Mayor Lurie Announces New Retail Pop-Ups to Continue San Francisco's Downtown Revitalization

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today announced the latest expansion of Vacant to Vibrant, a critical public-private partnership driving the revitalization of downtown San Francisco. Two new retail storefronts and four small businesses have signed long-term leases in formerly vacant properties—marking a major milestone in the effort to fill empty storefronts downtown support local entrepreneurs and reenergize San Francisco’s commercial core.

These new pop-ups bring the total number of Vacant to Vibrant storefronts to 21 since the program launched in 2023, with 26 more expected over the next year. The program, led by SF New Deal in partnership with the Mayor’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) is supported by significant philanthropic funding including $500,000 in new support from JPMorganChase.

“Every time a new business takes over a vacant space, it breathes new life into our commercial corridors,” said Mayor Lurie. “By breaking down barriers for small business owners, Vacant to Vibrant is fueling San Francisco’s comeback. I’m grateful to JPMorganChase for their generous support of this public-private partnership and their commitment to San Francisco’s future.”

The next Vacant to Vibrant pop-ups include:

• Al Pastor Papi, a beloved taco purveyor from founder and chef Miguel Escobedo, opening its first brick-and-mortar at 232 O’Farrell Street.
• Nooworks, a Mission-based women-owned fashion brand known for vibrant artist-designed prints, launching a downtown presence at 236 Powell Street.
• Craftivity, a Bay Area arts studio offering hands-on creative experiences, opening at 215 Fremont in the East Cut.

Additionally, four Vacant to Vibrant participants—Hungry Crumbs, Koolfi Creamery, Paper Son Cafe, and Studio Aurora—have signed long-term leases, joining seven other program graduates who’ve transitioned from pop-up to permanent downtown locations.

Mayor Lurie has made downtown revitalization a key focus of his administration, taking bold steps to cut red tape and keep the streets safe and clean. He introduced a permanent San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force to keep Union Square, the Moscone Convention Center, and Yerba Buena Gardens safe 365 days a year. In February, he launched PermitSF to streamline the city’s permitting system and help new small businesses open and proposed new state legislation to support nightlife by creating more liquor licenses for new bars and restaurants downtown.

He celebrated the expansion of San Francisco bakery b. Patisserie to Union Square, following its successful pop-up during NBA All-Star Weekend and the Chinese New Year Parade, which was also the safest on record. Downtown's comeback continues to gain momentum, with approximately nine new businesses opening in Yerba Buena this quarter and the anticipated arrivals John Varvatos, Zara, and Nintendo stores in Union Square.

With a multimillion-dollar investment from the City of San Francisco, Vacant to Vibrant aims to open a total of four to six storefronts in formerly vacant properties on and around Powell Street. Located at 220 O'Farrell Street, Taylor Jay, an Oakland-based, Black-woman-owned fashion brand, was the first pop-up to open this past winter. Local favorites Al Pastor Papi and Nooworks will join the neighborhood in early summer 2025.

“Union Square has always been a vibrant part of San Francisco, and I’m honored to bring Al Pastor Papi to this iconic neighborhood,” said Miguel Escobedo, Chef and Founder of Al Pastor Papi. “After taking time to focus on my health and family, I'm excited to share our beloved al pastor menu with the community once again. This pop-up represents a new chapter for us, and I can't wait to welcome both longtime fans and new customers to our O'Farrell Street location.”

Known for its vibrant, artist-designed textiles and size inclusivity, California-made garments, Nooworks brings playful, feel-good fashion to the heart of Union Square. As a brand, Nooworks champions creativity, sustainability, and community.

“Union Square is such an iconic part of the city, and we’re excited to bring our colorful and creative energy to a new corner of San Francisco,” said Jen D'Angelo, Founder of Nooworks. “We opened our first storefront in the Mission over a decade ago, and this pop-up is a chance for new folks to discover the art, color, and community that define Nooworks.”

Beyond Union Square, Vacant to Vibrant continues to expand with additional storefronts downtown. In the East Cut, newly selected pop-up activator Craftivity will open a new storefront in early summer as well. Craftivity is a hands-on arts and crafts studio specializing in unique team-building experiences and creative group events across the Bay Area. Craftivity offers joyful, customized workshops for groups of all sizes to help people reconnect through the power of creativity.

“We believe that creativity brings people together—and that’s exactly what we hope to spark in the heart of San Francisco. Opening our doors at 215 Fremont through Vacant to Vibrant allows us to share the joy of making with even more teams, friends, and curious minds across the city,” said Mary Lee, Founder and Chief Craftivist at Craftivity. “Whether you’re pouring concrete for a lamp, eco-dyeing with flowers, or creating texture art on canvas, Craftivity is here to help you reconnect, recharge, and rediscover the creative spark we all carry.”

