The New Fillmore

LA BOULANGE TURNING INTO A NEW PIZZERIA

Workers are hammering and sawing away inside the long-shuttered La Boulange storefront on Fillmore. A sign promises it will be the new home of Apizza, serving up “a pizza for everyone” that is fast and affordable — complete with organic dough and sauce.

Details are scant, but the quintessentially French Pierre Lauga, in charge for owner Pascal Rigo, promises pizzas will be priced reasonably, starting at $2.75 for a 10-incher. There’s speculation the ovens will be fired up and serving in late March.

In addition to pizza, beer and frozen yogurt will also be on the menu.

ANOTHER “ONLY IN THE FILLMORE” FAREWELL

For six years, the helpful staff has offered hundreds of tastes at Spice Ace, the culinary boutique at 1821 Steiner named one of the world’s best spice shops.

But the flavor of the month in January was bittersweet. Early in the new year, owners and neighborhood residents Olivia Dillan and Ben Balzer announced they would be closing the shop. Then came an ourpouring of appreciation from fans who swarmed the shop to stock their spice racks.

“It was our biggest month ever — even with a 30 percent discount,” says Dillan. “It was a customer success and a culinary success, if not a financial success. That means a lot.”

POPPING UP AND STICKING AROUND

Lots of new pop-ups are showing up on Fillmore, and some of them stick around.

Zuri, the three-month one-dress shop at 2029 Fillmore, has now moved into a long-term home at 1902 Fillmore, where Narumi Japanese antiques shuttered last fall after 37 years.

And Sweet & Spark, which first popped up inside Mudpie, has taken over the former hair salon at 2412 Fillmore.

“The state of retail has changed dramatically,” said Vasilios Kiniris, executive director of Fillmore’s merchants and a citywide merchant leader, who sees “many advantages” to pop-ups. “Business owners can dip their feet into a commercial community and see if their product or service is a good fit.”

A BUFFETT’S  BACK IN THE NEIGHBORHOOD

Investor Warren Buffett’s late wife Susie lived in Pacific Heights for a time, and his son Peter owned a home on Scott Street.

Now his Berkshire Hathaway branded residential real estate company has opened an office in the neighborhood, taking the two spaces on California Street previously occupied by the Vino wine shop and Kuraya antiques. Paula Gold-Nocella and Peter Shovanes are leading the office.

LET US COUNT OUR MICHELIN STARS

How fortunate are we to live in this neighborhood? The new Michelin guide offers a clue.

• Three Fillmore restaurants got a star: SPQR, the Progress and State Bird Provisions, plus Octavia at Octavia and Bush and Spruce on Sacramento.

• At 3127 Fillmore, Atelier Crenn got three stars. Next door, the new Bar Crenn also got a star.

• And we can still claim Quince, now all beautifully grown up in Jackson Square, which also got a full set of three stars, and first planted its roots where Octavia is now.