More empty storefronts in San Francisco’s downtown area will soon be filled as part of the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program, city officials announced Monday.
The program, launched in 2023 by former Mayor London Breed, is a public-private partnership awarding grants to small businesses to temporarily lease vacant spaces for at least three months, usually in the downtown area, to reinvigorate the city’s economy. JPMorgan Chase committed $500,000 to the program, the Mayor’s Office said.
“Every time a new business takes over a vacant space, it breathes new life into our commercial corridors,” Mayor Daniel Lurie said in a statement. “By breaking barriers for small business owners, Vacant to Vibrant is fueling San Francisco’s comeback.”
The next cohort of businesses opening soon includes:
— Al Pastor Papi, 232 O’Farrell Street
— Nooworks, 236 Powell Street
— Craftivity, 215 Fremont Street
Miguel Escabedo, chef and founder of Al Pastor Papi, closed up his pink food truck in January after operating throughout the city since 2018, including in front of City Hall and at Mission Bay’s Spark Social. He said he was honored to bring Al Pastor Papi to Union Square.
“I’m excited to share our beloved al pastor menu with the community once again,” Escabedo said in a statement. “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.”
Nooworks, a woman-owned fashion clothing company with unique textiles operating in the Mission, will also have a pop-up shop near Union Square. Jen D’Angelgo, founder of Noowork, said in a statement, “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.”
Creativity, a hands-on arts and crafts studio, is opening in the East Cut neighborhood.
The Mayor’s Office also announced several earlier grant recipients from the Vacant to Vibrant Program, which have extended leases at their current locations. These businesses include Paper Son Coffee, Koolfi Creamery, Hungry Crumbs, and Studio Aurora.
Additionally, many pop-up shops from the first cohort of grant winners are still in operation today, such as Devil’s Teeth Bakery and Whack Donuts. Dozens more pop-ups are expected to open later this year.