Black Bark Aims To Energize The Fillmore With The Power Of BBQ

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BBQ restaurant Black Bark will officially open today at 1325 Fillmore St., and excitement has already spread through the Fillmore like wildfire. Though chef David Lawrence and his wife and business partner Monetta White had to jump through some construction and regulatory hoops, it only took a little over a year to bring their restaurant to life, thanks to the support of the Mayor’s office, the Fillmore Center and neighborhood residents.

Hiring locals is a major component of making Black Bark work, say Lawrence and White, who also own neighboring 1300 on Fillmore. They believe having people who live in the community representing Black Bark will give the neighborhood a sense of pride, as well as increasing daytime foot traffic.

We stopped by yesterday’s ribbon-cutting ceremony to meet Lawrence and White, as well as the numerous people who’ve helped them get Black Bark off the ground—from employees all the way up to Mayor Ed Lee. Together, they provide a sort of oral history of how Black Bark got started, and the impact it hopes to have on the Fillmore.

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