

By: Ferocious Foot Odor

Ferocious Foot Odor — Tue, 28 Sep 2010 02:39:46 +0000

Honestly. Is this a clarion call to the troops of the caffeinated and bored?

Maybe there should be something akin to the infamous bat signal, but instead of a projection onto the clouds, you could flood the neighborhood with the smell of freshly brewed coffee.

Who cares about a coffee cart in Dolores Park?