Today’s field trip to Boudreaux’s Cafe in San Francisco yielded a fascinating perspective on idealism in action.

Bob and Tunisia both trade in collectibles and have opened a space in Bayview with a good portion of their stock on display and for sale. It’s a treasure trove made up of part thrift store, part antiques store, part performance space (for music and spoken word), and part tutoring center. With free coffee. Oh, and they’ve done a voter registration drive. Eventually they hope to turn into a full-fledged coffee shop, with a kitchen, but they have only been in operation for 11 weeks and have made themselves a fixture in the neighborhood and a drop-in center for anyone who wants a hug. It’s a great model for delivering neighborhood services, firing on so many cylinders at once.

Marijke