See lavish S.F. home once owned by Hills Bros. Coffee scion for sale for $13 million
The former home of Hills Bros. Coffee scion Herbert Gray Hills in San Francisco — a lavish French Eclectic-style residence with stunning views of the Golden Gate Bridge — is for sale for $12.9 million.
“The timeless spell of a fairytale château envelops this idyllic mansion, set on a showcase corner in Presidio Heights,” according to the official property listing. “Sequestered between one of the world’s most famous outdoor expanses and one of its most iconic cities, this quintessentially private world is San Francisco at its most elegant and welcoming.”
Located at 3498 Jackson St., the five-bedroom, eight-bath home spanning 6,385 square feet was designed by renowned San Francisco architect F. Frederic Amandes in 1937. The mansion is filled with classic-age features, such as a superb floor plan with an elevator, two third-level balconies and a rooftop deck and an private ground-level garden screened by hedges and shaded by trees. The interior has been updated to match seamlessly with period details “creating a perfect melding of contemporary lifestyle and timeless elegance,” according to the listing.
Here’s a breakdown of the estate by floor level:
Main Level: There’s an entry hall, living room spanning the back of the home with a fireplace, a library, powder room, coat closet, formal dining room with hand-painted wallpaper, a kitchen with eating area and island and additional room for a full bath.
Second level: A primary bedroom suite spans the back of the home with dressing room, two bathrooms, sitting room/office and two additional ensuite bedrooms.
Third level: A library/entertaining room with fireplace and full bath, a bedroom, kitchenette and partially covered rooftop terrace are found here.
Lower level: Below are utility rooms, gym, walk-in safe, laundry. butler’s quarters, three- or four-car garage, access to the private garden.
Hills Bros. is one of San Francisco’s most iconic food brands, along with Ghirardelli and Rice-A-Roni. The city now is known for other coffee brands, as well, such as the hugely popular Blue Bottle label.
In 1878, Austin and Reuben Hills started the coffee business in a stall at Bay City Market, where the United Nations Plaza now stands. The company was one of several coffee giants, including Folger’s and MJB, founded in San Francisco.
In 1926, the Hills brothers moved their business to the Embarcadero, where the brick plant with the large tower was designed by George Kelham.
A member of the famous coffee family, Herbert Gray Hills lived at the Jackson Street home from at least 1947 until his death in 1964, according to historical research included in the marketing materials for the house. He shared the house with his wife Winifred, a well-known Bay Area socialite, until her death in 1958.
Born in Oakland, he joined the coffee company in 1913 and was involved until his retirement about 50 years later, in 1962. He “became heavily involved in the critical area of marketing,” according to the historical summary. “This was to remain his specialty and his efforts helped turn the small coffee enterprise into a worldwide empire.”
Karen Mendelsohn Gould of Compass is the listing agent for the home.
“With the success of the brand, the Hills family was able to acquire this beauty for their family with insane views of the Golden Gate bridge,” a Compass representative said in an email.
The Straus family lived in the home for 40 years before recently deciding to sell, according to a Compass representative.
This story was originally published September 13, 2021 at 11:42 AM.
