Gilbert “Gil” Gonzales

Dec. 23, 1952 - Nov. 16, 2018

Gilbert Tirso “Gil” Gonzales — longtime San Francisco resident and owner of the Plant Warehouse — passed away peacefully on Nov. 16. He was 65.

Gil was born in Sanger, California, on Dec. 23, 1952 and moved to the Bay Area in 1971 where he fell in love with plants after he began working at Decorative Plant Services in San Francisco. He began selling and tending house plants at the Plant Warehouse in San Francisco during the 1980s. With his green thumb and artistic eye for growing and arranging plants, he quickly was promoted to manager. In 1990, he purchased the store as well as a nursery in Half Moon Bay, where he grew and sold a variety of plants to businesses around the Bay.

Over the past three decades, the Plant Warehouse became a popular destination in the Polk Gulch neighborhood and surrounding areas.

A beacon in the community, Gil poured his heart and soul into the store, working day and night and loving every minute of it. He stayed open seven days a week and turned it into one of the largest retail plant stores in the city.

He, especially, enjoyed celebrating New Year’s Eve at his store, throwing free parties that he opened to all — an event that became legendary and grew every year.

Gil often spoke about his deep appreciation for his loyal customers and how he wanted to make his store a beautiful oasis for them to enjoy in a city that he loved.

We will miss you Gil, one of the nicest and most generous business owners in the city.

Gil is survived by a large loving family and the Shih Tzu that he adored, Gizmo. He was preceded in death by his mother, Irene Prendiz, his father, Tirso, and two brothers. He was laid to rest surrounded by the plants he so loved at services held in Sanger on Nov. 30.