Willie Brown Breaks Doom Loop to Open Inaugural Love Fest SF in Support of Local Small Businesses

Former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown was on hand for the “doom loop” ribbon cutting ceremony at the first-ever Love Fest SF, a community arts and music event promoting the small businesses recovery taking place in San Francisco’s Tenderloin. On August 3, event organizers Rene Colorado of the Tenderloin Merchants Association and Adam Swig from the non-profit Value Culture, rallied some of the city’s highest profile boosters to help small businesses succeed.   

Mayor Brown said that the media-fueled rumors that San Francisco has entered a “doom loop” are greatly exaggerated, as demonstrated by the thriving businesses represented at the event. “We wouldn’t be here if it wasn’t interesting, attractive, fascinating,” Brown said during the ceremony. “Please enjoy yourself here and help us say to the whole world: This is where you want to visit.”

Many notable San Franciscans were in attendance, including State Senator Scott Wiener, Supervisor Aaron Peskin, Tenderloin community leader Del Seymour, philanthropists Stephanie Block and Moses Libitzky, founder and chief visionary of Illuminate Ben Davis, executive director of the Fillmore Jazz Ambassadors Darlene Roberts and tech executive Peter Hirshberg.
Love Fest SF was created by the Tenderloin Merchants Association, Value Culture, and AW3 Technology’s William Schulz. The event was also supported by the Civic Joy Foundation and San Francisco Municipal Transportation Agency. Local merchants emerged as the biggest winners of the day. Love Fest SF took place on Larkin Street in Little Saigon, home to some of the area’s most popular restaurants and shops including Lers Ros Thai, Pho 2000, Sweet Glory Dessert Cafe, Los Yucatecos, Lapats Thai, Lee’s Sandwiches and Rainbow Market and Deli. Rene Colorado, Executive Director of the Tenderloin Merchants Association said, “This festival was the spark that the neighborhood needed, and this signaled that the Tenderloin is open and on the up and up.”