“Vacant to Vibrant is a movement that proves small businesses are the heartbeat of a thriving city. By working hand in hand with local small businesses, property owners, and key partners like JPMorganChase, we are building a downtown that reflects the diverse and dynamic spirit of San Francisco,” said Simon Bertrang, Executive Director of SF New Deal. “These long-term leases downtown and new pop-ups in Union Square signal real momentum, showing that when we invest in small businesses, we invest in the future of our city.”

Made possible through a public-private partnership between SF New Deal, the Mayor’s Office, and OEWD, Vacant to Vibrant has recently expanded its work with JPMorganChase, which looks to further its commitment to small local businesses in San Francisco with philanthropic support of $500,000 for Vacant to Vibrant.

This impactful new funding from JPMorganChase ushers in a next chapter for the program as Vacant to Vibrant shifts to producing a steady stream of new pop-up activations every month and in an expanded set of downtown neighborhoods. JPMorganChase’s increased support follows their sponsorship of Vacant to Vibrant, along with presenting sponsor Wells Fargo and other key partners, including Visa and Gap.

“Small and mid-sized businesses are the backbone of the economy. Their success lends itself to stronger communities by creating new jobs, driving local economic growth, and offering residents more options and opportunities,” said Tony Tolentino, Vice President of Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase. “As one of the original sponsors of Vacant to Vibrant, we are proud to expand our support for SF New Deal as part of our commitment to revitalizing Downtown San Francisco. This expanded support will help accelerate pop-ups, strengthen local businesses, and bring new energy to the city’s downtown.”

Due to the program’s overwhelming success, and thanks to support from its many partners, Vacant to Vibrant continues to extend its reach across San Francisco, with plans to activate additional storefronts on a rolling basis over the next year. This program expansion will continue to include grant funding and technical assistance for small businesses, as well as support for participating property owners.

“People want to see our downtown not only come back, but see it come back better than ever,” said Sarah Dennis Phillips, Executive Director of the San Francisco Office of Economic and Workforce Development. “The new businesses sited by the city’s investment in Vacant to Vibrant are injecting new energy and excitement into downtown and are spurring on the next generation of retail by inspiring confidence in other businesses who want to take the plunge.”

With Vacant to Vibrant’s continued goal of securing long-term leases for these storefront pop-ups, four businesses from the program’s second cohort that opened last summer have signed multi-year lease agreements, joining seven other small businesses from the first cohort who also secured long-term leases.

New Downtown Pop-Ups

Al Pastor Papi (@alpastorpapi415)

• Location: 232 O'Farrell Street
• Business Owner: Miguel Escobedo
• Property Owner: The Roxborough Group and AWH Partners

Nooworks (@nooworks)

• Location: 236 Powell Street
• Business Owner: Jen D'Angelo
• Property Owner:  Sieroty Company

Craftivity (@sf_craftivity)

• Location: 215 Fremont, Suite 1
• Business Owner: Mary Lee
• Property Owner: Clarion Partners

New Long-Term Lease Signees

Hungry Crumbs (@hungrycrumbssf)

• Location: 215 Fremont Street, 5B
• Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 10:00 AM – 6:00 PM
• Property Owner: Clarion Partners
• Bio: Hungry Crumbs is a unique cookie concept that combines classic and contemporary flavors. The menu includes unique selections such as Ube Cookies and Baklava Dough Cookies, tailored to appeal to both traditionalists and adventurous eaters.

Koolfi Creamery (@koolficreamery)

• Location: 50 Fremont Street
• Hours of Operation: Monday – Friday, 12:00 PM – 6:00 PM
• Property Owner: Salesforce
• Bio: Koolfi Creamery creates Indian-inspired ice creams with fresh, local California Straus dairy. They are a queer and immigrant women-owned business that operates a shop in San Leandro and a pint wholesaling operation.

Paper Son Cafe (@papersoncoffee)

• Location: 303 2nd Street, N102
• Hours of Operation: Monday and Friday, 8:30 AM – 2:30 PM; Tuesday – Thursday, 8:00 AM – 2:00 PM
• Property Owners: Kilroy Realty
• Bio: Paper Son Coffee, named after their founder's family (and so many others in San Francisco) immigrated to the United States, serves locally roasted coffee—nailing the classic drinks and offering adventurous Asian American-inspired flavor profiles.

Studio Aurora (@studioaurora.sf)

• Location: 302 Valencia Street
• Hours of Operation: Tuesday – Thursday and Sunday, 11:00 AM – 5:00 PM; Friday – Saturday, 11:00 AM – 9:00 PM
• Bio: Studio Aurora, the newest sister restaurant to the Potrero staple Alimentari Aurora, is a petite deli with a curious kitchen. Their menu is unpredictable and erratic by design, humbly priced, and with international flavors.
• Note: Studio Aurora from local restaurateur Dario Barbone follows his initial pop-up storefront downtown that has since relocated to Mission Street. OEWD and SF New Deal provided technical assistance with the signing of a new long-term lease.

More information on Vacant to Vibrant, including updates on upcoming storefront openings, is available at vibrantsf.org.