Nob Hill, one of the original Seven Hills of San Francisco*, is one of the more affluent neighborhoods in the city. Yet a number of Nob Hill businesses have closed their doors as a result of the economic downturn. And while some have moved to new locations, a majority are gone for good.
Photographer Ron Font, a resident of Nob Hill, said he started noticing an increase in the number of vacant spaces in the neighborhood,with more businesses closing every week. He said that the vacancy and for lease notices are signs of the time and are popping up everywhere in San Francisco.
Font’s focus on the Welcome to the Neighborhood photo essay was his observations of the "open space" created as a result of business closures.
According to a recent article in the Examiner, the number of businesses that closed in 2009 has increased by nearly 4,000 from 2008.
*The Seven Hills of San Francisco are Mount Davidson, Mount Sutro, Nob Hill, Rincon Hill, Russian Hill, Telegraph Hill and Twin Peaks.
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