Despite Protests, Adobe Books Is Closed After 25 Years

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Despite petitions and protests from neighbors including representatives from Ritual Coffee and Mission Bicycle Company, Adobe Bookstore on Saturday closed up shop at 3166 16th Street, where it's done business since 1988. Longtime fans and customers commemorated the sad occasion with a party on Saturday night. Adobe's Facebook page says they'll reopen on 24th Street this summer, but doesn't give a date or address.

About a year ago, the bookstore's landlord raised the rent from $4,500 to $8,000. Supporters raised more than their goal of $60,000 with a Kickstarter campaign. But running an indie book shop in an $8,000 is a tough longterm proposition.

High-end men's clothing store Jack Spade seems to be the winner of the high-rent space, and has even advertised for a store manager position for a "new store opening" in San Francisco without specifying a neighborhood. Jack Spade is not technically a "formula retail space," which is not allowed in this part of the Mission (read our break down of what that means), because it has only seven stores in the United States (formula retail = 11 or more). But the company is owned by large retail conglomerate Fifth & Pacific Companies Inc., formerly Liz Claiborne Inc, and the neighbors had hoped that because of Jack Spade's corporate ownership, SF's planning commission would shoot down the company's request to move in.

But they didn't: the planning commission determined that Jack Spade is not a formula retail chain, and gave clearance to open up on 16th Street. Now the company has applied for permits to build out the interior of the space. But Jefferson McCarley, general manager of Mission Bicycle Company, says he and others who don't want Jack Spade in the Mission are working on "phase two strategy" of their campaign. Stay tuned.
· Jack Spade May Replace 25-Year Mainstay in the Mission [Racked SF]
· Adobe Books [Official Site]
· Jack Spade Ready to Pounce on Adobe Books Space [Racked SF]