Astrid Kane

Slow-growing and colossal, redwood trees are among the most extraordinary species native to California. They grow naturally in a narrow coastal band from southern Monterey County to the extreme southwestern corner of Oregon, reaching more than 350 feet up and with trunks up to 30 feet across.&nbsp;

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<p>Slow-growing and colossal, redwood trees are among the most extraordinary species native to California. They grow naturally in a narrow coastal band from southern Monterey County to the extreme southwestern corner of Oregon, reaching more than 350 feet up and with trunks up to 30 feet across.&nbsp;</p>

Just as the state’s sea otters were <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/sorry-not-sorry-its-our-moral-imperative-to-eat-sea-urchins/">hunted to near-extinction more than a century ago</a>, nearly all the world’s tallest trees were chopped down—felled and harvested for their remarkably light, durable and attractively colored wood. Fog-loving groves still exist, <a href="https://sempervirens.org/news/old-growth-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters/#:~:text=Second%2Dgrowth%20refers%20to%20trees,started%20to%20recover%20since%20then." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many of them second-growth</a>, in pockets from Big Sur to the canyons east of the Oakland Hills to Armstrong Woods north of Guerneville, along with the more famous Muir Woods and Redwood National Park. But you can find plenty around San Francisco, too, if you know where to look.

<p>Just as the state’s sea otters were <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/sorry-not-sorry-its-our-moral-imperative-to-eat-sea-urchins/">hunted to near-extinction more than a century ago</a>, nearly all the world’s tallest trees were chopped down—felled and harvested for their remarkably light, durable and attractively colored wood. Fog-loving groves still exist, <a href="https://sempervirens.org/news/old-growth-what-it-means-and-why-it-matters/#:~:text=Second%2Dgrowth%20refers%20to%20trees,started%20to%20recover%20since%20then." target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">many of them second-growth</a>, in pockets from Big Sur to the canyons east of the Oakland Hills to Armstrong Woods north of Guerneville, along with the more famous Muir Woods and Redwood National Park. But you can find plenty around San Francisco, too, if you know where to look.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-golden-gate-park">Golden Gate Park</h2>


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<h2 id="h-golden-gate-park">Golden Gate Park</h2>

San Francisco’s premier park has several stands of redwoods, many of them in designated places of remembrance. Since 1996, the <a href="https://www.aidsmemorial.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National AIDS Memorial</a> has been a place of solace, its canopy of trees generating deep shade and a sense of peace. Less well-marked is the <a href="https://sfbayca.com/2019/05/26/golden-gate-park-heroes-grove-to-be-rededicated-on-memorial-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently rededicated Heroes Grove</a>, a thicket near the Rose Garden across JFK Drive from the de Young Museum, while the more <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/925/GGP---Hoover-Redwood-Grove-Picnic-Area" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recreation- and picnic-friendly Hoover Redwood Grove</a> can be found west of 19th Avenue at the park’s southern edge.

<p>San Francisco’s premier park has several stands of redwoods, many of them in designated places of remembrance. Since 1996, the <a href="https://www.aidsmemorial.org/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">National AIDS Memorial</a> has been a place of solace, its canopy of trees generating deep shade and a sense of peace. Less well-marked is the <a href="https://sfbayca.com/2019/05/26/golden-gate-park-heroes-grove-to-be-rededicated-on-memorial-day/" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recently rededicated Heroes Grove</a>, a thicket near the Rose Garden across JFK Drive from the de Young Museum, while the more <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/925/GGP---Hoover-Redwood-Grove-Picnic-Area" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">recreation- and picnic-friendly Hoover Redwood Grove</a> can be found west of 19th Avenue at the park’s southern edge.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-transamerica-pyramid">Transamerica Pyramid</h2>


<h2 id="h-transamerica-pyramid">Transamerica Pyramid</h2>

Although San Francisco’s best-known skyscraper is currently undergoing renovation, the half-acre park behind it contains <a href="https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/transamerica-redwood-park">80 mature redwoods relocated from the Santa Cruz Mountains </a>in the late 1960s. The beautifully landscaped retreat from the Financial District is a great place to eat lunch. Amazingly, where these trees stand was once the city’s shoreline.

<p>Although San Francisco’s best-known skyscraper is currently undergoing renovation, the half-acre park behind it contains <a href="https://www.tclf.org/landscapes/transamerica-redwood-park">80 mature redwoods relocated from the Santa Cruz Mountains </a>in the late 1960s. The beautifully landscaped retreat from the Financial District is a great place to eat lunch. Amazingly, where these trees stand was once the city’s shoreline.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-embarcadero-levi-s-plaza">Embarcadero/Levi’s Plaza</h2>


<h2 id="h-embarcadero-levi-s-plaza">Embarcadero/Levi’s Plaza</h2>

The <a href="https://levisplaza.com/#neighborhood" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">900,000-square-foot campus anchored by Levi Strauss</a> is a neighborhood to itself, wedged between Telegraph Hill and the bay. Among the cypresses and low-slung buildings, there are plenty of redwoods.

<p>The <a href="https://levisplaza.com/#neighborhood" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">900,000-square-foot campus anchored by Levi Strauss</a> is a neighborhood to itself, wedged between Telegraph Hill and the bay. Among the cypresses and low-slung buildings, there are plenty of redwoods.</p>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG_3692-2500x1875.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-128693"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Although closed for renovation, Esprit Park in the Dogpatch contains a number of redwood trees. | Peter-Astrid Kane for The Standard</figcaption></figure>


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<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/02/IMG_3692-2500x1875.jpg" alt="" class="wp-image-128693"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Although closed for renovation, Esprit Park in the Dogpatch contains a number of redwood trees. | Peter-Astrid Kane for The Standard</figcaption></figure>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-esprit-park">Esprit Park</h2>


Like the Transamerica Pyramid, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/parks-outdoors/san-francisco-park-renovation-esprit-park-groundbreaking/">this Dogpatch green space is also closed off for renovation</a>, but when it reopens as the oasis of a rapidly growing neighborhood, its majestic redwoods will welcome thousands of new residents.

