"Progress Hardware lost its business and liability insurance coverage due to the fire, and couldn't come to an agreement on a new lease with the current landlord. With tariffs, prices to restock their inventory had also gone up."
"You have to invest a lot of inventory. You need different types of little things. It's very specific when it comes to tools. And it's difficult to compete with Amazon and online stores."
"Opening the Inner Sunset location was fairly easy and took about a month or two, given that the space was nicely set up and has an open floorplan."
Progress Hardware, operating at 724 Irving Street since 1948, permanently closed after a fire in 2023 damaged the storefront. The owners could not reopen due to lost insurance coverage, unfavorable lease negotiations, and increased inventory costs from tariffs. The Inner Sunset Merchant Association attempted to recruit other hardware stores to fill the space, but none had expansion capacity. Therapy Stores, a local gift shop chain, opened its third location at the site in March 2024, filling the storefront with merchandise including plushies, accessories, notebooks, and clothing. The opening process took approximately one to two months due to the space's existing infrastructure and open floor plan.
#san-francisco-retail #hardware-store-closure #commercial-real-estate #small-business-challenges #neighborhood-commerce
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