S.F. Mission District craft beer destination bar will move to Oakland
SAN FRANCISCO -- For sixteen years, Monk's Kettle has been a destination for craft beer enthusiasts on 16th Street in the Mission District. But as the neighborhood's dynamics shift, it's time to bid farewell, says manager Yomo Daweu.
"Pretty sad to be leaving, but just the way that business is going in the Mission these days, the out-flux of people from this area in particular has made foot traffic die maybe a quarter of what it was," explained Daweu.
The decision to relocate to Oakland stems from a need to adapt to changing customer demographics.
"All the customers that used to live here...all of our regulars that used to live here, all the artists, the musicians...the demographic that used to be here all the time have moved to Oakland because it's much cheaper...or have been pushed out because of all the tech boom and guess what? The rent is still up," explains Daweu.
One of those loyal patrons, Christian Lester from San Carlos, reflected on his connection to Monk's Kettle.
"I was surprised - well, not super surprised because business has been bad. There's been times when Yomo and I are the only people here, and he has three customers in a day or something. So I feel sad for them, and I still will go over there," shared Lester.
Despite the challenges, Lester sees promise in Monk's Kettle's new location in Oakland's Rockridge neighborhood.
"Rockridge is a special place and it has been for some time, so I think it's a natural for them to go there," adds Lester.
Daweu echoes this sentiment, expressing hope for the future in Oakland.
"The neighborhood there is growing. There's a lot of families there. There's actually almost five times the foot traffic that there is here. It's a very vibrant area," Daweu said.