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Pride Superette
Rating Details »
Category: Convenience Stores [Edit]
Neighborhood: Mission3398 22nd St
(between Guerrero St & San Jose Ave)
San Francisco, CA 94110
(415) 826-5584
- Price Range:
-
$
- Accepts Credit Cards:
- No
- Parking:
- Street
- Wheelchair Accessible:
- Yes
13 reviews for Pride Superette
Ha ha, the Pride Superette is one of those rogue liquor stores with so many knick knacks and curiosities for sale that the booze itself is no longer the establishment's main cash crop. Also, with the blanket of dust covering the place, one can safely assume that much of the inventory was stocked decades ago. From my observations, the store appears to be solely manned by a gentleman of ambiguous national origin but whom I assume is also the proprietor. He kind of creeps me out but it all fits in with the general vibe I guess. On sunny weekends, neighborhood eccentrics lay their wares for sale out front. Again, not a total surprise but what I haven't yet determined is whether the bric-a-brac is just Pride Superette's backstock out for spring cleaning. Just when you thought things couldn't get any stranger, the owner of this shop claims to have the "World's Largest Rubber Band Ball." What? Yes. If you google the Pride, you'll find that at one time, the pride of the Superette was a 4-foot wide, 3,000+ pound rubber band ball that sat hidden underneath a blanket with a sign atop it that read "No pictures. Do not touch." Roadside America has been charting the ball's progress since 2000. SF Weekly's Best Of 2007 credits this corner liquor store for "Best Rubber Band Ball" as if there were so many giant, humongous rubber globes hanging around various liquor stores at any given time for comparison.
But to the Superette's credit, these kinds of liquor stores are a dying breed in today's economy; descendents of the Old West general/mercantile store. One day in the future, they'll all be gone and replaced by rows of tallcan vending machines with obnoxious flashy lights and blinking signs directing you "HERE" along with other totally alienating new-fangled robotics. One day, Yelp reviews will go something like: "Tried to buy a Tecate from Liquor Store #5067. It ate all my money and its speech recognition software sucked. Everyone KNOWS SonySFS v.5.2 is the industry standard! One star!! Liquor Store #2506 is still the best! Fuck you!!"
Further Reading:
Chuck Squatriglia, "Stretching the Limits: Owner of S.F. market builds biggest rubber-band ball," San Francisco Chronicle on the Web, 26 August 2000, http://www.sfgate.com/... (31 May 2007).
August 15th, 1991. I, a vagabond new to the customs and rapid pace of city life, had stumbled into this humble market in search of a shovel, to bury my fallen steed, Maharaja. The owner, a disgraced former astronomer with a passion for the construction of rubber band balls, took pity on my plight. We spent the next week in a fog of opium and nostalgia, as I reminisced about the legendary exploits Maharaja had taken me on, from the mysterious islands of the South Pacific to the jungles of Tibet. Nineteen years later, as my beard grays and my body disintegrates, I still remember that week as if it were still taking place. Perhaps it is. Ah.
I've bought a total of 4 things here:
1. vitamin water
2. toilet paper
3. top ramen
4. EXPIRED top ramen
if you're looking for a package of Ramen that has passed its expiration date (for example, if you're on a scavenger hunt, or require it for some sort of scientific purpose), this is your place.
if you're looking for a bottle of vitamin water that isn't past its expiry date, but just doesn't taste right at all, this is also your place.
(to be fair the toilet paper was fine, although the outside of the packaging was definitely a little sticky and grimy.) the whole interior of the place seems to be covered with a nearly-visible layer of sticky grime.
You should never go here. It's an awful place that does bad business and I wish it weren't in my neighborhood.
As others have said...
The owner is cranky and rude.
His store is dirty.
His merch is old, dusty and over-priced.
The worst, tho', is that his ATM is eating money, he knows it, and has a trick for getting the "lost" money out after people leave.
It's happened to me twice. I've watched him check the machine after it's been used by others. I've seen a homeless guy use the owner's trick to find money. I've had a person walk by me and say the same had happened to him. Too many coincidences.
That's right, the owner of this awful store is exploiting his money-eating ATM (and has a giant rubber band ball).
If you need groceries or an ATM or flowers or anything at all, walk up the street to 22nd and Dolores and visit Mama's Market (http://tinyurl.com/9g7bs9)
UPDATE: the owners of the ATM have since replaced the machine at the store and it's working just fine now.
Pride Superette, you suck. $13 for a mini bottle of Excedrin? Are you serious? Have you no compassion for the ill and/or hungover?
I hate you.
Hmm... I really just want some white wine to pair with my sushi to go.
** cling, clang, cling **
Shuffling through a random assortment of white wine bottles in the fridge.
** thinking to myself **
Oh look, cheap Chardonnay from 2000. Must be past its prime. When was the last time this fridge was restocked? Hopefully not 8 years ago. Oh look, here is a 2005. Whew, this was restocked at least 3 years ago.
** cling, clang, cling **
Moved more bottles aside to see what other chilled wines were available. There were no two bottles alike.
SCORE! There's sake to go with my sushi.
I happily looked forward to a chill evening at my friend's dig to watch a movie and chow down on sushi! Oh, and it'll be paired with $8 sake. I get to me friend's place, and I am about to open the bottle.
