Pork Store Café – Haight Street, Haight-Ashbury, San Francisco, California

In 1916, an immigrant couple from Czechoslovakia came to the states and opened the original Haight Street Pork Store (which was a butcher shop and sausage place). 1925, the family imported stained glass from Italy for the original Pork Store logo. The stained glass was placed above the front entrance. In the 40’s, the original proprietors passed the business on to their grandsons who ran it until the early fifties.

In the 50’s, the Pork Store sign was covered, never removed and Three Coin Cafe was started at that location. In early 60’s, a hair salon moved into that location but did not go far during the Hippie Era. Then Vic’s coffee shop was started in the mid 60’s. After Vic’s, an Armenian family opened Raffies Lebanese Cuisine till 1979. Once they left, wooden boards where removed and the stained glass and the Pork Store sign were discovered to remain there and the Pork Store Cafe was born. 24 years later, Pork Store Cafe has become a distinguished breakfast institution of San Francisco.