Italian Combo
Two recent reports on All Things Luisa form an interesting duet: Luisa Confidential recently reported that she doesn't have a Ficitious Business Name for La Vinoteca on Union, whereas Eater SF reports that things may not be going so well over there in Cow Hollow.
What's a Hanson Fan to do? We humbly suggest that you first call or email the County Clerk's office (415.554.4950 / county.clerk@sfgov.org) and complain about the blatant violation of rules and regs; then head over to Union Street and watch failure in progress.
Plan B?
Well, this is odd. Luisa has removed the alcohol license application notice from the window at 1500 California. While it's too early to declare victory, her plans for the old Front Room decidely have switched to the slow lane. To wit:
She is required to send a mailing to everyone within a 500-foot distance of the establishment. Which she hasn't done.
She is required to publish a notification in a newspaper of general circulation. Which she hasn't done.
The Dept. of Alcholic Beverage Control did its own required mailing to residents within 100 feet of 1500 California, and sent a letter to Ms. Hanson advising her of the mailing requirement on her part, as well as alerting her to the fact that there is a “large and well-organized opposition” to her application.
Good luck trying to figure out what The Hanson is thinking, but if she decides to comply with the notification requirements, a brand new 30-day complaint period kicks in. Simply tearing down the public notice from the window does not change that. Which means that said large and, ahem, well-organized, opposition will have another month to present its case.
It's worth noting that this is by no means unique in the Luisa saga. Public records show that Ms. Hanson has applied and withdrawn many liquor license applications, presumably in the face of public opposition.
We'll find out soon enough if this merely is an attempt at avoiding more protests or if it actually represents a change of plan. There is a deplorable shortage of nail salons on that block.
City Slaps Stop Order On La Vinoteca II
Photo: Eater SF
The southward expansion of Ms. Hanson's empire ran into trouble this week when City building inspectors finally had had enough and ordered her to stop all work on La Vinoteca II, the 1007 Guerrero sibling of her recently opened wine bar on Union Street.
After neighbors filed complaints (here and here) about the establishment's new awning, Luisa had the covering removed but left the framework intact. This didn't quite cut it with the Department of Building Inspection:
Obtain a permit with city planning approval for installation of an awning or remove the framework altogether.
The rogue awning may have just been the last straw, however; according to Eater SF (thanks again, guys) there are at least five active violations at the site. Taxing DBI's patience is a questionable strategy at best, especially for someone with Ms. Hanson's track record.
Fun fact: Luisa apparently removed the posted stop order. That's a big no-no, says the San Francisco Building Code:
It shall be unlawful for any person to interfere with the posting of any notice provided for in this code, or to tear down or mutilate any such notice posted by the Department.
This could get interesting.
Get Used To It
Photo: Barleycorn Survivors
The graffiti adorning 1500 California isn't pretty, but you might as well get used to it; Ms. Hanson's application for an alcohol license apparently isn't going anywhere anytime soon, and the same seems to be true of the artistes.
Some of the “artwork” seems to be almost impossible to remove, so she'll most likely have to replace the panes. Ms. Hanson is, however, required to take care of it as quickly as possible: “It shall be unlawful for the owner of any real property within the City and County bearing graffiti to allow the graffiti to remain on the property.”
Unless you think this is the greatest thing since the Sistine Chapel, you may want to follow this link and file a complaint. No personal info is required.
Her Expanding Universe
Photos: Eater SF, The John Barleycorn Coalition
After months of intrigue and suspense, La Vinoteca finally opened last night. As ye faithful will know, this is her new wine bar venture on Union Street, the result of prolonged, um, discussions that led Ms. Hanson's own real estate agent to describe her actions as “unethical at best.”
Celebrations may be premature, however: Eater SF reports that patrons largely ignored this glorious occasion and left Queen Pyrrhus to savor her victory in solitude.
This may not bode well for La Vinoteca II, rumored to be in the works at 1007 Guerrero (right, above), one of her many revolving-door properties around the city. As far as we can tell, this is very much in the early stages—no application has been filed for an alcohol license yet.
However, if you live in the neighborhood, you may need this and this.
Update: Trouble already in the Mission. Neighbors are protesting her new awning, according to Eater SF.
She Has A Fan Club Now
In the interest of fairness, we have agreed—somewhat reluctantly, it must be said—to give the Luisa Hanson fan club, a.k.a. The Joys of Luisa, space on these pages.
To visit, click here or on the logo on the left, below the mailing list sign-up form.
Los Angeles Values
Photo: Robert Durell / Los Angeles Times
Today's LA Times put the plight of the 'Corn on the front page, including a picture of a certain Mr. Ayre. The reporter even got a quote from her:
“We didn't want to throw him out,” she said of Ayre. “I like tradition.”
As do we. Like, say, pizza places that have around since 1959.
Update: At last count, this story had been picked up by the SF Daily, the SF City Star, the Santa Rosa Press Democrat, the Monterey County Herald, the Philadelphia Inquirer, the Chicago Tribune, the Orlando Sentinel, the Baltimore Sun, and a Wall Street Journal blog.
“She's a Shark”
Photo: Yelp
It's confirmed: she has bought 2417 Lombard St., home of Café Maritime. As is her wont, she immediately informed the proprietor, Mark Mitcheltree, that his lease would not be renewed. Says Mitcheltree after his first taste of Ms. Luisa Hanson: “She's a shark.”
However, it appears that she may have neglected to read the fine print before signing on the dotted line this time around. According to Mitcheltree, Ms. Hanson was under the impression that the liquor license—of the coveted type 47—belonged to the location and not his just-evicted business. When she discovered that this was not the case, “Luisa was furious.”
Another familiar fact: she overpaid for the building. Again.
“Unethical at Best”
Original photo: Yelp
While the Skipjack Sushi / La Vinoteca deal finally did go through, it didn't happen without some collateral damage to her reputation. Peter Mikacich, the real estate broker who represented her in the transaction, is less than enthusiastic about his experience: “The best possible spin you can put on it is that she was unethical,” Mikacich tells us.
Despite getting a very nice discount on the transaction, she kept coming back to both the previous owners and the real estate agent with new and ever increasing demands. “Frankly, it was a very tough transaction,” says Mikacich. “She extracted her pound of flesh from everyone involved. I don't want to get involved with her again.”
We couldn't agree more.