Klockars blacksmith shop on Rincon Hill has endured as an obvious contrast of the old San Francisco and the new, a blue-collar relic amid sleek residential towers.

But if plans now in the works bear fruit, the two-story wood structure from 1912 will be a symbol of transition all on its own — from a place where metalwork is forged to a nook where marijuana is consumed.

“Tony’s not going to be here forever, and there aren’t a line of blacksmiths waiting in line to take over,” said Travis Kelly, the grandson of Tony Rosellini, who has operated the blacksmith shop pretty much on his own since 1970. “This way, at least we can preserve the building into the future.”

The building is owned by Rosellini’s ex-wife, the daughter of Edwin Klockars, who died in 1994 at the age of 96. The family has never had interest in selling despite the offers that routinely come their way.

With his grandmother’s blessing, Kelly and investors have filed a proposal with the city to restore the structure and bring it up to code — no mean feat given the dirt floors in the back and an airy tin roof. The new function would be a cannabis dispensary, for now called “The Weedsmith.”

“The old machines, the wide-plank redwood floors, we’d want to keep it all and preserve the atmosphere,” said Kelly, 29, an attorney who grew up in Burlingame. “We’d want something high-end, like a Sephora or an Apple Store.”

Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Rosellini talks with his grandson, Travis Kelly, before working the...

There was a time here when a blacksmith’s shop was nothing special, especially in a part of town where small operators were part of the industrial bustle. But Klockars is the only one left, a designated city landmark with 20 stories of condominiums on one side, a massive electrical substation on the other, and a 55-story tower going up across the street.

“It’s kind of cold already,” Rosellini, 86, said one afternoon last week. “Now it’s going to be shady, too.”

Rosellini lives in South San Francisco, and most days his exercise consists of long, slow walks at the mall. But he still comes in one or two days a week, firing up the forge and making the hooks used to lift manhole covers, or prongs, or pry bars.

Nothing glamorous.

The affable blacksmith loves to tell how he entered the trade: “I was married to the boss’ daughter, I got fired somewhere else, and my wife said, ‘You better give Tony a job.’” That was in 1960. A decade late, Edwin Klockars was ready to retire.

“I took over the business,” Rosellini said with a laugh, then gestured at the spare tools and dusty keepsakes piled high in every direction. “I never made any money. But all this junk is mine.”





































































