UPDATE: At 10am yesterday, January 26th, 2012, San Francisco Mayor Ed Lee declared it was Original Joe’s Day. Read about it here.

ORIGINAL POST: Having worked for about a year and a half with the Duggan family, the owners and founders of the San Francisco landmark restaurant Original Joe’s, we can safely say that these are some down to earth, smart, fun, wonderful people. And with the re-opening of Joe’s happening in North Beach today, we couldn’t be happier to say, “Congratulations!”

The soft opening happened this past Saturday night, and as Kevin, Andy and I stumbled towards my place around 2am, we saw the newly uncovered windows of Original Joe’s lit up. The interior looks amazing. It is gorgeous and classy and as we fogged up the glass getting a better view, I knocked and got the attention of a maintenance person who was cleaning up from the night’s festivities. Melissa opened the door and after I explained who we were, she let us in to have quick look around.

The photo below is of a framed picture hanging on the wall of the new Original Joe’s. It shows the old bar at 144 Taylor, I think from sometime in the 60′s or 70′s. In front of it is a photo on my phone that I’d taken of PianoFight company members during our first meeting at 144 Taylor, shortly after we’d signed the lease.

I have no idea what’s going to happen over the next year – shit, I can barely plan for next weekend. But I do know that if PianoFight can channel the do-it-yourself tenacity of Original Joe’s, and the class of the Duggan family, and operate a business that is half as successful, I know we’re going to be just fine.

To new beginnings.

- Rob

Posted January 26, 2012 at 10:11 am