Blondie’s Pizza is still slinging slices at Stonestown Galleria, but the mall’s owner is trying to kick the local favorite to the curb. A newly filed eviction case accuses the Bay Area chain of falling behind on rent even as its food-court counter keeps serving customers, putting the future of the Stonestown location squarely in limbo. Mall workers and regulars are now left to wonder whether this ends with a quiet payoff, a negotiated exit, or a full-on courtroom scrap.
According to the San Francisco Standard, Stonestown Galleria filed the eviction suit on Tuesday, alleging Blondie’s owes more than $74,000 in overdue rent. The complaint, as described in the Standard, says the mall first issued a default notice, then followed up with a pay-or-vacate demand that gave the restaurant 15 days to clear the tab.
For now, it looks like business as usual at the counter. Blondie’s still lists its Stonestown shop on the Blondie’s Pizza website, and the location continues to show up on delivery apps. That suggests the legal fight is unfolding in court while customers can still grab a slice in the meantime.
Blondie’s Roots And Past Troubles
The Blondie’s brand dates back to 1980, when founder Ken Sarachan opened the original shop. Longtime employee Abdul Zaloukh later bought the business in 2016, as reported by SFGATE. The chain has dealt with bumps before: its Powell Street location was temporarily shut by the health department in 2016, a closure detailed in coverage of the store being temporarily shut by the health department.
What Stonestown Is Betting On
Stonestown Galleria has been trying to reinvent itself, and this eviction move lands in the middle of that bigger makeover. The mall’s owner is pursuing large redevelopment plans that would replace significant chunks of surface parking with housing and turn the site into a denser mixed-use center packed with new retail. Reporting in the San Francisco Chronicle highlights how anchor tenants and food-court operators fit into that broader strategy, which helps explain why every stall suddenly feels more high-stakes.
Legal Stakes And Next Steps
The filing kicks off a civil eviction case that seeks both unpaid rent and possession of the space. Commercial tenants generally can respond and challenge such lawsuits in court, but the clock runs faster than in a typical civil case. The California Courts self-help materials, which focus on residential tenants, spell out how an unlawful-detainer suit moves on an accelerated timeline…