"It was bustling, just fantastic," said Stoll, co-owner of Delfina, which first opened in the Mission District in 1998. "It was kind of like the old days, for one night anyway, but I've definitely seen it slowing down a lot."
It's been a sluggish progression to get Valencia Street back to its energetic past, according to Stoll and other business owners who remember the major Mission District artery as one of the city's main strips for dining and nightlife entertainment.
It wasn't always this way, said Nikki DeWald, owner of Blondie's Bar at 540 Valencia St. When the bar opened in 1991, DeWald remembers seeing Valencia Street transform into a popular destination for locals as businesses and restaurants moved onto the corridor between 16th and 18th streets.
The two-block stretch remained well-transited by vehicles and pedestrians up until the pandemic hit in 2020, later forcing dozens of businesses to close permanently. San Francisco likewise shifted as offices pivoted to remote work and many people opted to move out of the city altogether.
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