<p>Like the Transamerica Pyramid, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/arts-culture/parks-outdoors/san-francisco-park-renovation-esprit-park-groundbreaking/">this Dogpatch green space is also closed off for renovation</a>, but when it reopens as the oasis of a rapidly growing neighborhood, its majestic redwoods will welcome thousands of new residents.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-stern-grove-clubhouse">Stern Grove Clubhouse</h2>


<h2 id="h-stern-grove-clubhouse">Stern Grove Clubhouse</h2>

<a href="https://sfrecpark.org/664/Stern-Grove-Clubhouse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Better known as the Trocadero Clubhouse</a>, this 19th century roadhouse and gambling parlor is now one of the most beautiful buildings in Stern Grove. Although the yellow and orange nasturtiums greet visitors to the Stern Grove Festival’s free concerts, the driveway is also lined with redwoods. 

<p><a href="https://sfrecpark.org/664/Stern-Grove-Clubhouse" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Better known as the Trocadero Clubhouse</a>, this 19th century roadhouse and gambling parlor is now one of the most beautiful buildings in Stern Grove. Although the yellow and orange nasturtiums greet visitors to the Stern Grove Festival’s free concerts, the driveway is also lined with redwoods. </p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-beideman-and-o-farrell-mini-park">Beideman and O’Farrell Mini Park</h2>


<h2 id="h-beideman-and-o-farrell-mini-park">Beideman and O’Farrell Mini Park</h2>

SF’s most famous parks draw visitors the world over, but sometimes even small neighborhood green spaces have worthwhile attractions. The Western Addition’s <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/beidemanofarrellminipark-150" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beideman and O’Farrell Mini Park</a> may be tiny, but it’s got well-manicured landscaping and a few towering specimens of California&#8217;s most beautiful tree.

<p>SF’s most famous parks draw visitors the world over, but sometimes even small neighborhood green spaces have worthwhile attractions. The Western Addition’s <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/beidemanofarrellminipark-150" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beideman and O’Farrell Mini Park</a> may be tiny, but it’s got well-manicured landscaping and a few towering specimens of California's most beautiful tree.</p>

<p>SF’s most famous parks draw visitors the world over, but sometimes even small neighborhood green spaces have worthwhile attractions. The Western Addition’s <a href="https://sfrecpark.org/facilities/facility/details/beidemanofarrellminipark-150" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">Beideman and O’Farrell Mini Park</a> may be tiny, but it’s got well-manicured landscaping and a few towering specimens of California&#8217;s most beautiful tree.</p>

Where to find redwoods in San Francisco

Kevin Truong

Kevin V. Nguyen

Macy’s decision to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/27/san-francisco-macys-closing/">shutter its iconic San Francisco location</a> in Union Square represents the shocking end of an era for a once-mighty retailer laid low.

In another severe blow to San Francisco, Macy’s to close historic Union Square store

<p>Macy’s decision to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/27/san-francisco-macys-closing/">shutter its iconic San Francisco location</a> in Union Square represents the shocking end of an era for a once-mighty retailer laid low.</p>

“The latest Macy’s news is a classic example of a legacy brand on a slow but steady decline towards irrelevance,” said Michael Berne, president of retail consultancy MJB Consulting, adding he found the Union Square decision unwise given the importance of large brands maintaining flagship stores in major markets.&nbsp;

<p>“The latest Macy’s news is a classic example of a legacy brand on a slow but steady decline towards irrelevance,” said Michael Berne, president of retail consultancy MJB Consulting, adding he found the Union Square decision unwise given the importance of large brands maintaining flagship stores in major markets.&nbsp;</p>

Berne said while there could be many possible factors, such as consumer tastes and habits evolving, it is hard not to consider Macy&#8217;s efforts to fend <a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-arkhouse-brigade-takeover-c9167d79c3fe39a192a0ac4c80341408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">off a hostile takeover</a> when thinking about why the company would shutter such a historic location at this time.&nbsp;

<p>Berne said while there could be many possible factors, such as consumer tastes and habits evolving, it is hard not to consider Macy's efforts to fend <a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-arkhouse-brigade-takeover-c9167d79c3fe39a192a0ac4c80341408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">off a hostile takeover</a> when thinking about why the company would shutter such a historic location at this time.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Berne said while there could be many possible factors, such as consumer tastes and habits evolving, it is hard not to consider Macy&#8217;s efforts to fend <a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-arkhouse-brigade-takeover-c9167d79c3fe39a192a0ac4c80341408" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">off a hostile takeover</a> when thinking about why the company would shutter such a historic location at this time.&nbsp;</p>

The city will get at least a brief reprieve from the gaping 700,000-square-foot vacancy that Macy’s will leave behind. The retailer is still analyzing its ability to sell the property and the earliest the store would close is 2025.&nbsp;

<p>The city will get at least a brief reprieve from the gaping 700,000-square-foot vacancy that Macy’s will leave behind. The retailer is still analyzing its ability to sell the property and the earliest the store would close is 2025.&nbsp;</p>

Macy’s Union Square flagship store—which first opened in 1947—is set to close, according to Supervisor Aaron Peskin, who said the company directly informed him Tuesday morning of its plans. The location will remain open until Macy’s finds a buyer for the property it owns, and the impending San Francisco closure is one of 150 locations—about 30% of its total locations—that will meet the same fate over the next three years, according to an announcement from the retail giant.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/inlined03_20230227-macysunionsquarefuture.jpg?w=2500" alt="The image shows Macy's store windows reflecting buildings, with people visible inside." class="wp-image-253397"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Macy’s Union Square flagship store will remain open until the company finds a buyer for the property it owns. </figcaption></figure>


“Macy’s has always meant a lot to the people of this city. It’s where families came to shop for the holidays,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “It’s where many people from my community got their first jobs, or even held jobs for decades. It’s hard to think of Macy’s not being part of our city anymore.”

