SAN FRANCISCO – While crossing the street in the Bayview neighborhood of San Francisco, Konstantinos “Gus” Vardakastanis was struck and killed by a hit and run driver, authorities said as reported in the San Francisco Chronicle.
Vardakastanis, age 57, was well-known in the community as the co-owner of Haight Street Market and Noriega Produce. He died at the scene, according to the San Francisco medical examiner, as the Chronicle reported.
A Greek immigrant from Zakynthos, Vardakastanis ran the family businesses with his wife, Georgia, since the early 1980s, and opened Gus’s Community Market in the Mission District in 2015 with their sons Dimitri and Bobby.
Sgt. Michael Andraychak, a San Francisco Police Department spokesman said, as reported in the Chronicle, police officers were dispatched to Jerrold Avenue and Toland Street about 2:15 AM after the collision was reported and they found the seriously injured Vardakastanis “near the San Francisco Wholesale Produce Market, where he was known to do business four days a week.”
President of the Board of Supervisors London Breed, released a statement on September 22, expressing condolences, as quoted in the Chronicle, “I am truly saddened by the death of Gus Vardakastanis, a beloved member of the Haight Ashbury community and owner of the Haight Street Market. My thoughts and prayers are with his family and the employees of the markets he owned throughout the city. He kept his prices affordable and was very committed to hiring locally including those who needed a second chance. Gus was loved and he will be truly missed.”
The Chronicle reported, “Shoppers who Vardakastanis befriended over the years came in and out of his grocery stores Fridaymorning, hugging each other and staff, and dropping flowers outside.”
Robin Dick, an artist and Haight Street neighborhood resident since 1988, said she has known the well-liked grocer for many years.
“I’m still kind of in shock. He was a character, definitely a character,” Dick, 62, said. “For someone known to be a little crusty, he was such a generous, kind man,” as reported by the Chronicle.
Dick also recalled Gus’ sense of humor and personality noting that “he was always very present, very approachable. He wasn’t one of these behind-the-curtain kind of guys.”
Vardakastanis worked tirelessly in the store at all hours, frequently joked with his customers, and would treat them to bottles of wine from his personal winery.
His concern for his customers extended to asking them if there were items he should add that were currently unavailable in the store, taking note of any suggestions.
Freelance Internet technology worker Mike McCarthy, age 51, an 18-year resident of the Haight and a regular at the Haight Street Market stopped by to offer his condolences at the store and spoke about Vardakastanis’ generosity. “I came here once at 8 in the morning and got a parking ticket. Next time I was here, he gave me a $30 gift certificate. My kids grew up on Gus. He just gave us a sense of place,” as the Chronicle reported.
“He was a well-known and well-loved man,” Nathan Matson, an employee at San Francisco Wholesale Produce and acquaintance of Gus’ sons said. “Everybody [at] the market right now is crying…He was just a great, great guy,” as reported in the Chronicle.
Authorities said that investigators have learned it was a silver sedan that struck Vardakastanis and then sped from the scene, the Chronicle’s report noted.
“Police are looking for a sedan with windshield and front end damage, according to Andraychak. At 2:12 AM, the city ShotSpotter system detected gunfire at the intersection of McKinnon and Newhall avenues, which is less than a mile from where Vardakastanis was killed three minutes later. Officers only recovered shell casings at the scene and did not find any suspects or victims, said Officer Giselle Linnane, a department spokeswoman. Police could not immediately say if the gunfire had any connection to the hit and run. The department’s Traffic Collision Investigation Unit was on scene looking to interview witnesses of the incident. Anyone with information can call the department’s tip line at (415) 575-4444 or text TIP411, beginning the message with ‘SFPD’,” as reported in the San Franciso Chronicle.
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