April '25 Newsletter
What’s Going on at SWNA
It’s been a busy couple of months, here’s what our committees have been working on:
Communication and Branding
Our team is thrilled to introduce our association's new colors! Thanks to everyone who contributed ideas and voted. Our new colors are:
We are also excited to be returning to Slack for our organizational communication.
Membership & Engagement
At 70 members and counting the Membership committee has set this years membership goal at 200 members. Be sure to help them out by sharing our sign up link with your friends, building, neighbors, gardens, clubs, and any one else who wants to celebrate West SOMA.
Sign Up Link: http://join.somawestneighbors.org
Finance Governance & Fundraising
A huge thanks to all those who helped SOMA WestNeighborhood Association become an official registered entity. We will now pursue our non-profit status; if you’re interested in helping let us know!
Governmental Relations Committee
We're looking for someone to be our main connection to the Howard Street Scape project! If you're interested, your role would involve attending meetings when possible, keeping SWNA in the loop, and being our go-to person for project updates.If this sounds like a good fit, we'd love to hear from you—reach out at somaneighborswest@gmail.com!
Business Relations Committee
We are just finalizing the last details of our Partner Program; a way for us and our neighborhood businesses to support each other as we enjoy our time in SOMA. If you’d like your business to be a member, let us know!
What's Blooming in April
All Events
4.3 5-10
Downtown First Thursdays @2nd St
4.5 4pm
Night of Ideas 2025
Asian Art Museum & SF Public Library
Get Tickets
4.9 6-10
SOMA Sings - Neighborhood Karaoke
Question Mark Bar
4.10 5-9pm
SOMA Nights
Folsom x 9-12th Street
Learn More
4.12 10-1 pm
Egg Hunt @ Yerba Buena
RSVP
4.17 6-8PM
SOMA CBD Happy Hour
Butter
4.19 10-3 pm
Earth Day Festival
Yerba Buena Gardens
Learn More
4.19 10-1 pm
Spring Fling @ Salesforce Park
RSVP
4.24 5-9pm
SOMA Nights
Folsom x 9-12th Street
Learn More
4.24 4-6pm
United Playaz March Against Fentanyl
1044 Howard St
4.26th 10-12pm
SWNA Plant Swap
21 Brush Pl
Learn More
April SF Festivals
2025 SF FILM FESTIVAL | APR 17—27, 2025
CHERRY BLOSSOM FESTIVAL| APRIL 12-13 AND 19-20
STREET View by David Singer
The Eng-Skell building last month exhibited ownership stability. This month we look at 1235 Mission, which illustrates the more common volatility of business.
In 1928, Mangrum and Otter, wholesalers of restaurant equipment and furnishings (including tiles) had Bliss and Fairweather design this replacement for their building at 827Mission, and decorated the front with what John King calls a tiled "polychromatic extravaganza". In 1929 they merged with Holbrook, Merrill, and Stetson; old catalogs on eBay call this "The West's most beautiful wholesale establishment". By the1940s, after another merger, the building was let go. By the late 1980's Barker Pacific owned it and leased it to the city, which bought it in 2012 for the Human Services Agency.