<p>“Macy’s has always meant a lot to the people of this city. It’s where families came to shop for the holidays,” Mayor London Breed said in a statement. “It’s where many people from my community got their first jobs, or even held jobs for decades. It’s hard to think of Macy’s not being part of our city anymore.”</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-union-square-icon">Union Square icon</h2>


For decades, the store was a steadfast presence downtown, acting as the backdrop to innumerable tourist photos and functioning as a holiday destination for generations of Bay Area residents. Now, just as the former Westfield mall a few blocks away <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/02/westfield-downtown-san-francisco-centre-mall-empty-dead/">sits as a mere shadow</a> of its former self, the impending departure of a Union Square stalwart is a blow for a city in sore need of positive news.&nbsp;

‘A ghost town’: How downtown San Francisco mall became a shadow of its former self

<p>For decades, the store was a steadfast presence downtown, acting as the backdrop to innumerable tourist photos and functioning as a holiday destination for generations of Bay Area residents. Now, just as the former Westfield mall a few blocks away <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2024/02/02/westfield-downtown-san-francisco-centre-mall-empty-dead/">sits as a mere shadow</a> of its former self, the impending departure of a Union Square stalwart is a blow for a city in sore need of positive news.&nbsp;</p>

Macy’s came to San Francisco in 1945 through the acquisition of local department store company O&#8217;Connor, Moffatt Co., taking over and rebranding the building at 101 Stockton St. as part of a national growth plan.&nbsp;

<p>Macy’s came to San Francisco in 1945 through the acquisition of local department store company O'Connor, Moffatt Co., taking over and rebranding the building at 101 Stockton St. as part of a national growth plan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Macy’s came to San Francisco in 1945 through the acquisition of local department store company O&#8217;Connor, Moffatt Co., taking over and rebranding the building at 101 Stockton St. as part of a national growth plan.&nbsp;</p>

The new front of Macy's looks out onto Union Square. Photo By Lea Suzuki (Photo By LEA SUZUKI/The San Francisco Chronicle via Getty Images)


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/inlined01_20230227-macysunionsquarefuture.jpg?w=1508" alt="A sunny urban park with people, in front of a large Macy's store and city buildings." class="wp-image-253395"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">At its peak in the 1990s, Macy’s dominated San Francisco’s premier shopping area, spanning some 1.1 million square feet of retail space.</figcaption></figure>


The company went on a gradual expansion and build-out in subsequent years, incorporating 170 O’Farrell St. to its storefront in a 1948 expansion. In the years following, a bankruptcy filing, an attempted takeover and various mergers made the San Francisco flagship the centerpiece of the company’s Macy&#8217;s West division.&nbsp;

<p>The company went on a gradual expansion and build-out in subsequent years, incorporating 170 O’Farrell St. to its storefront in a 1948 expansion. In the years following, a bankruptcy filing, an attempted takeover and various mergers made the San Francisco flagship the centerpiece of the company’s Macy's West division.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The company went on a gradual expansion and build-out in subsequent years, incorporating 170 O’Farrell St. to its storefront in a 1948 expansion. In the years following, a bankruptcy filing, an attempted takeover and various mergers made the San Francisco flagship the centerpiece of the company’s Macy&#8217;s West division.&nbsp;</p>

In 1984, Macy’s opened a separate men’s store in San Francisco at 120 Stockton St.—at the time one of the largest men’s department stores in the world—across from its central Union Square location.&nbsp;

<p>In 1984, Macy’s opened a separate men’s store in San Francisco at 120 Stockton St.—at the time one of the largest men’s department stores in the world—across from its central Union Square location.&nbsp;</p>

Macy’s Union Square workers say rampant shoplifting to blame for closure

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At its peak in the mid-1990s, Macy’s dominated San Francisco’s premier shopping area, spanning some 1.1 million square feet of retail space across its flagship at 170 O&#8217;Farrell St., the I. Magnin Building at 50 Grant Ave. and the Macy’s Men’s store.

<p>At its peak in the mid-1990s, Macy’s dominated San Francisco’s premier shopping area, spanning some 1.1 million square feet of retail space across its flagship at 170 O'Farrell St., the I. Magnin Building at 50 Grant Ave. and the Macy’s Men’s store.</p>

<p>At its peak in the mid-1990s, Macy’s dominated San Francisco’s premier shopping area, spanning some 1.1 million square feet of retail space across its flagship at 170 O&#8217;Farrell St., the I. Magnin Building at 50 Grant Ave. and the Macy’s Men’s store.</p>

Then came the rise of e-commerce and the shift away from big-box retailers. Store closure announcements started becoming a regular pattern for Macy’s, including 40 stores in 2015, 100 stores in 2017 and 150 stores this week, including San Francisco’s Union Square location.

<p>Then came the rise of e-commerce and the shift away from big-box retailers. Store closure announcements started becoming a regular pattern for Macy’s, including 40 stores in 2015, 100 stores in 2017 and 150 stores this week, including San Francisco’s Union Square location.</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-san-francisco-sell-off">San Francisco sell-off</h2>


Amid slowing sales and falling stock prices, Macy’s cannibalized a slice of its San Francisco real estate holdings for cash after failing to convert portions of its stores into different uses.&nbsp;

<p>Amid slowing sales and falling stock prices, Macy’s cannibalized a slice of its San Francisco real estate holdings for cash after failing to convert portions of its stores into different uses.&nbsp;</p>

In 2016, the company sold its 250,000-square-foot men&#8217;s store at 120 Stockton St. to Morgan Stanley and Blatteis &amp; Schnur for around $275 million.&nbsp;

<p>In 2016, the company sold its 250,000-square-foot men's store at 120 Stockton St. to Morgan Stanley and Blatteis &amp; Schnur for around $275 million.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2016, the company sold its 250,000-square-foot men&#8217;s store at 120 Stockton St. to Morgan Stanley and Blatteis &amp; Schnur for around $275 million.&nbsp;</p>

MACYS RETURN_057_LH.JPG  Jenny Leung (right, on couch) shopping for shoes at downtown Macy's day after Christmas.  Jennifer Huang (middle, on couch) and Alex Chiang (left, on couch).  Photographed by Liz Hafalia on 12/26/05 in San Francisco, California.


