Were Chain Stores Once Banned in San Francisco?

Tucked under the new eastern span of the Bay Bridge is a once-grand mansion known as the Nimitz House. Bay Curious listener Ben Kaiser wants to know nearly everything about it from who lived in it, to what it might become in the future. Turns out, this weathered home in the middle of San Francisco Bay used to be the quarters of the top Navy commander on Yerba Buena Island and is named for a five-star admiral who died there. Additional Resources: There's a Grand Historic House Hiding Under the Bay Bridge Read the transcript for this episode How Treasure Island Got Made Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Gabriela Glueck. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

San Francisco is known for its distinct neighborhoods, each with its own shopping street, full of local businesses. Listener Sarah Soule grew up in the city and remembers hearing that San Francisco didn't allow big box stores or chains to open within city limits. But recently she's seen more chains and wonders if that was true. We trace the history of San Francisco's regulation of chain stores and the effect it has had on the city. Additional Resources: San Francisco's Love/Hate Relationship With Big Box Stores Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Scott Shafer. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Rita Hayworth, Robin Williams, Adele — these are just a few of the huge stars that have graced the stage of Bimbo’s 365 Club over its 94 years in San Francisco. But the act the club is most famous for is Dolphina — or the “Girl in the Fishbowl.”  Dolphina isn’t a person, though; she’s a character who’s been played by many different women since 1931. When Dolphina performs, it looks like there is a real, live woman, shrunk down to 6 inches, swimming in a fish tank at the bar. How did this quirky act come to be? Additional Resources: The Girl in the Fishbowl: The Secret Behind San Francisco's Quirkiest Nightclub Act Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Bianca Taylor. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Olivia Allen-Price, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

In 1950, the U.S. military sprayed bacteria over San Francisco as part of a biological weapons test. The test team thought the bacteria it used was harmless, but several people got sick and one person died. We explore the history and impacts of this clandestine operation, now known as Operation Seaspray, on U.S. military policy and one man's family. Additional Resources: The True Story of the Military's Secret 1950 San Francisco Biological Weapons Test Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Katherine Monahan. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Holly Kernan and everyone on Team KQED.

Stanford University on the San Francisco peninsula is a rarified place, so its intriguing that even 120 years after her death, there's still a mystery surrounding the death of Jane Stanford, the university's co-founder. It's a story full of tyrants, frenemies, poisoning and cover-ups that you won't want to miss. Additional Resources: Who Killed Jane Stanford? Inside the 120-Year-Old Mystery Read the transcript for this episode Spooky Bay Curious Spotify Playlist Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Carly Severn. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ana De Almeida Amaral, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

California voters have one proposition on the ballot this November: Proposition 50. It's supporters want California to adopt a new congressional map that could give Democrats five more seats in the U.S. House of Representatives, a counter to similar actions taken in Texas. Opponents say it's a step in the wrong direction for good governance, or are upset at the potential loss of Republican seats. We wade into the debate with KQED's Guy Marzorati. Additional Reading: ⁠Read a transcript of this episode KQED's Voter Guide ⁠Sign up for our newsletter⁠ Enter our ⁠Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest⁠ Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to ⁠https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts⁠ This story was reported by Guy Marzorati. Bay Curious is made by Olivia Allen-Price, Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey, and the whole KQED family.

In San Francisco, Mabuhay Gardens was the epicenter of punk. Located on Broadway at the edge of North Beach and Chinatown, it was ground zero for the city's emerging punk movement in the late 1970s. The Filipino restaurant and nightclub hosted many of the era's most iconic punk bands — including the Avengers, Dead Kennedys, and the Jim Carroll Band. Even punk rock icon Patti Smith took the stage. In this episode, we dig into the history and legacy of the so-called "Fab Mab." Additional Resources: The Return of Mabuhay Gardens: The Punk Club That Changed San Francisco Read the transcript for this episode Check out The Kitchen Sisters Present podcast Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was produced by Brandi Howell. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

Lombard Street is famous for its winding brick lane, but beyond that iconic block lies something unexpected: a stretch of old-school motels. Why so many in one place? This week on Bay Curious, we explore how the growing popularity of automobiles – and the opening of the Golden Gate Bridge – transformed Lombard Street into a bustling hub for motor lodges. Then, we’ll head south to the San Mateo-Hayward Bridge to unpack its history. Editors note: This episode has been updated to correct a street name error. Additional Resources: Why Are There So Many Motels on San Francisco’s Lombard Street? The First San Mateo-Hayward Bridge Was a Big Deal in 1929 Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts These stories were reported by Christopher Beale and Rachael Myrow. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

In the popular telling, La Llorona is a ghost. She’s the spirit of a woman who haunts watery places, wailing for her lost children. But as with all stories, the meaning of the myth has changed over time and many people now see La Llorona as a protector. For spooky October, we explore the ghostly myth that frightens children and the more empowering version of the legend. Additional Resources: La Llorona, Legend and Protector, In the Streets of San Francisco Read the transcript for this episode Sign up for our newsletter Enter our Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest Got a question you want answered? Ask! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts This story was reported by Sebastian Miño-Bucheli. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.

As we go about our lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and explore this beautiful state, it's not uncommon to encounter wild animals. Whether you're hiking in the Santa Cruz mountains and see warnings about mountain lions, or camping in Tahoe where bears have learned human ways, there are some things to know about how to stay safe. KQED's audience desk reporters Sarah Wright and Carly Severn join us with helpful tips about how to coexist in nature with the animals that also call it home. Additional Resources: ⁠Camping in California? If A Bear Shows Up, Here's What to Do⁠ ⁠What to Do If You See A Mountain Lion While Hiking in the Bay Area⁠ ⁠Coexisting With California's Urban Coyotes⁠ ⁠You've Found A Sick Or Lost Animal In the Bay Area. What Should You Do?⁠ Episode transcript ⁠Sign up for our newsletter⁠ Enter our ⁠Sierra Nevada Brewing Company monthly trivia contest⁠ Got a question you want answered? ⁠Ask⁠! Your support makes KQED podcasts possible. You can show your love by going to ⁠https://kqed.org/donate/podcasts⁠ This story was reported by Carly Severn and Sarah Wright. Bay Curious is made by Katrina Schwartz, Gabriela Glueck and Christopher Beale. Additional support from Olivia Allen-Price, Jen Chien, Katie Sprenger, Maha Sanad, Alana Walker, Ethan Toven-Lindsey and everyone on Team KQED.