Sunset Profile: Tiny Shop on Irving Makes a Big Impression

Graham Woo Holoch is an artist who has big ideas for one of the smallest shops in the Outer Sunset.

At just 232 square feet, The Last Straw may be the smallest business in the Outer Sunset. Yet it has enjoyed an outsized presence on Irving Street and 47th Avenue for half a century. Under new ownership, the influence of this tiny shop has grown even more — as a portal to the world and a community space.

Graham Woo Holoch took over the business in 2023 when longtime owner Marge Heard retired after nearly 50 years. Previously a shop for home goods and local art, The Last Straw now features an eclectic mix of treasures — Japanese fishing stools, 19th-century earthenware cups from Kyoto, jewelry by local silversmith Jenn Wong, and various items that Holoch collects during his international travels.

"When I travel, I like to come home with something from other cultures," Holoch explains. "I'm able to describe where every object comes from. I hope to inspire people to add their own creativity in how they use a piece."

Graham Woo Holoch makes the most of The Last Straw’s 232 square feet. Find his art and treasures at Irving and 47th Avenue in the Outer Sunset.

Holoch sees the shop as a cultural investment where both objects and makers are celebrated. If that sounds artistic, that’s because Holoch himself is an artist. He is also a book designer and psychotherapist. These pursuits keep him busy during the week, which is why the Last Straw is only open on weekends.

Connection to the space’s history
Despite the limited time spent there, Holoch’s connection to the shop runs deep. As a child, he frequently visited it with his family. In fact, his grandmother was the landlord and a close friend of former owner Marge Heard.

In 1975, Heard quit an office job and moved to the Outer Sunset. She opened a basket shop at 4540 Irving Street, naming it The Last Straw to reflect her career and lifestyle change. She initially lived and worked in the tiny space but gradually expanded her inventory and became a beloved neighborhood fixture. After her retirement, Heard moved to a cottage right behind the shop, continuing to witness its transformation.

Renewed vision
Today, The Last Straw now shares its stretch of Irving Street with popular businesses that have opened in recent years: Black Bird Bookstore and Cafe, seafood restaurant Hook Fish, and Mollusk Surf Shop. All three shops have become hip community hubs for neighborhood hang-outs, civic events, and art exhibits.

Holoch has a vision for The Last Straw to do the same. Besides displaying and selling his cosmopolitan collection of artistic objects, he plans to host pop-up events, guest curators, and community groups at the shop.

Now entering its sixth decade, The Last Straw may be one of the oldest businesses in the area. But under Holoch's care, its purpose feels thoroughly renewed.

Reported and written by volunteer community journalist Jan Cook. We encourage residents with journalism experience, retired journalists, and student journalists in high school and college to volunteer as writers for Supervisor Engardio’s newsletter. Interested? Apply here. Do you know a story you would like to see featured in the newsletter? Tell us about it here.