<figure class="wp-block-image size-large is-resized"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/02/inlined04_20230227-macysunionsquarefuture.jpg?w=2500" alt="People are sitting in a busy shoe store with boxes and shoes around them." class="wp-image-253398" style="width:670px;height:auto"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">The impending San Francisco closure is one of 150 locations—about 30% of its total locations—that will meet the same fate over the next three years, according to an announcement from the retail giant.</figcaption></figure>


The retailer shifted its men’s apparel into its flagship location, and 120 Stockton was subject to a yearslong mixed-use redevelopment. New tenants of the property include on-demand meeting and event space company Convene and buzzy Japanese-Peruvian rooftop restaurant Chotto Matte.

<p>The retailer shifted its men’s apparel into its flagship location, and 120 Stockton was subject to a yearslong mixed-use redevelopment. New tenants of the property include on-demand meeting and event space company Convene and buzzy Japanese-Peruvian rooftop restaurant Chotto Matte.</p>

Then in 2019, Macy’s sold off the former I. Magnin building at 233 Geary St. to Palo Alto developer Sand Hill Property Co. for $250 million. Before the pandemic, the new owners pitched a project that would split up the building into retail space, offices and residential segments, but the current San Francisco real estate freeze means plans were largely put on pause.&nbsp;

<p>Then in 2019, Macy’s sold off the former I. Magnin building at 233 Geary St. to Palo Alto developer Sand Hill Property Co. for $250 million. Before the pandemic, the new owners pitched a project that would split up the building into retail space, offices and residential segments, but the current San Francisco real estate freeze means plans were largely put on pause.&nbsp;</p>

The building is currently the home of Union Square’s Louis Vuitton store, perhaps best known as the site of the viral smash-and-grab robberies that took place in November 2021.

<p>The building is currently the home of Union Square’s Louis Vuitton store, perhaps best known as the site of the viral smash-and-grab robberies that took place in November 2021.</p>

In a signal of the declining value of San Francisco real estate and Macy’s declining prospects, the company has attempted to significantly cut the assessed value of its flagship building in recent years to save on its property tax bill. As if flagging sales weren’t enough, during the peak holiday shopping season in 2022, over 400 Macy’s workers also <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/12/23/macys-workers-in-sf-are-striking-two-days-before-christmas-how-did-it-get-to-this/">walked out on their jobs</a>, striking against staffing and benefit cuts.&nbsp;

Macy&#8217;s workers in SF are striking two days before Christmas. How did it get to this?

<p>In a signal of the declining value of San Francisco real estate and Macy’s declining prospects, the company has attempted to significantly cut the assessed value of its flagship building in recent years to save on its property tax bill. As if flagging sales weren’t enough, during the peak holiday shopping season in 2022, over 400 Macy’s workers also <a href="https://sfstandard.com/2022/12/23/macys-workers-in-sf-are-striking-two-days-before-christmas-how-did-it-get-to-this/">walked out on their jobs</a>, striking against staffing and benefit cuts.&nbsp;</p>

Macy’s workers in SF are striking two days before Christmas. How did it get to this?

The store closure announcement marks a logical endpoint for a company that has gradually shed its San Francisco presence.&nbsp;

<p>The store closure announcement marks a logical endpoint for a company that has gradually shed its San Francisco presence.&nbsp;</p>

“While retailers close stores for various reasons, one of the reasons that is often central to the decision is demand for their product,” said Alex Sagues, a San Francisco retail broker at real estate firm CBRE.&nbsp;

<p>“While retailers close stores for various reasons, one of the reasons that is often central to the decision is demand for their product,” said Alex Sagues, a San Francisco retail broker at real estate firm CBRE.&nbsp;</p>

Macy’s more recent woes have been accelerated by a series of hostile takeover attempts from private equity firms and activist investors. Last week, private equity firm Arkhouse Management <a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-arkhouse-brigade-takeover-proxy-4cc435a513e00f524e9d4796fd105a87" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nominated nine new members</a> to Macy’s 14-member board of directors after its unsolicited $5.3 billion bid to purchase the company was denied.

<p>Macy’s more recent woes have been accelerated by a series of hostile takeover attempts from private equity firms and activist investors. Last week, private equity firm Arkhouse Management <a href="https://apnews.com/article/macys-arkhouse-brigade-takeover-proxy-4cc435a513e00f524e9d4796fd105a87" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">nominated nine new members</a> to Macy’s 14-member board of directors after its unsolicited $5.3 billion bid to purchase the company was denied. </p>

Earlier this month, after culling 13% of its corporate staff and shutting down a handful of other stores, the New York-based retailer elevated Tony Spring to CEO after he spent nearly 35 years at Macy’s Bloomingdale’s division.&nbsp;

<p>Earlier this month, after culling 13% of its corporate staff and shutting down a handful of other stores, the New York-based retailer elevated Tony Spring to CEO after he spent nearly 35 years at Macy’s Bloomingdale’s division.&nbsp;</p>

His strategy for turning around the flailing company? Reducing the number of Macy’s locations to 350 stores over the next three years and adding around 45 Bloomingdale&#8217;s and Bluemercury locations in their stead.

