Goodbye
SF’s Beloved Albino Alligator Claude Passes Away
Goodbye, Local Icons, Museums / Cultural Institutions San Francisco is mourning a true local icon. Claude, the beloved albino alligator who greeted millions of visitors at the California Academy of Sciences, has passed away at the age of 30. Claude arrived from Louisiana in 2008 and quickly became the unofficial mascot of both the Academy and the city more...
Muni Retiring Iconic ’90s Trains
Bay Area Updates, Goodbye, Transportation After nearly 30 years of service and millions of rides, San Francisco’s iconic Breda light rail trains are heading into retirement, and you’re invited to hop aboard for one final farewell. These chunky silver and red trains have been rolling through the city since 1996, hauling Giants fans to the ballpark, more...
“Blue Bottle” to Close Huge Oakland Spot After 11 Years
Eat & Drink, Goodbye, Oakland Blue Bottle Coffee is shutting down one of its biggest Bay Area cafés. The spacious shop inside Oakland’s historic W.C. Morse building at 4270 Broadway will serve its last latte on Friday, September 26, 2025, after 11 years in business. Blue Bottle first opened in the landmark building in 2014, making more...
SF’s 21st Amendment Brewery Closing After 25 Years
Bars, Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco Sad news for Bay Area beer lovers: SF-born 21st Amendment Brewery is shutting down. Both the South Beach taproom and the San Leandro brewery will close their doors on November 4, 2025. 21st Amendment helped kick off SF’s craft beer scene back in 2000, opening just as Pac Bell Park (now more...
One of SF’s Coolest Thai Restaurants Has Closed
Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco Khan Toke Thai House, a longtime Richmond District favorite, has permanently closed its doors. The Thai spot, operating since the 1970s, was known for its floor seating, temple-like interior, and expansive menu. The restaurant was named one of the Chronicle’s “Best Classic Restaurants” in 2024 for its unique ambiance and memorable more...
After 60 Years, SF’s Renowned Edinburgh Castle Pub Closes
Bars, Bay Area Favorites, Goodbye San Francisco’s Edinburgh Castle Pub has closed after more than six decades on Geary Street. The Scottish-themed dive first opened at 950 Geary St in 1959 and became a hangout for writers, artists, and locals. Irvine Welsh even staged the U.S. debut of Trainspotting here before it hit the big screen. more...
SF’s Secret Garden Oasis, Kapwa Gardens, Closing After 5 Years
Downtown San Francisco, Goodbye, Housing After five years of serving as a vibrant outdoor gathering space in the heart of SoMa, San Francisco’s Kapwa Gardens is officially shutting down at the end of the month. Tucked into a transformed parking lot at 967 Mission Street, the Filipino-led garden opened in 2021 as a response to the more...
SF’s Iconic Drag Nightclub Oasis Closing At End of the Year
Goodbye, LGBTQ+, San Francisco Oasis, the longtime queer nightclub and cabaret space at 11th and Folsom, will close permanently on January 1, 2026, with its final event set for New Year’s Eve. Open since 2014, the club quickly became a nightlife fixture, known for over-the-top drag shows, campy theatrical productions, and big-name appearances from the more...
Chava’s Closes After 24 Years Serving Homestyle Mexican Food in the Mission
Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco Chava’s Restaurant, a longstanding Mexican eatery in San Francisco’s Mission District, is closing its doors after 24 years. Located just off 24th Street on Mission, the restaurant stopped serving food earlier this month and will officially close on July 15. The closure follows years of economic challenges, including a slow more...
SF’s Iconic Rock ’n’ Roll Hotel Closing After Nearly 40 Years
Goodbye, Local Icons, Only in San Francisco, San Francisco Big news for longtime locals and lovers of San Francisco’s offbeat charm: the Phoenix Hotel — a retro Tenderloin gem with major rock history — is shutting down at the end of 2025. If you’ve lived in SF long enough, you probably know someone who’s got a Phoenix story. Maybe you more...
SF’s Favorite Outdoor Movie Nights Ends After 20 Years
Bay Area Favorites, Goodbye Thanks to SF Gate for sharing the disappointing news that one of San Francisco’s most beloved summer traditions is hitting pause for now. Sundown Cinema, the free outdoor movie series that has lit up parks across the city for more than two decades, has been suspended due to major financial struggles more...
SF’s California Historical Society Closes After 154 Years
Goodbye, Museums / Cultural Institutions San Francisco’s California Historical Society (CHS), a cornerstone of the state’s historical preservation since 1871, has permanently closed due to long-standing financial difficulties. Its extensive collection, which includes books, journals, photographs, maps, and archival documents, will now be under the stewardship of Stanford University Libraries (SUL). The CHS Board of Trustees more...
SF’s Beloved Craft Beer Bar Toronado Up for Sale After 37 Years
Bars, Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco San Francisco is saying goodbye to another legendary institution as Toronado, the iconic Lower Haight beer bar, is officially up for sale. After 37 years of serving some of the best craft beer in the country, owner and founder Dave Keene has announced his retirement, marking the end of an more...
Historic Chinatown Restaurant Closes After 116 Years
Eat & Drink, Goodbye, San Francisco San Francisco’s iconic Sam Wo Restaurant, a staple of Chinatown for over a century, has officially closed its doors. After 116 years of serving the community, the restaurant shut down indefinitely on Sunday, January 26, following the expiration of its lease and the retirement of its longtime owner and chef, more...
Bay Area’s 174-Year Old Bookstore Files Bankruptcy, Closes Berkeley Shop
Bay Area Updates, East Bay, Goodbye Books Inc., the oldest independent bookstore company in the Bay Area, announced this week that it has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in an effort to reorganize its business and secure a sustainable future. The company, which has been serving California readers for 174 years, emphasized that it will continue more...
