“Unlivable” – Iconic San Fran Business Blasts Democrats For “Litany Of Destructive” Policies

John Chachas, the owner of iconic luxury department store Gump’s, remained silent for years, much like many other business owners in San Francisco, as violent crime soared. This silence stemmed from concerns over the fear of being canceled by a thousand angry ‘Karens’ for pointing out that progressive policies were transforming the once beautiful town into a shit-covered hellhole. However, Chachas, like many other business owners who once thought they were powerless, have realized they have a voice, nevertheless the First Amendment, and railed against Democrats in the state. 

“Today, as we prepare for our 166th holiday season at 250 Post Street, we fear this may be our last because of the profound erosion of this city’s conditions,” Chachas wrote in an open letter to Gov. Gavin Newsom, Mayor London Breed and the San Francisco Board of Supervisors, published as a paid ad in the Sunday edition of the San Francisco Chronicle.

Chachas, who acquired Gump’s in bankruptcy in 2018, continued, “The ramifications of Covid policies advising people to abandon their offices are only beginning to be understood. Equally devastating have been a litany of destructive San Francisco strategies, including allowing the homeless to occupy our sidewalks, to openly distribute and use illegal drugs, to harass the public and to defile the city’s streets.” 

He argued that current downtown conditions are “unlivable for its residents, unsafe for our employees, and unwelcoming to visitors from around the world,” adding the failed metro area suffers “from a “tyranny of the minority” – behavior and actions of the few that jeopardize the livelihood of the many.” 

Chachas concluded: “We believe failed public policies must be abandoned and a renewed focus must be brought to restore the city we all love.” 

We have some bad news for the store owner — the open letter is several years too late. There’s been a major exodus of chain stores like Whole Foods, Anthropologie, Office Depot, and CB2 from downtown, all citing out-of-control crime. Research firm Coresight said more than 39 retail stores have closed up shops in Union Square since 2020. 

A commercial real estate crisis has unfolded, with parts of the metro area overrun with criminals, shit-covered streets, and a lack of office workers that make the local economy thrive. The latest is an 11-story office building on Sixty Spear St. dumped for a 66% discount versus the most recently assessed property value of $121 million. Also, things are so bad that some building owners are just walking away from properties:

And defaulting… 

We have shown readers parts of the downtown are nothing but… 

People are even taking “Downtown Doom Loop Walking Tour” tours of the imploded metro area… 

As we pointed out, Mayor London Breed made an embarrassing U-Turn to fund the police after her decision to defund the police backfired. 

You get what you vote for. To the remaining business owners: Where were your voices several years ago? 

It is about damn time.

The people and institutions of SF are finally speaking out.

The culture of fear of being canceled by ideologues kept them quite for too long. pic.twitter.com/n0U3PxER6n

— Zach Coelius (@zachcoelius) August 13, 2023

Business owners in progressive metro areas across the country should consider taking a page out of Chachas’ book by placing ads in local newspapers highlighting the unintended consequences of failed progressive policies. The more folks understand that out-of-control crime is linked to failed policies — the quicker voters can hold these folks accountable at the election booths.