<p>His strategy for turning around the flailing company? Reducing the number of Macy’s locations to 350 stores over the next three years and adding around 45 Bloomingdale's and Bluemercury locations in their stead.</p>

<p>His strategy for turning around the flailing company? Reducing the number of Macy’s locations to 350 stores over the next three years and adding around 45 Bloomingdale&#8217;s and Bluemercury locations in their stead.</p>

‘A slow but steady decline’: The rise and fall of Macy’s flagship San Francisco store

Josh Koehn

The most important phone call of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/search/?query=london%20breed">London Breed</a>’s career went to voicemail. So did the next call. And the next.&nbsp;

<p>The most important phone call of <a href="https://sfstandard.com/search/?query=london%20breed">London Breed</a>’s career went to voicemail. So did the next call. And the next.&nbsp;</p>

San Francisco police had already been dispatched to Breed’s apartment in the middle of the night when she finally picked up the phone and got an inkling of just how drastically her life was about to change. Earlier in the evening of Dec. 11, 2017, Mayor Ed Lee had suffered a heart attack while grocery shopping. As president of the Board of Supervisors, Breed was first in line to the throne.&nbsp;

<p>San Francisco police had already been dispatched to Breed’s apartment in the middle of the night when she finally picked up the phone and got an inkling of just how drastically her life was about to change. Earlier in the evening of Dec. 11, 2017, Mayor Ed Lee had suffered a heart attack while grocery shopping. As president of the Board of Supervisors, Breed was first in line to the throne.&nbsp;</p>

She arrived at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in an ashen state, according to one of the many city officials who stood vigil that night. Doctors were struggling to keep Lee alive, but word was spreading that he would be severely incapacitated even if he survived. Breed joined the mayor’s chief of staff, Jason Elliott, and another advisor in a conference room as they waited for news. At 1:11 a.m, Lee’s heart took its last beat.

<p>She arrived at Zuckerberg San Francisco General Hospital in an ashen state, according to one of the many city officials who stood vigil that night. Doctors were struggling to keep Lee alive, but word was spreading that he would be severely incapacitated even if he survived. Breed joined the mayor’s chief of staff, Jason Elliott, and another advisor in a conference room as they waited for news. At 1:11 a.m, Lee’s heart took its last beat.</p>

“I told her: ‘You’re the mayor now,’” Elliott recalled. “And that was the beginning.”

<p>“I told her: ‘You’re the mayor now,’” Elliott recalled. “And that was the beginning.”</p>

Breed showed grace under pressure in the role of acting mayor and rallied the city in the days to come. But in short order, Breed’s colleagues would turn against her, forcing her to mount a historic campaign to become San Francisco’s first elected Black woman mayor. She was propelled into office by a diverse but&nbsp;moderate-leaning coalition of voters, garnering strong support from women&nbsp;and people of color as well as real estate and business interests. But the honeymoon would be brief.

<p>Breed showed grace under pressure in the role of acting mayor and rallied the city in the days to come. But in short order, Breed’s colleagues would turn against her, forcing her to mount a historic campaign to become San Francisco’s first elected Black woman mayor. She was propelled into office by a diverse but&nbsp;moderate-leaning coalition of voters, garnering strong support from women&nbsp;and people of color as well as real estate and business interests. But the honeymoon would be brief.</p>

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<figure class="wp-block-video"><video autoplay controls loop muted src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedProfile05312023_VIDEO_LEE_DEATH.mp4"></video><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After the death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Dec. 12, 2017, London Breed addresses the media after assuming the role of acting mayor. | Courtesy SFGovTV</figcaption></figure>

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<div class="wp-block-column"><figure class="wp-block-video"><video autoplay controls loop muted src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedProfile05312023_VIDEO_LEE_DEATH.mp4"></video><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After the death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Dec. 12, 2017, London Breed addresses the media after assuming the role of acting mayor. | Courtesy SFGovTV</figcaption></figure></div>

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<div class="wp-block-columns"><div class="wp-block-column"><figure class="wp-block-video"><video autoplay controls loop muted src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/BreedProfile05312023_VIDEO_LEE_DEATH.mp4"></video><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">After the death of San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee on Dec. 12, 2017, London Breed addresses the media after assuming the role of acting mayor. | Courtesy SFGovTV</figcaption></figure></div></div>

Breed’s handling of Covid was widely praised, but the vulnerabilities of a local economy disproportionately dependent on tech would soon be exposed. For years, San Francisco’s tax coffers had been bursting at the seams, but a debt was coming due amid a new era of remote work. All the while, the widening gulf between haves and have-nots coupled with hopeless bureaucratic stonewalling had exacerbated issues around housing, homelessness, drug addiction and property crime.

<p>Breed’s handling of Covid was widely praised, but the vulnerabilities of a local economy disproportionately dependent on tech would soon be exposed. For years, San Francisco’s tax coffers had been bursting at the seams, but a debt was coming due amid a new era of remote work. All the while, the widening gulf between haves and have-nots coupled with hopeless bureaucratic stonewalling had exacerbated issues around housing, homelessness, drug addiction and property crime.</p>

Five and a half years after Lee’s death, Breed now stands at the helm of a city in turmoil.&nbsp;

<p>Five and a half years after Lee’s death, Breed now stands at the helm of a city in turmoil.&nbsp;</p>

San Francisco’s reputation as a bastion of innovation and liberalism has given way to narratives about wasted potential and American rot. The city is on pace for a record-setting 800 drug <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/man-dies-of-possible-drug-overdose-at-downtown-san-francisco-bart-station/">overdose deaths</a> this year; tents, discarded needles, artless graffiti, psychotic breakdowns and sidewalk scat are common even in some affluent neighborhoods. Property crime is rampant, and—despite <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-home-listings-way-down-as-mortgage-lock-in-scares-off-sellers/">a dip in the market</a>—the idea of owning a home in the city remains a pipe dream for most as median home prices hover at around $1.3 million.

<p>San Francisco’s reputation as a bastion of innovation and liberalism has given way to narratives about wasted potential and American rot. The city is on pace for a record-setting 800 drug <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/man-dies-of-possible-drug-overdose-at-downtown-san-francisco-bart-station/">overdose deaths</a> this year; tents, discarded needles, artless graffiti, psychotic breakdowns and sidewalk scat are common even in some affluent neighborhoods. Property crime is rampant, and—despite <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/san-francisco-home-listings-way-down-as-mortgage-lock-in-scares-off-sellers/">a dip in the market</a>—the idea of owning a home in the city remains a pipe dream for most as median home prices hover at around $1.3 million.</p>

Major retailers such as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-whole-foods-market-closing/">Whole Foods</a>, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/nordstrom-to-shutter-both-san-francisco-downtown-stores-citing-deteriorating-conditions-report/">Nordstrom</a> and <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-old-navy-flagship-store-closing-after-26-years/">Old Navy</a> have decided to shutter their flagship stores. Remote work has <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-vacancies-hit-record-high-as-city-nears-breaking-point/">emptied out almost a third of San Francisco’s office space</a>, contributing to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/city-hall/san-franciscos-deficit-swells-to-780m-in-latest-sign-of-budget-distress/">a $780 million budget deficit</a> and leaving Downtown skyscrapers to sit like ghost towns with panoramic views of the bay.

