Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

San Francisco cost of living: A cookie factory's story
BBC ^ | March 4, 2019 | Anon

Posted on 03/05/2019 8:28:53 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom

The last remaining fortune cookie factory in San Francisco is on the verge of closure, thanks to sky-high rents and new technology, but its owner says he will never give up the family business, writes Lucy Sherriff.

Golden Gate Fortune Cookie Factory, in the city's Chinatown, is the last factory of its kind in the area, after competitors were forced to close when overheads became too expensive.

The family-run factory opened its doors on Ross Alley in 1962, and uses the same recipe to this day, as well as retaining the traditional machinery used to make Chinese fortune cookies.

"Even I don't know the recipe," co-owner Kevin Chan, whose mother and uncle founded the store, told the BBC. "It's my mum's secret." Chan, who stays up until 3am at night writing the fortunes which are inserted into the cookies, says he's proud the store remains open, but he's facing an uncertain future.

"My rent is $6,000 a month. Three years ago, it was $1,400. But I'm not going to just walk away. I'm not going to give up. I will keep going for as long as I can."

Chan's mother still works at the factory, along with three part-time employees. The store used to sell to restaurants and hotels but it couldn't compete with the bigger factories elsewhere in the US. Chan would charge $14 for a case containing 400 cookies.

(Excerpt) Read more at bbc.com ...


TOPICS: Culture/Society; Miscellaneous; News/Current Events; US: California
KEYWORDS: costofliving; fortunecookie; sanfrancisco
This is a fun place to visit. We took our kids there 25 years ago when they were little. Our oldest likes to take her friends there when they are visiting from out of town. It's gotten real popular and there can be long waits. If you are in SF, it's a fun, offbeat thing to do. And the fresh cookies are really good!

It's a real hole in the wall...I can't believe the rent is $6,000 per month now.


1 posted on 03/05/2019 8:28:53 AM PST by ProtectOurFreedom
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Rent has probably skyrocketed to get the business out so it can be sold to a developer - for condos, etc.

Used to get broken fortune cookies there by the bag...cheap.


2 posted on 03/05/2019 8:36:42 AM PST by Bon of Babble (In-a-Gadda-Da-Vida, Baby!!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

That’s totally up my alley.

That rent is ridiculous. Hopefully they figure something out and keep a good thing going.


3 posted on 03/05/2019 8:41:20 AM PST by BBQToadRibs
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

I know a subtle sell for bringing back rent control when I see one.


4 posted on 03/05/2019 8:47:23 AM PST by Buckeye McFrog
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

A neighbor was transferred to the west coast.

His plan was to first find a house to rent or buy.

Returning the next day to one they liked to find the rent up by $500.00 !!!
They took it.

I ask if it had an ocean view?

He said the Unibomber shack with a view starts at a couple of million.

He also said his yard was so small, the grass could be trimmed with scissors.


5 posted on 03/05/2019 8:52:46 AM PST by DUMBGRUNT ("The enemy has overrun us. We are blowing up everything. Vive la France!")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Also in today’s news about San Fransicko and its rents, changes...

https://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-leather-sf-20190304-htmlstory.html


6 posted on 03/05/2019 8:56:07 AM PST by faithhopecharity ( “Politicians are not born; they are excreted.” Marcus Tullius Cicero (106 to 43 BCE))
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

San Francisco Cookie Factory?

Just make sure those “chocolate” chips in those Chocolate Chip Cookies are really chocolate.


7 posted on 03/05/2019 8:59:30 AM PST by Kickass Conservative (Democracy, two Wolves and one Sheep deciding what's for Dinner.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

Being located close to human feces and discarded syringes costs big bucks!


8 posted on 03/05/2019 9:00:32 AM PST by ConservaTexan (February 6, 1911)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Bon of Babble
Used to get broken fortune cookies there by the bag...cheap.

[flash back] When I was a kid, Mom used to buy bags of cookie "seconds" from the Nabisco factory in Buena Park, CA. She'd get expensive cookies such as the chocolate covered wafers for cheap.

9 posted on 03/05/2019 9:00:44 AM PST by Jeff Chandler (We are in the midst of a Cold Civil War.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

where will Bruce Leroy go now to get knowledge to fight the Shogun of Harlem?


10 posted on 03/05/2019 9:07:16 AM PST by themidnightskulker (And then the thread dies... peacefully, in it's sleep....)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: ProtectOurFreedom

They opened this dinky little place 57 years ago and are still paying rent? They could have bought their own place 3 times over. If he doesn’t know the recipe, he better find a new career because mama isn’t going to live forever.
Upgrading over the years would have saved those restaurant contracts. Nope, sorry, no sympathy for this failing business.


11 posted on 03/05/2019 9:07:20 AM PST by bgill (CDC site, "We don't know how people are infected with Ebola.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Kickass Conservative

Fortune cookies don’t have chocolate chips and anyway that’s a great way to bring the discourse down to 6th grade levels.


12 posted on 03/05/2019 10:40:03 AM PST by webheart (Grammar police on the scene.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: webheart

I was shooting for Third Grade level discourse, but thanks for your input.


13 posted on 03/05/2019 10:59:30 AM PST by Kickass Conservative (Democracy, two Wolves and one Sheep deciding what's for Dinner.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 12 | View Replies]

To: bgill
Might not be as clean cut as that. While owning the building might be better than paying rent, I have a feeling the property taxes will be right in the ballpark of $6K a month - plus they'd have the burden of doing repairs to the structure and having to insure it, etc. Many business owners prefer rent to all those headaches.

Not sure if they occupy the entire building or if there are other tenants.

In my CT home, my property tax actually exceeds my mortgage payment. Then I have landscaping, snowplowing, repairs and other fees on top of that. Crazy...and unsustainable. That's why I'm selling the property and moving to a condo.

14 posted on 03/05/2019 11:22:31 AM PST by SamAdams76
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson