The group is also demanding for local leaders to delay the San Francisco Municipal Transit Agency's plans to significantly reduce the number of parking spaces on Geary Boulevard -- a move that businesses say will only make it harder to garner customers as they battle with inflation, low revenue and a growing vacant storefront issue.
Local merchants are calling Mayor London Breed to delay the conversion of parking spots from angled to parallel parking until at least 2025, when the economic aftermath of the pandemic is behind them a little further.
A press release from the organization, Geary Merchants, stated: "Now is not the time to limit access to Geary corridor establishments and civic organizations. The loss of parking spaces for customers and a massive construction project will hurt merchants still struggling to survive after 3 years of pandemic disruptions."
The Richmond Review and Sunset Beacon reported that sales tax revenues in Richmond are down almost 30 percent compared to what they were before the COVID-19 pandemic.
The group gathered Monday in front of Thom's Natural Food on Geary Boulevard and 23rd Avenue.
San Francisco Supervisor Connie Chan, former supervisor Sanfra Fewer and Geary Merchants' President David Heller were slated to attend the event.