<p>Major retailers such as <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-whole-foods-market-closing/">Whole Foods</a>, <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/nordstrom-to-shutter-both-san-francisco-downtown-stores-citing-deteriorating-conditions-report/">Nordstrom</a> and <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-old-navy-flagship-store-closing-after-26-years/">Old Navy</a> have decided to shutter their flagship stores. Remote work has <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/downtown-san-francisco-vacancies-hit-record-high-as-city-nears-breaking-point/">emptied out almost a third of San Francisco’s office space</a>, contributing to <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/city-hall/san-franciscos-deficit-swells-to-780m-in-latest-sign-of-budget-distress/">a $780 million budget deficit</a> and leaving Downtown skyscrapers to sit like ghost towns with panoramic views of the bay.</p>

More than three-quarters of San Franciscans <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/heres-how-san-francisco-officials-are-doing-on-their-plan-to-save-downtown/">believe the city is on the wrong track</a>, a recent poll showed, and Breed’s approval numbers are plunging.&nbsp;

<p>More than three-quarters of San Franciscans <a href="https://sfstandard.com/business/heres-how-san-francisco-officials-are-doing-on-their-plan-to-save-downtown/">believe the city is on the wrong track</a>, a recent poll showed, and Breed’s approval numbers are plunging.&nbsp;</p>

Breed’s tough talk on crime and blame game with “lefty” political opponents is wearing thin. Frustrated residents are questioning her vision for the city and turning a critical eye to her performance. Meanwhile, potential challengers are kicking the tires on campaigns to defeat her in 2024.&nbsp;

<p>Breed’s tough talk on crime and blame game with “lefty” political opponents is wearing thin. Frustrated residents are questioning her vision for the city and turning a critical eye to her performance. Meanwhile, potential challengers are kicking the tires on campaigns to defeat her in 2024.&nbsp;</p>

Over six months, The Standard interviewed more than 50 people close to Breed, from friends and neighbors in the Western Addition housing project where she grew up to associates and colleagues in City Hall. The portrait that emerged from these conversations is that of a sharp-tongued but sincere leader. Breed is charming, intuitive, community-driven and wickedly funny, a people person just as capable of connecting with minimum-wage <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/can-san-franciscos-new-welcome-ambassadors-uplift-the-citys-image/">street ambassadors</a> as high-society <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/wealthy-san-franciscans-battle-it-out-november-ballot-measures/">power brokers</a>.

<p>Over six months, The Standard interviewed more than 50 people close to Breed, from friends and neighbors in the Western Addition housing project where she grew up to associates and colleagues in City Hall. The portrait that emerged from these conversations is that of a sharp-tongued but sincere leader. Breed is charming, intuitive, community-driven and wickedly funny, a people person just as capable of connecting with minimum-wage <a href="https://sfstandard.com/public-health/can-san-franciscos-new-welcome-ambassadors-uplift-the-citys-image/">street ambassadors</a> as high-society <a href="https://sfstandard.com/politics/elections/wealthy-san-franciscans-battle-it-out-november-ballot-measures/">power brokers</a>.</p>

However, behind closed doors, some of Breed’s strongest traits cut both ways. The 48-year-old mayor’s bluntness can complicate collaboration. Breed doesn’t micromanage, but some say she over-delegates leadership to overwhelmed department heads and staff who are running on fumes. Supporters praise her willingness to try new strategies to confront the generational crises plaguing San Francisco, though they admit the implementation can be scattershot.&nbsp;

<p>However, behind closed doors, some of Breed’s strongest traits cut both ways. The 48-year-old mayor’s bluntness can complicate collaboration. Breed doesn’t micromanage, but some say she over-delegates leadership to overwhelmed department heads and staff who are running on fumes. Supporters praise her willingness to try new strategies to confront the generational crises plaguing San Francisco, though they admit the implementation can be scattershot.&nbsp;</p>

Mayor London Breed speaks during a press conference about the state of smalls businesses in the SoMa district of San Francisco, on Wednesday, June 8, 2022. | Camille Cohen/The Standard


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED1_NEW_BreedProfile11142022.jpg" alt="Mayor London Breed speaks about the state of small businesses in the South of Market area of San Francisco on June 8, 2022" class="wp-image-171134"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">Mayor London Breed speaks about the state of small businesses in the South of Market area of San Francisco on June 8, 2022. | Camille Cohen/The Standard</figcaption></figure>


The mission of being mayor is deeply personal for Breed. Unlike most of the city’s politicians, her life was profoundly shaped by many of the same ills now roiling San Francisco: poverty, addiction, crime, mental illness and housing and economic instability.

<p>The mission of being mayor is deeply personal for Breed. Unlike most of the city’s politicians, her life was profoundly shaped by many of the same ills now roiling San Francisco: poverty, addiction, crime, mental illness and housing and economic instability.</p>

“You grow up a certain way, and you remember it like it was yesterday,” Breed said in an early June interview with The Standard. “The fact that I even graduated from high school and ended up in college and graduated from college—for me, it’s a big deal. And it also makes me live like I have nothing to lose.”

<p>“You grow up a certain way, and you remember it like it was yesterday,” Breed said in an early June interview with The Standard. “The fact that I even graduated from high school and ended up in college and graduated from college—for me, it’s a big deal. And it also makes me live like I have nothing to lose.”</p>

A ballot measure passed last year pushed the mayor’s race to 2024, extending the tightrope Breed must traverse to reelection. To secure a second term and become the longest-serving San Francisco mayor in almost a century, Breed will need to solve—or at least alleviate—the problems of a broken city that have been decades in the making.