I realize...
FRIGGIN' A!!!!!!! The bottle was already opened by someone else. Looking at the liquid level, it looks like someone took a swig of sake.
Never in my life have I felt so ripped off. Yeah 7 measly dollars, but still! Swindled. Bamboozled.
Check your groceries from here before you make a purchase.
This place makes me wish Yelp allowed negative reviews. A crazy mish-mash of filthy garage-sale items and out-of-date food. Kind of like a museum, you will see food here so old that the packaging is not even current. Seriously, I have seen things here that are over three years out of date. And those items have a shelf life of like two years - so we are talking five year old groceries in this hot, disgusting, smelly little hole. And really weird, obscure brands of things. I think the owner gors to Bargain Bank to stock his shop.
Refrigerator is so warm it probably violates the Health code. And the guy that runs it will yell at you, throw change at you, curse you out for no reason . . . you name it.
I walk an extra two blocks to Mama's Market. Avoid at all costs!
This is my least favorite business establishment -- of any sort -- in the entire city. The place is run-down and filthy, but the real issue is the owner: he's an awful, miserable, mean person. I've lived a couple of blocks from this shop for six years, and while I've never had an altercation with him myself, I've seen him yelling at someone at least five times. And it's not them, it's him. One time he was ripping the poor UPS guy a new one at the top of his lungs. Back when he had the rubber band ball, he expected you to pay him to so much as take a photo of it. It was best to pretend the ball wasn't even there if you didn't want to get yelled at for some ludicrous reason, like, say, looking at it.
It's the closest store to my house, yet I haven't set foot in there for five years.
I lived near this market for over fifteen years. The owners were not so bad when you got to know them, actually quite well abreast of Middle East politics and we had many enlightening discussions. There aged parents (now passed) were often present and also out and about in the neighborhood. Neither spoke much English well but were kind.
The merchandise has since gone way downhill. They used to have the best ancient products and some of the skankiest porno in plain view of all passing the front door. I recall one titled Shemale that was quite eye popping.
I think I probably bought the last bottles of "Gee, Your Hair Smells Terrific" and the "Body on Tap" beer shampoo left on the planet. And right at checkout you used to be able to get Fantasy Garden Incense in the "Pussy" scent. Pretty long-haired black cat on the package. Sadly, I think I have depleted the best of their inventory and those shopping today would be lucky to find a stale Hostess Cupcake. The porno is gone or if still there has gone the way of Victoria's Secret I am quite sure. Times they are a 'changin'...
I would recommend stronger than any recommendation that I can muster NOT to step foot into this market let alone spend a dime there. In fact, I would ask that anyone with any semblance of human dignity and kindness please do everything in your power to spread the word.
For years this store was a stand-out from the hundreds of other convenience markets in any city due to the fact that it housed "the World's Largest Rubber Band Ball", proclaimed proudly on a painted sign on the building. Very cool oddity in the middle of Mission, you say? Great way to bring in business too! Stop in, see the giant ball, buy some Ben & Jerry's or a sixer of Tecate.
Think not. The owner of this store is a profoundly rude person. I don't mean like "New York deli rude", like in a good way. I mean truly an angry and cold individual, who could care less about you and just wants your dollar and then please leave. He is so bitter that he has now painted over the sign, removed the rubber band ball, and spits venom at you if you dare broach the subject.
He is a leech sucking on the neighborhood and takes advantage of a "convenience market" by charging high prices, especially on his ATM fees. Speaking of his ATM, the machine at this place has this crazy plastic security thing on it that makes it really hard to get your money out. Not only does this guy know this, but he has been seen on numerous occasions walking out to the machine and pulling the left-behind $20 bills and pocketing them. I kid you not.
I really think he is just a bad person, and should not be working with the general public, let alone providing a service to a community. One block away at the corner of 23rd, is an example of a market with a friendly, kind person. The guy there remembers your name, asks about your life, and does mind when you are short a buck and bring it back later (which I always do).
Bottom line: in this economy, in this city, there is zero excuse to be a downright asshole to people and then ask for their money. Sir, you are a prick and I am sure it will come back to bite you in spades. Karma is a bitch.
You guys are all crazy i have been shopping there all my life and they've been in the same spot for 30 years and work there behinds off about 12 hours a day. Pretty much never taking a day off.And to do work for that long they deserve respect. They tell me that they dont like to show the ball anymore because people pull the bands and damage it. For people who got a problem with a freaking coke you must have no life or self control going there anyways. If you got a problem don't go. But these people are great and have been around and u guys cant even last a step in their shoes.
I went to Pride today with the sole intentions of hugging the giant rubber band ball. Nope. Didn't happen. Why I approached the man at the counter about it he got very upset. When I pressed him he got even more emotional and started shrieking at me and wouldn't really stop until I left. I didn't mean to disrespect him; I could tell loosing the contest was a very disappointing event for him. Poor guy. I give three sympathy stars but take away two on account that he wouldn't let me (a true fan!) see it.
i only go here because it's right outside my front door and only when i need a coke or something small. the prices are ungodly ($7 for a small toothpaste). even buying a coke here sucks because his cooler isn't cool at all. warm coke for $1.75 makes no sense. also, everything is a few weeks past its use-by date. cash-only. blah.