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An Interview with Ivan Lopez of Artillery Apparel Gallery

We sat down with Ivan Lopez of Artillery Apparel Gallery to talk about vision, goals and philosophy.

PN: What made you open a space of your own? IL: I wanted to create a place that would represent the neighborhood where I grew up, and keep the strong artist spirit that developed in my infancy alive. I wanted to inspire other artists and designers to dream about creating business from the work they have the joy to create. I also wanted to celebrate and breathe new life into the definitions of what work and business mean, and to surround my life with the lives of other creative people to share the wisdom.

PN: How have you maintained your identity with the diverse demographic of people in the area? IL: Artillery stays true to its mission statement by thriving and growing. The world, nations, states, cities, neighborhoods and communities always bring forth change via individuals. So if you stay true to your beliefs, you can influence global change, one person at a time. Your identity is your identity and the only person that challenges and creates transformation is yourself, if you allow it. Artillery is always asking one question: what can we do better? Don't wait for the prefect opportunity; search for the wisdom and listen.

PN: What struggles do you face as an independent business in the heart of the Mission? IL: Love, dreams, dedication, patience, banks, the state of California, IRS, capital, city policy, water, pollution, waste, loans, currency, transportation, and more. We are all facing the same struggles. Struggles are about finding solutions to gain knowledge.

PN: What are your plans for the future of your brand? IL: I have big plans for Artillery, but you'll just have to wait and see to find out! At the moment we are trying to grow Artillery WORD (spoken word), Artillery MAPP (musical performance), Artillery A.G. (art and apparel) and ILCOLORS.COM (hand painted gear).

Artillery Apparel Gallery is located on 2751 Mission St., San Francisco. Follow these fine folks here: FB, Twitter, IG. Photos courtesy of Gabriela Arvizu. http://www.artillery-ag.com

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World Cup in the Portola

This Sunday, June 22, the Portola Neighborhood is hosting a World Cup screening on San Bruno Ave that is powered by PowNow! There will be food, music, great stuff for the family, an outdoor area where the USA vs. Portugal match will be shown, and yes... even Pows! Check out our interview below with Jack Tse, the organizer for the event, and be there on Sunday from 12-5pm to enjoy the festivities, watch the match, and redeem those Pows.

PN: How are you going to strengthen the interaction between residents and businesses in this area? JT: Bringing residents and local business people together is a very important way to connect the residential community to the merchant community. At our quarterly community meetings, we invite a San Bruno business to introduce itself to the community in our 'Meet The Merchant' segment. For the current World Cup in Portola promotions, the PNA has developed a 'Passport' to the Portola. It highlights the fantastic businesses on San Bruno and encourages holders of the passport to visit and purchase items from San Bruno Ave during the World Cup. PN: What kind of short-term and long-term effects do you expect in this neighborhood after the events? JT: We have already seen an increased feeling of pride from the business community from participating the World Cup in the Portola promotion. Several businesses are running World Cup specials while food merchants are extending hours to accommodate the increased patronage and make San Bruno Ave a hub for the 2014 World Cup. From a broader economic development perspective, we hope to continue developing a new identity for the Portola and San Bruno Ave, as a vibrant, multi-cultural community that is in the heart of the dynamic south east corridor of San Francisco.

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An Interview with Baljit Dhillon of Post Street Creamery

PN: What’s your favorite hobby outside of work? BD: There are just too many things I love to do. I love spending time with family and friends, we are always having a laugh! I love watching movies, dancing, food so I love to cook as well as try out restaurants in the city, gambling at casinos… and more! PN: What’s your favorite part about owning your own portable ice cream parlor? BD: I don’t have to stay in one place all the time. I get to participate in events and festivals and meet people from all walks of life. There is an element of freedom associated with the mobile type of business that you don’t find in brick and mortar businesses and I love it!

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Our First Ever Bar Crawl!

Check out our first ever BARCRAWL in the Mission District of San Francisco! Big thanks to Skylark, Gestalt, Dalva/Hideout, and Delirium for hosting us!

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In the Busy City...

I often wonder what happened to the part of us that truly loved this city and wanted to explore all of its unique treasures. Being caught up in our mundane routines--transit, coffee, cubicle/desk/school, gym, home, tv, bed--we neglect the extraordinary details that surround us, and furthermore the people that make this city what it is. How has our technology disconnected us to the art and culture around us?

We are social creatures by nature, but we have become even more selective with whom we associate ourselves with. Some of us find ourselves on some site that “our friend referred us to” for those connections, but what if we can use technology to bring us physically together? What if we can reconnect with the people who make this city great? I’m not talking about romantic connections--though those are almost always welcome--but intellectual, social, and cultural connections with businesses, artisans, aficionados, and well, good old fashioned people.

As part of PowNow, we can honestly say that we strive to do just that. Come to our pub crawls and meet new people, partake in our “meet the merchants” events, or one of our awesome sponsored parties that will keep you meeting new and interesting people. Explore places you may have overlooked, and check out what’s happening near you.

As we venture out into the city we call home, here are some of the beautiful and thought provoking art that lines the building of the Mission District. Let the adventures begin.  

Penned by Dominique Varela, San Francisco CA

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PowNow Tackles the Deals Space by Connecting Merchants to Users

“Merchants are now able to connect with their neighborhood through hyperlocal content,” co-founder and CEO William Chang said. “PowNow relays immediately relevant incentives to the community and can bring consumers together through a platform that can be used for winning prizes, receiving deals and even bar hopping.” Working with local businesses creates a great opportunity for building a stronger community between consumers and the stores they shop at, something that is missing from todays fast paced society.

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Launch Party Photos!

Check out our LAUNCH PARTY PHOTOS!

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Save the date! February 5th is our official launch party. It's free! All you have to do is download the app, and show us at the door. See you there!

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Receive. Race. Redeem. PowNow is the new location-based, flash deals app! We're launching in a few weeks, so get ready! For more information, visit www.pownowapp.com, and follow us on Twitter and Instagram @pownowapp. #pownow #flashdeals #freestuff #sf