<p>A ballot measure passed last year pushed the mayor’s race to 2024, extending the tightrope Breed must traverse to reelection. To secure a second term and become the longest-serving San Francisco mayor in almost a century, Breed will need to solve—or at least alleviate—the problems of a broken city that have been decades in the making.</p>

This is far from the only time Breed has faced extreme pressure. But even some of her most ardent supporters are uncertain if she’s capable of answering the call.

<p>This is far from the only time Breed has faced extreme pressure. But even some of her most ardent supporters are uncertain if she’s capable of answering the call.</p>

“Is there a feeling of vulnerability?” asked one of the mayor’s closest allies, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “One hundred percent, yes.”

<p>“Is there a feeling of vulnerability?” asked one of the mayor’s closest allies, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. “One hundred percent, yes.”</p>

Chapter I: ‘You Can’t Mess With Her’


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chapter-i-you-can-t-mess-with-her">Chapter I: ‘You Can’t Mess With Her’</h2>


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<div class="quote-container">
<p>“The reason she doesn’t go into that is because it’s not just her story. It’s her mother’s story. It’s her family’s story." 
</p>
<p class="quote-attribution"> — Sheryl Davis, executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission</p>
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<div class="quote-container">
<p>“The reason she doesn’t go into that is because it’s not just her story. It’s her mother’s story. It’s her family’s story.&#8221; 
</p>
<p class="quote-attribution"> — Sheryl Davis, executive director of the San Francisco Human Rights Commission</p>
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The mayor is fiercely protective about telling her family’s story—in part due to the tragedies she endured, but also because she herself doesn’t have all the answers.

<p>The mayor is fiercely protective about telling her family’s story—in part due to the tragedies she endured, but also because she herself doesn’t have all the answers.</p>

Breed’s mother was absent much of her childhood and their relationship is complicated. The mayor does not know the identity of her father. She recently took a DNA test and learned she is half Jewish, a discovery she revealed privately to a group traveling with her on a <a href="https://sf.gov/news/mayor-breed-lead-mission-strengthen-relations-san-franciscos-sister-city-haifa#:~:text=Haifa%20has%20been%20a%20sister%20city%20of%20San%20Francisco%20since%201973.">Sister City trip to Haifa, Israel</a>, in May.

<p>Breed’s mother was absent much of her childhood and their relationship is complicated. The mayor does not know the identity of her father. She recently took a DNA test and learned she is half Jewish, a discovery she revealed privately to a group traveling with her on a <a href="https://sf.gov/news/mayor-breed-lead-mission-strengthen-relations-san-franciscos-sister-city-haifa#:~:text=Haifa%20has%20been%20a%20sister%20city%20of%20San%20Francisco%20since%201973.">Sister City trip to Haifa, Israel</a>, in May.</p>

“I don’t want to talk about my family in a way that throws them under the bus,” Breed told The Standard in the second of two sit-down interviews for this story. “The fact is, I don’t know my biological father, and I’ve recently made a discovery that I have not made public in any way.”

<p>“I don’t want to talk about my family in a way that throws them under the bus,” Breed told The Standard in the second of two sit-down interviews for this story. “The fact is, I don’t know my biological father, and I’ve recently made a discovery that I have not made public in any way.”</p>

Breed was born at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco on Aug. 11, 1974, and spent her earliest years living with her grandmother, siblings and two aunts in a cramped apartment in Plaza East, one of the city’s toughest public housing projects and the epicenter of a murderous turf war between rival gangs.

<p>Breed was born at Kaiser Hospital in San Francisco on Aug. 11, 1974, and spent her earliest years living with her grandmother, siblings and two aunts in a cramped apartment in Plaza East, one of the city’s toughest public housing projects and the epicenter of a murderous turf war between rival gangs.</p>

A booklet entitled “The New Western Addition Is a Good Place to Live” published in 1971, outlines new housing developments, apartments and public spaces as part of the larger Western Addition redevelopment project. London Breed was raised in the Western Addition’s Yerba Buena Plaza East housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_NEW_BreedProfile11142022.jpg" alt="A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood's Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency" class="wp-image-171138"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood&#8217;s Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency</figcaption></figure>


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_NEW_BreedProfile11142022.jpg" alt="A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood's Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency" class="wp-image-171138"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood's Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency</figcaption></figure>

<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED2_NEW_BreedProfile11142022.jpg" alt="A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood's Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency" class="wp-image-171138"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A booklet published in 1971 outlines new housing developments in the Western Addition. London Breed was raised in the neighborhood&#8217;s Plaza East public housing project. | Courtesy San Francisco Redevelopment Agency</figcaption></figure>

“If you were not Black or didn&#8217;t live there, you could not come to these projects,” Breed said. “You had to say a name. There was a name that had to be used—otherwise, you couldn&#8217;t walk through there at all. You would get robbed. You would get beat up, everything.”

<p>“If you were not Black or didn't live there, you could not come to these projects,” Breed said. “You had to say a name. There was a name that had to be used—otherwise, you couldn't walk through there at all. You would get robbed. You would get beat up, everything.”</p>

<p>“If you were not Black or didn&#8217;t live there, you could not come to these projects,” Breed said. “You had to say a name. There was a name that had to be used—otherwise, you couldn&#8217;t walk through there at all. You would get robbed. You would get beat up, everything.”</p>

At 12 years old, Breed saw the corpse of a person who had been shot in the head. In her 20s, one of her brothers took part in a deadly robbery and was sentenced to prison. In 2006, Breed lost a younger sister to a drug overdose, and one of her cousins was killed by police. Over the years, officers were routinely called to help with one of Breed’s aunts, who suffered from mental illness and explosive fits of rage.