Begin Slideshow 18 Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 1 of / 18 Caption Close Image 1 of 18 Tony Rosellini waits for his forge to come up to temperature before he works on a pry bar at Edwin Klockars Blacksmithing Shop. Rosellini, who’s pretty much been Klockars’ sole operator since 1970, still works a couple of days a week in the Rincon Hill shop. less Tony Rosellini waits for his forge to come up to temperature before he works on a pry bar at Edwin Klockars Blacksmithing Shop. Rosellini, who’s pretty much been Klockars’ sole operator since 1970, still ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 2 of 18 Edwin Klockar is seen in a family photo at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old Rincon Hill, a blacksmith shop on Folsom Street. It's a city landmark. Edwin Klockar is seen in a family photo at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old Rincon Hill, a blacksmith shop on Folsom Street. It's a city landmark. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 3 of 18 Tony Rosellini works on a pry bar as his grandson, Travis Kelly, watches. Kelly is rethinking what the shop should become. Tony Rosellini works on a pry bar as his grandson, Travis Kelly, watches. Kelly is rethinking what the shop should become. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 4 of 18 A photo from the ’70s shows Klockars on Rincon Hill, where it’s been for more than a century. Now, 20 stories of condos rise next door. A photo from the ’70s shows Klockars on Rincon Hill, where it’s been for more than a century. Now, 20 stories of condos rise next door. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 5 of 18 Edwin Klockars' Blacksmith shop at Fremont and Folsom Streets, on April 23, 1976. Edwin Klockars' Blacksmith shop at Fremont and Folsom Streets, on April 23, 1976. Photo: Susan Ehmer, The Chronicle Image 6 of 18 Tony Rosellini, 86, works on a manhole cover hook at Edwin Klockars Blacksmithing Shop. Rosellini, who was married to the boss’ daughter, has worked at Klockars since 1960, when he was fired from another job. Tony Rosellini, 86, works on a manhole cover hook at Edwin Klockars Blacksmithing Shop. Rosellini, who was married to the boss’ daughter, has worked at Klockars since 1960, when he was fired from another job. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 7 of 18 Tools of the trade: Rosellini’s hammer rests on the anvil at Klockars, which is a city landmark. Tools of the trade: Rosellini’s hammer rests on the anvil at Klockars, which is a city landmark. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 8 of 18 Tony Rosellini's tools on his anvil as he works on a pry bar at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Tony Rosellini's tools on his anvil as he works on a pry bar at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 9 of 18 A glowing red piece of steel cools on the ground at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. A glowing red piece of steel cools on the ground at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 10 of 18 Tony Rosellini in his work space at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Tony Rosellini in his work space at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 11 of 18 A wagon wheel and knot display from a neighboring business that burned down is displayed at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. A wagon wheel and knot display from a neighboring business that burned down is displayed at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 12 of 18 A metal bust on display at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. A metal bust on display at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 13 of 18 Tony Rosellini waits for his forge to come up to temperature before he works on a pry bar. Tony Rosellini waits for his forge to come up to temperature before he works on a pry bar. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 14 of 18 Bending jigs under a tool bench at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Bending jigs under a tool bench at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 15 of 18 Tony Rosellini looks for a good piece of iron before he works on a pry bar. Tony Rosellini looks for a good piece of iron before he works on a pry bar. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 16 of 18 Tony Rosellini walks through his shop in San Francisco. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old Rincon Hill, a blacksmith shop on Folsom Street. Tony Rosellini walks through his shop in San Francisco. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old Rincon Hill, a blacksmith shop on Folsom Street. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 17 of 18 Tony Rosellini chats with Rincon Hill residents Lauri Mashoian and her daughter Alexandra, 6, outside Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old Rincon Hill, a blacksmith shop on Folsom Street. It's a city landmark, with dirt floors in the back. less Tony Rosellini chats with Rincon Hill residents Lauri Mashoian and her daughter Alexandra, 6, outside Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. The shop is a piece of the last working bit of old ... more Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle Image 18 of 18 The Salesforce Tower is visible through the window at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. The Salesforce Tower is visible through the window at Edwin Klockar's Blacksmithing Shop in San Francisco. Photo: Carlos Avila Gonzalez, The Chronicle SF blacksmith shop to become Weedsmith pot dispensary 1 / 18 Back to Gallery

Kelly has known the building his entire life, and was there on almost a daily basis while attending law school at Golden Gate University. Now he’s leading the effort of family members to figure out what to do next.

According to Kelly, the first thought was a restaurant or a traditional retail outpost. But the restaurant boom here has tapered off. The costs of restoring the structure while also making it accessible are daunting, especially in a location that’s hardly Maiden Lane.

So instead of some ideal fit — such as a showroom focused on goods made in San Francisco — the proposed Weedsmith would offer “an artisanal culture, high-design atmosphere, and ... a friendly, consistent, professional source of medical cannabis,” according to the documents filed with the Planning Department.

Kelly admits that he ran into a rocky reception last week, when presenting the idea to the board of directors of the condominium tower next door.

“There’s a lot of stigma and misunderstanding around cannabis,” he said. “But at the end of the day, it has been voted on (favorably) by San Francisco and California voters.”

Assuming the Weedsmith idea takes root, and the money flowing toward legalized marijuana doesn’t run dry, at least two years will likely pass before the blacksmith machines become artifacts. That 55-story residential high-rise on the other side of Folsom Street will be in place. So will the 40-story tower now under construction to the west.

In the meantime, Rosellini will come up to the city when he wants, and stay across the county line when he doesn’t. If he’s feeling sentimental, he doesn’t let it show.

“Everything changes,” he shrugged, the forge glowing orange toward the rear of the dark rear annex with its corrugated walls and dirt floor. “Except parking. There’s always a parking problem here.”

John King is The San Francisco Chronicle’s urban design critic. Email: jking@sfchronicle.com Twitter: @johnkingsfchron