Sam Spade's San Francisco

Update: Columbus Salame announced today that - despite the devastating loss of their South San Francisco plant to fire - they will remain open and remain in full production.

We probably won't even notice an interruption. Good news!

That sure puts a brighter spin on the story and the following obituary is no longer in need - but the history of this company is a good SF read. Here it is:

Damn. Another fine, local product that we shall enjoy no more!

Columbus Salame, instantly recognizable to generations of San Franciscans, is no more! Their plant just burned to the ground. It's over.

Here's a brief history timeline for the great old San Francisco Bay Area company:

1917: Two Italian partners, Domenici and Parducci, start making and selling salame out of their North Beach apartment.

1932: By this time they were selling their salame to grocery stores in a 100-mile radius from San Francisco.

1946: Domenici and Parducci retire. They sell Columbus Salame to John, Tony, Luis and Victor Devencenzi.

1957: In 1957 the Devencenzi brothers sell the company to three San Francisco North Beach families: the de Martini, Gatto and Piccetti families. The company remains in their hands today.

1967: Columbus Salame opened a large state-of-the-art production plant in Hayward. Yesterday that plant burned to the ground.

Lets hope they had some really good insurance and they are able to rise again from the ashes. That is, after all, a precious San Francisco value.
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