San Francisco: Late-night fire damages beloved West Portal hardware store

A fire erupted Tuesday night in San Francisco’s West Portal district that damaged three adjoining businesses, including a beloved hardware store, leaving neighborhood residents to gawk at the wreckage the next morning as they sipped their coffee.

The fire consumed parts of Papenhausen Hardware, located at 32 W. Portal Ave., as well as a next-door newsstand and hair salon, according to the San Francisco Fire Department. The origin of the fire is under investigation.

Matt Middlebrook, who lives a block away from the businesses, called Papenhausen an “essential part of the neighborhood.”

His wife, Lisa Presta, noted, “If you need a nail or a Phillips head screw for 20 cents, (the employees) spend a long time with you finding exactly the one you need.”

Karl Aguilar, manager of the hardware store, said Papenhausen probably will close for several months after the fire caused the roof to collapse.

“I’m hoping six months or less,” he said. “The hardest part is we really like being part of the community, helping people and keeping their homes running.”

Papenhausen’s 13 employees will not be working during this time, Aguilar said, but insurance will cover their wages. The store previously had a bigger fire in 1998 and was forced to close for nine months.

Dympna O’Connell, a hair stylist next door at Sloane Square Beauty Salon, came by the scene Wednesday morning to inspect the damage.

“Oh, my God, I can’t believe it,” she said, before going down the street to another salon and lining up a new job.

West Portal Daily, a neighborhood newsstand and grocer, also suffered damage.

The inferno was reported about 10:45 p.m., according to fire officials. Firefighters reportedly got to the scene in five minutes, but the businesses were engulfed in flames. The blaze was contained roughly an hour later at 11:52 p.m.

No injuries were reported and no residents were displaced.