potrero view

Farley’s 19th anniversary.

March 2009

Farley’s Turns Twenty: What a Long, Strange Trip it’s Been

Nanette Collins

Long before social networking became the popular way to build community, Roger Hillyard was doing just that at his Potrero Hill café, Farley’s.  The beloved neighborhood hang-out for coffee, tea and magazines, whose motto is “Community in a Cup,” will celebrate its 20th anniversary on Saint Patrick’s Day; March 17.

With a shock of white hair, expressive blue eyes and a wide face that crinkles when he smiles, Hillyard is a familiar figure on the Hill.  Born in Seattle, Hillyard lived in Washington until he was eight, when his family moved to the East Bay.  At 18, Hillyard attended San Francisco State University (SFSU) for two years before venturing to Europe.  When he returned a year later, he finished college and started graduate school, focusing on eastern studies and photography.  Within three months he was hired by impresario Bill Graham to work with the San Francisco Mime Troupe, which led to producing light shows at the Fillmore and Avalon Theaters.  

Ever restless, Hillyard and his then wife Susan moved to New Mexico: “as good hippies, we lived a rustic life with no electricity or running water,” he said.  In 1968 Hillward and Susan lived in Boston for three years, studying macrobiotic food with Michio and Aveline Kushi at the Kushi Institute.  

The next move took the family, now consisting of daughter Cyrena, age three, and son Chris, six months old, to Los Angeles, where they intended to continue on to Japan.  Instead, the family toured organic farms and natural food stores throughout Southern California in a converted bus.  This six-month adventure ended when they settled in Texas, where, in 1971, Hillyard worked for Arrowhead Mills, a large natural foods company, handling contracts, packaging and promotion.  Susan Hillyard co-authored a natural foods cookbook, The Deaf Smith Country Cookbook –– Natural Foods for Natural Kitchens.

Not one to tarry anywhere too long, the Hillyard family soon moved to Santa Cruz, whose charms slowed his wanderlust, though he and his wife separated in 1978 and divorced a few years later.  Hillyard stayed in the oceanside village for 13 years, working in the natural foods business.  He launched a food brokerage and promotions company, and ultimately headed to Mill Valley, where he helped an old friend build and run a restaurant.  

In 1988, Hillyard returned to San Francisco.  He was living at Seventh and Fulton streets when inspiration struck in the form of a broken French Press coffee pot.  His inability to find a replacement prompted him to believe that area could use a coffee beans and accessories store.  For a year he searched San Francisco and the East Bay for appropriate space.  He found one on Clement Street, but decided that it wasn’t right for his needs.

Then a friend told him about five empty storefronts on 18th Street.  He was familiar with the Hill from collecting scrap metal in the neighborhood for his and SFSU’s art projects.  He toured one of the storefronts, an old carriage house that then housed and was owned by the Prisoner’s Rights Union, which wanted to move to Sacramento.  Thinking the area promising, in late-1988 Hillyard leased the bottom floor for his coffee beans and accessories business, and the third floor for his living space.  Laughingly, he recalled that he had no plans and not one permit.  He and a craftsman friend “just said, ‘Let’s do this.’”  They came up with some drawings that look surprisingly similar to the way Farley’s looks today.

At first Hillyard’s was adamant that Farley’s wouldn’t become a café.  “I didn’t want people hanging out and having to deal with them.”  But the space quickly evolved, with magazine racks and tables and chairs.  “It was rapidly becoming what I didn’t want.

“It took on a life of its own,” Hillyard remembered.  Hillyard’s willingness to allow Farley’s to grow organically has helped influence the place, its customers, and, ultimately, the neighborhood.  “This place worked,” he said.  But not without a crisis before it opened.

Early one November morning, Hillyard woke up coughing.  He went down the back steps and saw smoke.  In the days before cell phones, he was forced to run back up the stairs to call the San Francisco Fire Department (SFFD).  He and the bartender from Blooms Saloon across the street attempted to put out the fire themselves, but it was too intense.  SFFD arrived, extinguished the fire, and determined that it was caused by spontaneous combustion from careless handling of rags.  Fortunately, the fire didn’t do any structural damage.  But it set back the café’s opening by a few months.  Undeterred, Hillyard secured the proper permits and prepared the place for business.  

