Mom-and-Pop markets are still part of most San Francisco neighborhoods. Walgreens and 7-Eleven give them stiff competition, but the tiny stores’ licenses for hard-liquor sales, deli counters for sandwiches to go, and personal connections to customers keep places such as Charlie’s Market, Art’s Western Market and Great Highway Market open for business.
In addition to being a place to grab a pack of smokes or a six-pack, these smaller markets played an important role in the development and growth of the neighborhoods along San Francisco’s Ocean Beach.
Before the rise of the personal automobile, nearby grocery stores, butcher shops, bakeries, druggists and dry-goods stores were essential requirements. Filling the gaps, men drove trucks and wagons up and down the avenu3s delivering milk, hawking produce, selling needles and sharpening knives. Outside of formal wear and furniture, most everything a household required could be obtained within a few blocks.
