A developer’s plan to put a Shake Shack burger restaurant in the former Cow Hollow building that once housed the natural foods-based Real Food Company store has drawn complaints from some residents. The building, located at 3060 Fillmore Street (at Filbert), was occupied by Real Food Company from 1997 until it suddenly closed in late 2016. Developer CenterCal Properties wants to fill the space with Shake Shack and Rumble Fitness (two separate but symbiotic businesses), but a late-January public meeting held as part of the developer’s conditional use permit process drew complaints about possible noise, congestion, and the type of services provided.
The developer told residents it would keep the location clean and would keep the noise levels down, according to a report on KGO-TV, which noted that “Cow Hollow and the Marina are full of burger restaurants and gyms, but there are very few grocery stores and markets.”
Not everyone hates a burger chain. On KGO’s website, right next to the Real Food Co. story was a link to another story headlined, “Burger fans rejoice as Shake Shack plans to open in Palo Alto.”
