Ghirardelli Square sign shining bright after complete restoration
A San Francisco landmark is shining bright once again. The Ghirardelli Square sign that has stood since 1915, has been completely restored. Some nearby business owners see it as a sign of hope business will pick up even during the pandemic.
SAN FRANCISCO - The iconic marquee at San Francisco's Ghirardelli Square is lit up once again for the first time in months.
The sign has been up since 1915. In June, it was taken down and a new one was built in its image.
Now, it's a symbol of resiliency for small local businesses during this difficult time.
At dusk on Tuesday, Mayor London Breed did the honor of turning on the lights on the iconic marquee sign. It's newly reconstructed with LED lightbulbs and energy efficient upgrades.
"Tonight is truly a celebration of a symbol of hope," said Mayor Breed.
Hope that is needed, merchants say, as they navigate the various phases of reopening.
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At Palette Tea House, a dim sum restaurant that's at Ghirardelli Square, general manager Dennis Leung said business is at 40% of what is was last year at the same time.
But the restaurant kept its doors open with the exception of one week when the shutdown first went into effect.
"Definitely it's difficult, but I think we're in the best shape possible in this difficult time," said Leung.
Having the space for outdoor dining has helped.
Next week, the restaurant will be able to move to 50% capacity for dining indoors.
"We're all here to ride this out as a team. We just hope more locals will come to re-discover this destination," said Leung.
The San Francisco Chamber of Commerce says 65% of businesses in the Fisherman's Wharf area remain closed since the shelter in place order in March.
"I'm trying to experience the Bay at full experience and I'm not getting that advantage. I'm only getting to go to little places. At 10, 11 o'clock, we're stuck eating In-N-Out because it's the only thing that's open," said Alivia Kachi who's visiting from Detroit.
A couple from Raleigh, North Carolina said this is their first vacation during the pandemic.
They decided to visit San Francisco because the city has been stringent and cautious about re-opening.
"People out here wear masks a lot more than they do in North Carolina, so I'm really happy to see that," said Tony Mosby who's celebrating a tenth wedding anniversary with his wife.
At Buena Vista Cafe, the draw of their famous Irish coffee has been steady.
Still, Ron Martinez, the manager, said business is only about half of what is was before the pandemic.
"We don't get the people from out of the country so we have people coming from Arizona, Oregon; local states."
Changes are key to survival: a 90 minute limit for each table.
New plastic partitions have gone up so patrons can sit at the bar starting next week.
"The business is looking forward for things to get better," Martinez said.
In keeping with the idea of adapting to changes, the colors of the new Ghirardelli sign will change for special occasions.
Merchants hope the sign will be a rejuvenation, attracting much needed business to the area.
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October 28, 2020 at 01:24PM
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Ghirardelli Square sign shining bright after complete restoration - KTVU San Francisco
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