5 posts tagged “given”
This week the production of Milk, Gus Van Sant's biofilm about Harvey Milk (you may have heard about it) moved north a block toward Market Street. The first of the march scenes was filmed tonight (February 4) and they'll be closing up the street again this Friday to wrap it up. (For a copy of the funny clothing guidelines for march extras, head over to this post on Towleroad. In case you were going to pull out your Disco Stu costume, think again!)
Down toward 19th Street, the location of Given which had been transformed into Milk's old Castro Camera has begun its return to the 21st century. The outside signs have come down, and the interior has begun to be disassembled.
In the window they've displayed a photo of the original store interior which they apparently used to guide the set dressing. The Gaycities.com travel blog has a great shot of the photo propped up against the set during the construction, and this really shows how the crew was shooting for historical accuracy. Now the photo is in the window and easier to inspect closely.
Across the street, Swirl is already back to normal and open for business (although the old sign is still up). It's actually stunning how quickly they were able to transform this place with shelving, moved walls, exterior work, etc. and then just as quickly put it back to normal. As someone who has struggled through a monster renovation which has overtaken our lives completely for the last 4 years of our lives, I'm actually incredibly bitter about this, but I'm trying to work through this. My partner also reminds me that the Swirl renovation was all for show and wouldn't pass code, but still, I want my shower back!
The newly-opened Lisa's Hair Design has lost its awning and has been made over into Alda Yarn. Nothing says the 70's like knit vests.
Quickly, the bubble-tea purveyor made infamous by our dearly-departed supervisor Ed Jew, is made up as a real estate agent's office. If you want to be depressed, go check out the posted listings closely.
Also on that side of the street, The Bead Store had its awning taken down, but is otherwise unchanged. I guess it has retained enough of its woo-woo, 70's, earth-mother styling that it fit into the movie just fine. Likewise, Twin Peaks looks untouched since the 70's -- and coincidentally the same thing could be said about many of its customers. (Hey-oh! These are the jokes people! I'll be here all week!)
Finally, this isn't a business, but the Muni stop has been shielded by wooden structures. I guess it would be hard to explain the presence of a "Harvey Milk Plaza" in the background of the movie. It would kind of give away the ending.
I called the paint job gaudy and garish before, but I have to admit that it looks pretty nice now that it's done. Thanks Gus!
If you haven't been following the news, you might be confused by some of the recent construction on businesses in the Castro. The Castro Theatre is undergoing a decidedly retro restyling, numerous businesses have traded in modern signage for hand-painted psychodelica, and Given, your glam-chic source for plushy excreta, has transformed into an A/V storage room from your junior high school.
All of the extra make-up on the old girl can only mean one thing -- it's time for our close-up, Mr. Van Sant!
Gus Van Sant's production entitled Milk about the life and assassination of civil rights leader Harvey Milk is preparing for filming on the streets and in the businesses around the neighborhood. There have already been the mass casting calls and rumors of who will-be-or-won't-be in the flick. (Matt Damon? Out. Josh Brolin? In. Tom Ammiano. In. As himself. Wha-a-a? Sean Hayes wasn't free?)
According to the Castro Courier filming was set to start either January 21 or 22, depending on whether you read the headline or the body of the article. Neither seems likely, though, since a lot of work is still being done on the local store fronts. The GayCities site's Travel Blog posted a few good photos last week, and here are a few more showing the continuing changes:
- The Castro Theatre is having its sign fully refurbished, including a garish paint job and repairs to its oft-collided-with front marquee.
- Given's interior has been transformed into a drab, industrial space. Really, it's remarkable how quickly it went from slick to slack.
I discussed in my column that they recently commissioned a fantastic mural to commemorate Milk, and it really is a fantastic, moving piece of art. Here's a photo which I took of Given's owner Nick Romero which didn't make the column:The artwork features an eerily prophetic quote by Milk: "If a bullet should enter my brain, let the bullet destroy every closet door." The quote spills out of the bullet of a gun, into a riot of color around Milk's figure. It really is a fantastic piece, paying homage to the man, the business that was in this spot, and the history of the entire neighborhood. I really applaud Romero for commissioning this artwork.
I worried that the movie work would damage this piece, and it seems that they've created a false wall to protect the mural. At least the artist is local, so he can repair any minor damage, I suppose.When I talked with Romero for the B.A.R. article it was still months before the filming was finalized. He mentioned that Van Sant had come by to scout the location, and he told me that he and the staff were gung-ho to support using the store as the set. He indicated that he was going to be compensated for the weeks (months?) of lost business, but that he thought it was important for the movie to be made where Milk had actually lived and worked. I hope that the movie brings publicity to Given (and to all of the neighborhood businesses), and that they come out well-compensated for their inconvenience. - Businesses around Given are also being made over. Clobba still didn't have its sign up, so I'm not sure what it is going to be, but the National Fidelity Title has become Aquarius Records and Thai Express has become China Court.
China Court actually didn't disappear from this site that long ago. I think it only shut down maybe 2 or 3 years ago. When it closed people mourned the funky booths that they had, but I have to say that I didn't miss it. As a matter of fact, when I first saw this sign my first reaction was, "Oh no! It's back!!"
