Goodbye Sony Metreon

February 28th, 2006 | Filed under Life, Meal

RSS has turned me into a bit of a news-junkie. I subscribe to the Kansan, LJWorld, CNN and both the NYTimes and SFGate (I like to get news from both coasts) and I was shocked and saddened when this article showed up via kottke instead of my SFGate rss feed. Apparently he scooped me…big surprise. :)

Sony Metreon’s shattered dreams via the SFGate.

Now I’m sure you’re all wondering why I should care that some sony store in San Fran is closing down. Well, back in high school Buck, Mendenhall, Kinser and I spent 4 days enjoying the lovely food court of the now defunked metro-mall.

In the spring of 2001 the four of us, Mrs Bridge and a bunch of fellow students made the trip out to the Journalism Educators Association/National Scholastic Press Association conference to attend some seminars, present some seminars and participate in some compititions. The convention, which was held in the San Fran Marriott, was a mere 300 yards from the Metreon.

Being that the hotel was generally swamped with 500 other high school kids we made it a general practice to grab our meals and kill down time around the corner at the Metreon. There, we could all grab something different to eat for a resonable price, as well as check out some of the shopping the glorified mall had to offer.

On the second night we were in town somebody (not sure which one of us) stumbled onto this incredible little pasta/pizza restuarant called the Firewood Cafe. By the end of the weekend we were all hooked on it as well as the desserts provided by Just Desserts. Needless to say a young 17-year-old kid was more than impressed with the city and the seemingly cool mall that had a microsoft outlet (I was already a hardcore mac user with my pismo, but the store was still cool) and a sony retail outlet with all kinds of amazing flat panel tvs (remember this was 2001).

Although everything that we thought was once cool about the attraction including the Microsoft and Discovery Channel Stores closed almost 4 years ago, it is too bad that the idea of a modern mall full of cool tech and good food didn’t take off.

Side note, in looking at the map trying to re-orientate myself with the area, it turns out we were less 500 yards from one of the most sacred places in all Apple geekery….the Moscone Center. Check out the google map here

Anyway, bummer that it is going to be converted into something else. Hey, does anyone have any pictures or videos from that weekend? I know I don’t. Zach? Jason? Kinser? Just wondering.