Farley’s had a soft opening on Valentine’s Day, with its official grand opening on St. Patrick’s Day.  The name Farley’s – the logo for which features a silhouetted dapper gentleman with hat and cane – originated in Rockford, Illinois in 1915 with Jack and Hazel Farley –– Hazel’s Kitchen next door to Farley’s is named for Hillyard’s grandmother  –– and their son Norman, Roger’s father.  When Norman was three years old, Jack disappeared, and was never heard from again.  Hazel Farley remarried a man name Hillyard, who adopted Norman, but it’s Jack and his mysterious disappearance that is Farley’s namesake.

According to Hillyard, over the years the neighborhood has evolved, not altogether in ways that benefit local merchants.  “In the past, we had more people with independent businesses.  That’s changed as Potrero Hill becomes more attractive.  Property values have displaced many of the people who worked and lived in nearby studios.  These people were around and active throughout the day.  You can see that things have changed by looking at the number of parking spaces available.  The business has tapered off, and there’s a new breed of resident who lives here and goes off to work.  They’re not as active in the neighborhood.  As merchants we need to rally our new neighbors and provide environments and services that attract them to our shops.”

The economic downturn hasn’t helped, either.  “The economy is affecting everything.  Previously, coffee had been bullet proof.  Business had been very good.  I’ve worked hard and have worked with wonderful people.  Still, business is not as good,” said Hillyard.

Farley’s customers are greeted with work from local artists, which changes monthly, starting with a welcoming reception.  The window box display also changes monthly, and provides a forum for people to display their collectables.  According to Hillyard, women’s hats, My Little Pony, salt and pepper shakers and, recently, 1959 Chevy memorabilia, have all been featured.  

Farley’s hosts a large number of community gatherings, from Easter egg coloring and pumpkin carving to the annual Halloween Pet Parade, for which Hillyard serves as grand marshall.  In 2008 more than 70 of the neighborhood’s pets paraded up 18th street, with 50 of them taking home trophies.  “This is a wonderful neighborhood and incredible spirit not commonly found,” remarked Hillyard, who proudly observed that proceeds from the 2008 Pet Parade were donated to the Potrero Branch Library.  

Farley’s stocks 400 magazine titles, and is staffed by a dozen students and musicians, not counting former employees who still like to hang out at the café.  Each week Farley’s sells 3,000 cups of coffee, 400 pounds of coffee beans, 400 cups of tea, and 250 muffins and scones

The Hillyard family includes son Darby, who lives on the Hill, Chris, an Oakland resident, and Cyrena, who lives in Pasadena, all of whom have helped out at Farley’s.  Darby still works behind the counter a few weekends a month.  Chris will open Farley’s East, in Oakland at Grand and Broadway, this spring.   

Hillyard is a founding member of the Potrero Hill Association of Merchants and Businesses.  He still lives above Farley’s, though he bought a home in Bolinas six years ago and likes to mountain bike and kayak when he’s there.  He regularly practices yoga at Yoga Sita with Susannah Bruder, and is active at the San Francisco Zen Center.  “The joy of my life is my four grandchildren,” he added proudly, Coji eight years old, Malia two and a half, Marin three, and Makenna almost two.

On March 17 Hillyard encourages View readers to stop by Farley’s, pick-up a button or a 20-year commemorative hoodie, grab some soda, bread and cookies and listen to live Irish music and Irish bagpipers outside scare away enemies.  In the evening the tables and chairs will be cleared, and Farley’s will turn into a dance hall with “The Soul Delights” performing ‘60s music.  

Farley’s is located at 1315 18th Street; 648.1545; farleyscoffee.com. It’s open Monday through Friday 6:30 a.m. to 10 p.m., Saturday 7:30 a.m. to 10 p.m. and Sunday 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.

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