<p>At 12 years old, Breed saw the corpse of a person who had been shot in the head. In her 20s, one of her brothers took part in a deadly robbery and was sentenced to prison. In 2006, Breed lost a younger sister to a drug overdose, and one of her cousins was killed by police. Over the years, officers were routinely called to help with one of Breed’s aunts, who suffered from mental illness and explosive fits of rage.</p>

The kindness shown by these officers, including a cop whom Breed’s aunt lovingly nicknamed “Beefcakes,” shaped the mayor’s nuanced views on policing. As a supervisor, Breed called for a federal investigation into the <a href="https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/supervisor-london-breed-calls-for-a-federal-investigation-into-the-sfpds-shooting-death-of-mario/article_f8b7d433-ce35-5ddb-b5bb-d2fb8d563379.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">police killing of Mario Woods</a>; as mayor, she has advocated for a crackdown on people using drugs on the streets, expanding police surveillance tools and hiring more officers.

<p>The kindness shown by these officers, including a cop whom Breed’s aunt lovingly nicknamed “Beefcakes,” shaped the mayor’s nuanced views on policing. As a supervisor, Breed called for a federal investigation into the <a href="https://www.sfweekly.com/archives/supervisor-london-breed-calls-for-a-federal-investigation-into-the-sfpds-shooting-death-of-mario/article_f8b7d433-ce35-5ddb-b5bb-d2fb8d563379.html" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">police killing of Mario Woods</a>; as mayor, she has advocated for a crackdown on people using drugs on the streets, expanding police surveillance tools and hiring more officers.</p>

“Folks don’t realize that, by and large, Black people are pretty conservative when it comes to what public safety looks like,” said Sheryl Davis, the head of the city’s Human Rights Commission. “They’re not always against the police. They just don&#8217;t want the police to be brutalizing them.”

<p>“Folks don’t realize that, by and large, Black people are pretty conservative when it comes to what public safety looks like,” said Sheryl Davis, the head of the city’s Human Rights Commission. “They’re not always against the police. They just don't want the police to be brutalizing them.”</p>

<p>“Folks don’t realize that, by and large, Black people are pretty conservative when it comes to what public safety looks like,” said Sheryl Davis, the head of the city’s Human Rights Commission. “They’re not always against the police. They just don&#8217;t want the police to be brutalizing them.”</p>

Breed’s grandmother, Comelia Brown, was a Baptist faithful to the good book. Miss Brown—as she was known throughout the neighborhood—served as the family rock, the guiding light and the hammer that forged Breed into the person she is today.

<p>Breed’s grandmother, Comelia Brown, was a Baptist faithful to the good book. Miss Brown—as she was known throughout the neighborhood—served as the family rock, the guiding light and the hammer that forged Breed into the person she is today.</p>

“She was a church lady,” said Rev. Arnold Townsend, who was present at Breed’s baptism and helped officiate the funerals of the mayor’s grandmother and sister. “And in the Black community, that means a certain thing—very, very stern and can be quite severe when necessary.”

<p>“She was a church lady,” said Rev. Arnold Townsend, who was present at Breed’s baptism and helped officiate the funerals of the mayor’s grandmother and sister. “And in the Black community, that means a certain thing—very, very stern and can be quite severe when necessary.”</p>

Under her grandmother’s watch, Breed and her siblings were required to cook and clean, make their beds and go to school, or get out of the house. Miss Brown handed out whoopings and flushed her grandson’s drugs down the toilet. She scolded Breed when she felt embarrassed about buying groceries with food stamps, telling her granddaughter to hold her head high and focus on survival until the next step.

<p>Under her grandmother’s watch, Breed and her siblings were required to cook and clean, make their beds and go to school, or get out of the house. Miss Brown handed out whoopings and flushed her grandson’s drugs down the toilet. She scolded Breed when she felt embarrassed about buying groceries with food stamps, telling her granddaughter to hold her head high and focus on survival until the next step.</p>

A composite image of London Breed as a toddler with her grandmother, Comelia Brown, left, and a portrait of London Breed as a baby, right, that was published in the 1992 Galileo High School yearbook. | Courtesy London Breed


<figure class="wp-block-image size-full"><img src="https://content.sfstandard.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/INLINED3_BreedProfile11142022.jpg" alt="A composite image shows a picture of London Breed as a toddler with her grandmother, Comelia Brown, and a photo of London Breed as a baby that was published in the 1992 Galileo High School yearbook." class="wp-image-170713"/><figcaption class="wp-element-caption">A composite image shows a picture of London Breed as a toddler with her grandmother, Comelia Brown, and a photo of London Breed as a baby that was published in the 1992 Galileo High School yearbook. | Courtesy London Breed</figcaption></figure>


“Miss Brown was everybody’s mother and everybody’s grandmother in the community,” said Shawn Richard, a neighbor of Breed’s in Plaza East and the city’s first Black cannabis dispensary owner. “We respected that, and [Breed] was raised with values. You know, they had to go to church on Sundays, and the rest of us would go to church with them because Miss Brown demanded that.”

<p>“Miss Brown was everybody’s mother and everybody’s grandmother in the community,” said Shawn Richard, a neighbor of Breed’s in Plaza East and the city’s first Black cannabis dispensary owner. “We respected that, and [Breed] was raised with values. You know, they had to go to church on Sundays, and the rest of us would go to church with them because Miss Brown demanded that.”</p>

These roots—and a community that saw something in Breed, insulated her and raised her like their own—kept her grounded.&nbsp;

<p>These roots—and a community that saw something in Breed, insulated her and raised her like their own—kept her grounded.&nbsp;</p>

“It was always like, ‘No, you can&#8217;t mess with her,’” Breed said about neighbors looking after her. “People in this community, when there was someone with potential, this community was very protective.”

<p>“It was always like, ‘No, you can't mess with her,’” Breed said about neighbors looking after her. “People in this community, when there was someone with potential, this community was very protective.”</p>

<p>“It was always like, ‘No, you can&#8217;t mess with her,’” Breed said about neighbors looking after her. “People in this community, when there was someone with potential, this community was very protective.”</p>


<h2 class="wp-block-heading" id="h-chapter-ii-a-raw-ball-of-talent">Chapter II: ‘A Raw Ball of Talent’</h2>


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