On Thursday, Aug. 20, shortly after closing, The Cove on Castro, an official San Francisco Legacy Business, was again vandalized. At 9:30 p.m., owner Maurice Solange had already gone to bed when he received a call from the bar manager next door.
“He said some guy took a stool from their bar and threw it at the window,” said Solange, explaining that from top to bottom, the glass was shattered. This marked the third time he has had to replace the window in a few years. A little over a year and a half ago, someone set fire to the entrance, damaging the door.
Solange says he’s not sure if the latest vandal is a homeless person or an irate customer, but the result is the same: $3,000 to replace the window. A suspect has been arrested.
“I was told that because it is more than $450 in damage, it’s a felony,” said Solange.
Almost immediately after the incident, a dedicated customer, Edward Senatore, set up a crowdfunding campaign on GoFundMe to help the owners cover the cost of replacing the window and a new “Open” sign, and to make up for lost revenue caused by the damage.
For that, Solange says he is deeply grateful.
“Ed took it upon himself to do the fund me,” said Solange. “He did it for us. That means a lot. Our customers are very generous. It’s really heartwarming to see people come through for us.”
The Cove has been in the Solange family since 1974, and Maurice Solange aims to keep it going.
“It has changed over time,” he said. “You used to order your sandwich, help yourself to a drink, sit down, and like magic, we bring your food. When it comes time to pay, you go to the register and tell them what you had. Oh, there were so many fun stories of my mom running after people who just forgot and walked out!”
Although the honor system of payment is long gone, The Cove has retained an increasingly rare authentic charm, with diner standards like turkey dinners, meatloaf, and homemade soups.
“Our customers are very generous. It’s really heartwarming to see people come through for us.”
— Maurice Solange, Owner of The Cove on Castro
“We have one customer who comes in twice a day, every day,” said Solange.
As for insurance, Solange has it, of course, but stresses that it doesn’t cover all the financial losses. For example, the damage prevented people from being seated at the window table and the four-person table just outside; two of the restaurant’s most coveted spots.
After the incident, a customer reached out to Solange about the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD), explaining that he may be entitled to a storefront vandalism grant of up to $2,000.
In February 2026, Mayor Lurie’s budget included $1.2 million to assist small businesses with unexpected expenses caused by vandalism and fire. Per OEWD, businesses can be awarded the relief grant up to three times per year.
Excited, Solange contacted the department, but his hopes were dashed. The window for the fund had now closed. On the OEWD website, there is no notice for when, if ever, this particular grant may resume.
However, Solange’s customers and supporters have come through. On Monday, Aug. 24, the GoFundMe benefit ended, reaching $6,165. On the peer-to-peer funding website, Senatore wrote that he will deliver the money in person. The repairs are now in process.
Problems on the block continue, though. Solange said many people camp out and spread out their things, “all day and all night long” at Rossi’s Deli, on the other side of The Cove, disrupting business.
“It’s very annoying for me to go tell them to move all the time,” he said. “They go sit in my parklet, smoke.”
Unfortunately, the recently reopened Castro Theatre, just across the street from The Cove, hasn’t been the revenue boost he had anticipated.
“Post-Covid the street has changed dramatically,” said Solange. “A lot less traffic, a lot less people on the streets. The weekends come close, but overall, a big drop in business activity. And I have one of the best locations! Pre-Covid you would come on the weekend and people were lining up at the door just to get in.”
Still, on that Saturday morning at 10 a.m., despite the patched-up plate glass, most seats were occupied. Diners were enjoying heaping plates of bacon and eggs, stacks of pancakes, and biscuits and gravy. And, unless you plead for mercy, coffee poured endlessly from old-fashioned glass carafes.
The Cove on Castro is located at 434 Castro Street, and is open from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., Tuesday through Sunday.