- Across the street a number of businesses are also taking a trip on the Wayback Machine. Swirl is transforming back into an urban liquor store, complete with the old newspaper stands that Bevan Dufty tried to banish.
The eyeglass shop Eye Gotcha is undergoing one of the roughest transitions, as it gets boarded up like the simple garage that it used to be. If any business needs a sandwich board sign out front reminding us that its open during filming, it's this one!
- I talked with Paul, the owner of P.O.Plus and he mentioned that the production crew had asked him to take down his signs. They are concerned that the shots out the window of the camera store (i.e. Given) look period appropriate. He told them no, and so they were entering into a negotiation of sorts. I wonder how many of the stores who agreed to the refacing are being compensated, and how many just said "yes" the first time. Here is the look that you see out the window of Given:
- Around the corner on 19th, the HRC Store and the Castro Village Cleaners are both getting a little work done, but it still in progress so it is hard to say how far this will go.
- Across the street from the Castro Theatre, the 440 Castro bar is being reborn as Toad Hall.
- More updates to come as the construction progresses!
Well, 3 old Briefs, actually. During my period of blog-silencing "extreme exhaustion" I had 3 columns come out which I never linked here. If you always turn past the news directly to the escort ads and you didn't see the articles online, here is a rundown of the topics that I covered:
- Gustofino Fine Foods opened on Church Street in the spot previously occupied by the Just Desserts;
- Mr. Martini's popular "Behind the Bar Show" podcast helps to promote his private bartending business;
- The Industrialists, a home furnishings shop which salvages industrial equipment, opened on Market Street;
- Too Much Fun Halloween Headquarter brought its seasonal store to the old Tower Videos spot, just in time for the Castro's canceled Halloween non-celebration;
- The SF LGBT Center sponsored a job fair for LGBT job seekers.
- Given, on the site of Harvey Milk's old camera shop, commissioned a mural of the civil rights pioneer;
- A new bar opened on the site of the old Metro, on the second floor above 16th and Market -- at publication time it was as yet unnamed, but it has since been christened Lookout; (not The Lookout, just Lookout)
- A delegation led by Sidney's daddy Bevan Dufty will be representing San Francisco at sister-city Sydney's 30th anniversary Mardi Gras celebration in March, 2008;
- Local, troubled, homophile company PlanetOut sponsored a short movie contest;
- The GGBA held their monthly mixer.
- Under One Roof announced plans for their holiday store in the old Tower Videos location;
- Urban Bread cafe and bread distributor (gosh that sounds appetizing!) opened where Bean Here Brew That! was previously located;
- Castro Cafe was preparing to move into the old Bull's Head spot;
- A rundown of Thanksgiving choices, both dine-in and take-out;
- Orphan Andy's turned 30 (just as I will soon);
- Lookout (just Lookout, not The Lookout) announced its winning name.
The shop Given has finally opened, filling the large space that Skin Zone, the Castro institution had once occupied. There's no bubble machine hanging above the door, no racks full of brands you've never heard of, and no friendly Jessica behind the counter trying to convince you that $80 for a sunscreen is perfectly reasonable. But it's great to see something finally move into the space, and I hope they do well.
They haven't changed the outside at all, but the inside is suprisingly chic. It's basically a gift shop, but that really doesn't capture the feeling of the store. It's a mix of high design, but rolled in a pretense of function, and with a little Asiaphilic flavor to spice it up -- it's like a funky museum shop where Gwen Stefani's Harajuku Girl dancers are the curators.
There are the requisite coat racks and business card holders and small tables made out of materials like lucite or iron bars bent to look like branches. There is a children's section filled with expensive craft sets and disturbing books that appeal more to the hipster parents than the actual kids. There is a wall of art books, and lots of funky toys, many from Japan.
Pretty much the acme of the final category is on display in the window:
Yes, it's a pair of stuffed ... well, stuffed companions? On the left is a huge drop of pee, and on the right is a coiled pile of poo. It's really hard to say who the target audience for this novelty is, but the store owners seem to expect this to be a big seller because there are quite a few of the boxes stocked in back. Maybe there will be a rush on these around the Dore Alley Street Fair?
As always, I wish the new business well, but I also worry that the neighborhood has enough of these types of gift shops already. Between Kard Zone, Does Your Mother Know, Planetweavers, and Under One Roof there is a lot of competition for the "whimsy dollar." If there is a shake out soon, then the new kid on the block is going to be the most vulnerable, regardless of how much stuffed poo they stock.
Ritz goes, but it looks like something is moving into the old Skin Zone space. This past weekend this mysterious banner went up in the butcher-papered window there, announcing that Given would be opening up later this month:
There is no indication what exactly Given is going to be, but if they are going to keep their promise of an April opening then they can't be planning too many changes to the space. The poster has an aesthetic which is somewhere between an Energy 92.7 ad, a cover of Gloss magazine, and a lube bottle label, so I'm guessing that this will be club kid clothing.
