Celebrity chef Tyler Florence abruptly walks away from Union Square kiosks: reports
SAN FRANCISCO (KRON) — A celebrity chef who partnered with the City of San Francisco to bring two new kiosks to Union Square has abruptly walked away from both of them, according to reports. Tyler Florence, who starred on 'Food 911' and 'The Great Food Truck Race' on the Food Network, opened the two Miller & Lux Provisions cafes in 2023 in a move announced by then-Mayor London Breed.
However, last weekend Florence stepped away from operating the kiosks, right before the start of the NBA All-Star weekend, according to a report in the San Francisco Examiner. According to the San Francisco Chronicle, which also reported the story, a San Francisco Recreation and Parks official said Florence decided to 'move on' from the cafes.
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The official, according to the Chronicle, did not say why.
In September of 2023, Florence was given three-year leases for the two spaces — one adjacent to Stockton Street and another adjacent to Powell Street — with options for two three-year extensions, Mayor Breed's office said at the time.
The Powell Street location showcased pastry and breakfast options and boasted a coffee bar. The Stockton Street location was more savory-focused with roasted chicken, 'farm fresh' sides, artisanal cheeses, and beer and wine.
'Union Square continues to evolve, and we're excited about what's next. Miller & Lux stepped into the space with a pop-up during a critical time for the area, bringing energy and great food when it was needed most,' Deputy Director of Communications and Public Affairs Tamara Barak Aparton told the Chronicle.
Neither space was referred to as a temporary pop-up when they were announced. Florence received a $440,000 grant from the city to upgrade and launch the two spaces.
Following Florence's abrupt departure, the city recruited a 'celebrated local baker' to provide pastries over the NBA All-Star weekend.
KRON4.com has reached out to Tyler Florence and to city officials for comment. We have yet to hear back.
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Washington Post
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- Washington Post
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And that's the biggest reason many Lakers fans are rejoicing: This lavish sale comes with the knowledge that the buyers have exponentially more resources than the Buss family — and Walter has showed he knows how to spend it intelligently. Walter, who heads a group that already bought 27% of the Lakers in 2021, has a sterling reputation in Southern California for his group's stewardship of the Los Angeles Dodgers. The iconic baseball team has become a perpetual World Series contender with bold, aggressive financial moves grounded in smart organizational planning ever since Walter's firm, Guggenheim Partners, paid $2 billion to wrest the Dodgers from the reviled Frank McCourt in 2012. 'He's really committed to the city of Los Angeles in various ways, and sports is something that he's very passionate about, and certainly Los Angeles sports,' Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. 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'Now she can comfortably pass the baton to Mark Walter, with whom she has a real friendship and can trust. She's witnessed him build a winning team with the Dodgers and knows that Mark will do right by the Lakers team, organization, and fans!' There is a familial symmetry to these two transactions 46 years apart: Jerry Buss got a steal when he bought the Lakers, and his kids might end up with the wealthiest deal in sports history when they sell. Jerry Buss was a chemist and USC instructor who heavily leveraged his real estate investments to buy the Lakers, the NHL's Los Angeles Kings, the Forum arena and a large ranch from Jack Kent Cooke for $67.5 million. Buss loved a good time almost as much as he loved basketball, and he built the Showtime era of Lakers basketball on Magic and Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, but also on his own undeniable charisma and hunger for titles. Buss and his front offices then landed Shaquille O'Neal and Kobe Bryant in the 1990s, ushering in a second championship era. All told, the Lakers reached the NBA Finals in 16 of Jerry Buss' 34 seasons as their primary owner, winning a whopping 10 championships. Jeanie Buss succeeded her father as the Lakers' governor upon his death in 2013 . Her brother, Jim, was the Lakers' head of basketball operations until Jeanie fired him in February 2017 and installed Johnson and Rob Pelinka, Bryant's former agent. Pelinka gradually took over basketball operations and presided over a string of Lakers-worthy player additions, including LeBron James , Anthony Davis and Luka Doncic. The Lakers won the 2020 championship in the Florida bubble, and they reached the 2024 Western Conference finals. Their seismic trade to acquire Doncic last winter rejuvenated the franchise, positioning the Slovenian superstar as the Lakers' centerpiece for years after the matchless career of James, who has essentially confirmed he will return in the fall for his record 23rd NBA season. Jeanie Buss hasn't yet announced her reasons for agreeing to sell her inheritance, and she will remain the Lakers' governor — at least for now, because a governor must own at least 15% of the team. But she is following a recent trend of high-profile NBA owners ceding their teams to ownership groups with even more extensive resources. Buss is close friends with both Mark Cuban, who sold his majority ownership of the Dallas Mavericks for $3.5 billion, and Wyc Grousbeck, who sold the Boston Celtics for $6.1 billion. ___ AP Basketball Writer Tim Reynolds and AP Sports Writer Beth Harris contributed to this report. ___ AP NBA:
New York Times
2 hours ago
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Phoenix's Mat Ishbia has discarded any concerns about going above the second apron. Ryan Smith has dreams of turning Utah into one of the country's sports hubs. Joe Tsai's Brooklyn Nets signed Kevin Durant and Kyrie Irving in his first year in control. Steve Ballmer, now a veteran, has paid for a sprawling front office for the LA Clippers. It is no coincidence, either. Valuations have skyrocketed for NBA teams over the last 15 years and the people who have bought them have come in with immense wealth and perhaps even larger aspirations. Sports teams may still be public trusts, but they are no longer just toys for the uber-wealthy. Every franchise is a multi-billion dollar business, and the people who own them are coming in from finance and tech, and turning the organizations they've bought to mirror the companies they run. Walter could make the Lakers a part of that arms race. He has already shown how he can in another sport. In Los Angeles, his purchase signals the end of one era and the dawn of another. After 45 years of Buss control, the Lakers might never be the same again. Fabian Ardaya contributed to this report. (Photo of Jeanie Buss: Will Navarro /NBAE via Getty Images)
Fox News
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- Fox News
Los Angeles Lakers and Tampa Bay Rays on the Selling Block
The Los Angeles Lakers and the Tampa Bay Rays are on the selling block. #LALakers #Lakers #TampaBayRays #NBA #MLB Learn more about your ad choices. Visit FOX News Radio
