HISTORIC SAN FRANCISCO STORE OWNER SAYS HE'S SHUTTERING DUE TO CRIME

  • Ken and Ron Brown commanded the business for nearly 50 years
  • However, the neighborhood has failed to rebound since the pandemic
  • Crime, litter and declining foot traffic forced the co-owners to step away

Two brothers have decided to step away from the business they've run for nearly five decades, citing the crime and homelessness plaguing San Francisco.

Ken Brown and his brother Ron headed Frank’s Fisherman on the city's historic Fisherman's Wharf for nearly 50 years, but struggled to stay afloat as the neighborhood deteriorated around them.

'We just felt kind of neglected down there,' Brown told SFGATE.

Among the brothers' concerns were closures, litter, crime and the appearance of homeless people who seemed to grapple with mental health issues.

Moreover, the area had changed for the worse. 'The wharf went from being a special place to being a place that’s like any strip mall across California,' Brown said.

The brothers bought the business in 1977. At that time, the store sold supplies for commercial fishers, but as the industry dwindled, they were able to adapt the business to suit an influx of tourists.

The shop became renowned for its collection of imported knickknacks, from 1800s diving helmets to antique door knockers to engraved wooden canes.

The unique offerings proved popular, leading the brothers to develop a steady stream of customers - that is, until the pandemic hit.

While the Port of San Francisco waived base rent for small businesses for more than a year, the area has 'struggled' to rebound, Brown explained. 

He cited declining foot traffic, trash blowing from a nearby fast food chain and people 'screaming gibberish' outside.

'Being a 70-year-old man chasing people down the street is not fun,' Brown lamented. 'I’m tired of it. The law and order thing has gotten out of hand. Something needs to change.'

This grim reality is reflected in Yelp reviews condemning crime and decay in the area.

One Australian tourist remarked that the wharf 'smells bad, reeking of uncollected garbage, marijuana or cigarette smoke, or in some places a combination of all three.'

Another visitor claimed his rental car had been subjected to a smash-and-grab burglary.

'We were literally gone less than 10 minutes, and one of the windows in the rear of the vehicle were broken into and my backpack was stolen anywhere you looked there were homeless,' he wrote.

'People that were literally defecating in the street. It was a horrible experience and I will not go back to downtown San Francisco under any circumstances.' 

The city has been the frequent subject of media attention, often portrayed as a lawless land where criminals run rampant.

Crime in San Francisco decreased in most categories last year, albeit slightly, while other types of offenses skyrocketed.

Nearly 2,700 cases of robbery were reported in 2023, a 14.5 percent increase year over year. Motor vehicle theft was also up from a year prior, with 6,571 cases reported compared to 6,222 in 2022, according to San Francisco Police Department data.

So far, crime has been trending downward in 2024. Reports across all categories fell in the first quarter of the year, with robbery rates hitting a six-year-low.

Larceny, a type of theft that including car break-ins, fell the most, plummeting by 35 percent from 8,389 reports to 5,402.

And there have been efforts to restore Fisherman's Wharf to its pre-pandemic glory. Last year, the port approved a $2.2 million grant to provide rapid investments into the attraction.

The new investments will provide additional staffing for cleaning and safety efforts, 'beautification of the neighborhood,' and the launch of a weekly concert series, according to a press release from July 2023.

But these developments came too late for the brothers, who decided to step away from the business and let a new owner take over in February.

Brown said he gets 'choked up' just talking about it.

'Everybody wants to make a living, and that was a part of it, but the main thing is the journey. And it was a great one,' he said.

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2024-04-24T21:07:00Z dg43tfdfdgfd