By Kate Getty
I always loved The Red Vic. What can I say? I’m a sucker for nutritional yeast on my popcorn. And getting to watch movies on couches. So when the beloved second run movie house closed in 2011, I’ll admit, I teared up a little. The Red Vic had been a theatre and historical landmark at 1727 Haight since 1990. But it wasn’t just a place to watch cult classics, it was a neighborhood institution.
And thankfully, the brand new Second Act Marketplace & Events hopes to continue that same legacy of community. But this time, it’s not just about movies.
Created by two of the Red Vic’s original founders, Jack and Betsy Rix, with the help of their two kids (who were were pouring beer at last night’s private preview of the space), Second Act is a different kind of marketplace. The Rixes have transformed the space into a family-owned, family-operated, retail/entertainment hybrid. In the front, the space houses craft food vendors in five stalls; with its minimalist, open floor plan, and handmade aesthetic of the menus on display, you feel like you just walked into Sunset Magazine here. The mini shops offer fresh, local, and sustainable ingredients, from juices to beans, bagels, and popcorn.
There’s Anda Piroshki, created by Anna Tvelova, where I tried “Russian Sushi” (pickled herring on rye) but eyeballed the menu’s piroshki, borscht, kompot, and other Russian specialties. Then I enjoyed some homemade masala chai with almond milk from Tammy Tan’s Spice Hound, a spice purveyor offering over a 100 different herbs, blends and salts, and damn good chai. A few steps away was RAW, founded in 2011 by Elyse Thogerson, offering delicious raw drinks and plenty of fresh juices. The cooperative bakery, Community Craft, features savory and sweet goodies from a variety of local bakers. And then there’s your coffee stand with a twist, High Cotton Kitchen, featuring Sightglass coffee and handmade pastries, but also grab-to-go comfort food like gumbo and po’boys. Second Act’s offerings are diverse and delicious.
And in the back, there’s a large open room, a venue that will host a multitude of live events. Last night, there were bands performing for the opening, and Second Act feels so family-run, I half-expected the musicians to be Jack and Betsy’s cousins or something. (Maybe they were?) Second Act plans to show films and multimedia productions in that events space, to keep some of that Red Vic film spirit alive. But there are also plans to host private parties, kid- friendly events, fundraisers, and other community gatherings. This just adds to a space where people can come together in the neighborhood to enjoy good food and hot chai. Second Act also brings the small batch vibe to a neighborhood that’s attracting increasingly more vendors along those lines — see the nearby Buyer’s Best Friend across the street, Flywheel Coffee Roasters around the corner, and Stanza Coffee Bar just a block away.
But just one complaint, guys … I saw popcorn at Second Act. But I didn’t see any nutritional yeast.
Second Act has its soft opening over the weekend. It officially opens its doors on Monday, Feb. 3. For more info and hours, check out Second Act Marketplace & Events.
