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40-Year-Old San Francisco Diner Chain Closes All Locations, Cites Economy and Homelessness
Washington Free Beacon ^ | February 29, 2024 | Charles Hilu

Posted on 03/01/2024 11:40:20 AM PST by Twotone

A San Francisco restaurant chain recently closed its last two remaining locations after 40 years of operation, with the owner citing the city's economic challenges and homelessness.

"COVID has been a disease for us, let's put it that way, so it's been difficult, and we tried opening six or eight stores in the beginning in 2021, and it was ugly," Lee's Diner founder and owner Lee Quan told the local ABC 7 in a report published Wednesday. "There was just nobody around—we can't do business."

Quan, whose family-owned chain had 16 locations at its height, said after the pandemic, people were generally back to work only for three days out of the week. He also blamed inflation, minimum wage hikes in San Francisco, and a lack of support from government leaders from the city and state for his business's closure.

"Did they do anything to really help us? No," Quan said. "What things they did were insufficient to deal with the problem. We needed people to come back in and we needed the homeless people out. When the pandemic hit we had 12 stores, let's say. Each one of those stores was stocked for food that would last a couple weeks up to a month, so when we could not open, all that food ended up going in the garbage can!"

Mayor London Breed (D.) discussed the difficulties of the city's Financial District, where many of Quan's restaurants were located, in an interview with the outlet.

"Revitalization takes time," Breed said. "We've been through a global pandemic. Shopping patterns have changed, and so we need to adjust to that, and we need to reduce all the fees and taxes and barriers that make it difficult for people to thrive in business in San Francisco, and that's exactly what I'm doing."

Lee's Diner is one of many notable San Francisco businesses to have closed in recent months. Earlier this month, Jeffrey's Toys, which inspired the movie Toy Story, shut down, with the owner citing crime. Target shuttered nine stores, three of which were in or near San Francisco, in September, due to similar safety threats and theft. A hardware store last week began requiring customers to shop with escorts as a way to deter thieves. And Macy's on Tuesday announced it is closing its flagship store in Union Square, which had been open since 1929.


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Culture/Society; News/Current Events; Politics/Elections; US: California
KEYWORDS: california; homelessness; sanfrancisco
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To: Twotone; Liz; poconopundit; volare737; Sacajaweau; dforest; Alberta's Child
Lee's Diner is one of many notable San Francisco businesses to have closed in recent months.

Earlier this month, Jeffrey's Toys, which inspired the movie Toy Story, shut down, with the owner citing crime.

Target shuttered nine stores, three of which were in or near San Francisco, in September, due to similar safety threats and theft.

A hardware store last week began requiring customers to shop with escorts as a way to deter thieves

. And Macy's on Tuesday announced it is closing its flagship store in Union Square, which had been open since 1929.

Democrat hellhole city closing down...

21 posted on 03/01/2024 12:48:03 PM PST by GOPJ (Question: What are the two things Biden finds at ice cream shops? A. Ice cream and young children.)
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To: GOPJ

Democrat hellhole city-——says it all.


22 posted on 03/01/2024 12:50:02 PM PST by Liz (This then is how we should pray: Our Father who art in heaven, Hallowed be thy name. )
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To: roadcat

Yeah they have to scrape the “treat” off the streets now.


23 posted on 03/01/2024 12:52:48 PM PST by dforest
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To: roadcat

My dad had a chain of restaurants across the country. Working people came in for breakfast, lunch and dinner, good food at reasonable prices. Like this owner, his restaurants were in financial districts for the most part. There was at least one in San Francisco exactly the area discussed in article.

I am personally ticked off at this wonderful man needing to close his places. Brings me to tears.


24 posted on 03/01/2024 12:53:45 PM PST by Veto! (FJB Sucks Rocks)
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To: Twotone

Four more years?


25 posted on 03/01/2024 12:56:23 PM PST by MikeHu
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To: Veto!

Lee’s Diner is one of many notable San Francisco businesses to have closed in recent months.

Earlier this month, Jeffrey’s Toys, which inspired the movie Toy Story, shut down, with the owner citing crime.

Target shuttered nine stores, three of which were in or near San Francisco, in September, due to similar safety threats and theft.

A hardware store last week began requiring customers to shop with escorts as a way to deter thieves

. And Macy’s on Tuesday announced it is closing its flagship store in Union Square, which had been open since 1929.


Democrat hellhole city closing down... It’s sad for all of us who watched parents and family members with the small businesses...


26 posted on 03/01/2024 1:01:37 PM PST by GOPJ (Question: What are the two things Biden finds at ice cream shops? A. Ice cream and young children.)
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To: Twotone
"Revitalization takes time," Breed said. "We've been through a global pandemic.

It's been two years! How much time is needed?!

27 posted on 03/01/2024 1:41:40 PM PST by Rummyfan (In any war between the civilized man and the savage, support the civilized man.)
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To: roadcat

“She blames it on Covid...”

Yes, Covid has become the go-to excuse for the Rats whenever one of their policies causes more destruction.


28 posted on 03/01/2024 1:45:34 PM PST by aquila48 (Do not let them make you "care" ! Guilting you is how they control you. )
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

No reason for the decline in San Francisco. It used to be nice.


29 posted on 03/01/2024 1:45:37 PM PST by MinorityRepublican
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To: aquila48

“Yes, Covid has become the go-to excuse for the Rats whenever one of their policies causes more destruction.”

Uh, Covid is one of the Rats policies.


30 posted on 03/01/2024 2:30:16 PM PST by caver
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To: From The Deer Stand

“More roof of what happens when Democrats are in charge”

And the mentally ill...like those in the Castro District which now dominate politics.


31 posted on 03/01/2024 2:31:21 PM PST by DAC21
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To: Cowgirl of Justice
I believe it to be intentional at this point.

Almost certainly, and more of the same will not likely get us back on course.

So, will charging state governments to be completely liable for their policies with no federal financial contributions - other than incentives for proper governance - turn it around?

That might work if we can ever again get the Legislature and the WH in R hands.

For that we will need good candidates and effective elections, starting immediately.

32 posted on 03/01/2024 2:31:54 PM PST by frog in a pot (Sheriff Jones of Ohio tells us with hard facts why each one of us is a frog in a pot.)
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To: Cowgirl of Justice

The Dems are hoping some the citizens leaving those cities go to red areas and turn them “light” blue. By bringing just a few of their city liberal ideas. One possibility is that the cities may kick out the modern democ,,,er...,communist officials and turn red to survive.


33 posted on 03/01/2024 2:59:52 PM PST by Getready (Wisdom is more valuable than gold and harder to find.)
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To: Twotone
It's San Francisco - they should have taken everything off the menu except meth.

You gotta know your customers.



34 posted on 03/01/2024 3:21:03 PM PST by T.B. Yoits
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To: Twotone
"He also blamed inflation, minimum wage hikes in San Francisco, and...people tracking human feces into the restaurant."
35 posted on 03/01/2024 5:37:28 PM PST by moovova ("The NEXT election is the most important election of our lifetimes!“ LOL...)
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