Mayor Lurie Delivers on Heart of the City Commitment, Celebrates New Vacant to Vibrant Storefronts Opening Downtown

SAN FRANCISCO – Mayor Daniel Lurie today announced a new round of small businesses and pop-ups opening downtown as part of his Heart of the City plan. In his executive directive, the mayor outlined a goal of opening at least five new storefronts in the city’s commercial core in the plan’s first 100 days as part of the Vacant to Vibrant program. Building on the successful launch of Dandelion Chocolate earlier this month, the new storefronts will open in Union Square and the Financial District. 
The latest wave of openings marks another milestone in Mayor Lurie’s efforts to drive San Francisco’s economic recovery. In September, the mayor unveiled his “Heart of the City” plan, which has now raised more than $50 million to create a downtown where people live, work, play, and learn. Early in his administration, the mayor launched the San Francisco Police Department Hospitality Zone Task Force to revitalize critical commercial districts and improve public safety. Crime is down more than 40% in Union Square and the Financial District, more downtown office space is being leased, and workers are returning to the office more quickly in San Francisco than in any other major city.
“Through our Heart of the City plan, our administration is accelerating San Francisco’s downtown recovery by supporting small businesses, prioritizing safe and clean streets, and activating our public spaces,” said Mayor Lurie. “Now, we're delivering on our promise, and I'm thrilled to see these new Vacant to Vibrant storefronts opening up downtown—drawing residents and visitors back to our downtown and bringing life back to our city.” 
Vacant to Vibrant openings include: 

• TIAT (The Intersection of Art and Technology), an arts and technology space at 151 Powell Street that will host its grand opening celebration on Friday, November 7
• The Wild Fox, a new café concept from the acclaimed Bay Area-based SPRO Coffee Lab team debuting Wednesday, November 12 in the Financial District at 123 Battery Street
• Dandelion Chocolate, the Mission-based chocolate-maker, exceeded its monthly sales projections within a few days of opening its new location at 167 Powell Street 

Coming soon: 

• Off the Grid will transform a vacant Union Square storefront at 111 Powell Street into its first-ever brick-and-mortar pop-up, a festive holiday market later this month, that brings together food, art, and music to create an immersive community experience 
• Fibers of Being, a San Francisco clothing store expanding to its second location with a Vacant to Vibrant pop-up at 645 Market Street 

“This latest batch of Vacant to Vibrant openings will highlight our city's most creative entrepreneurs while bringing new energy and foot traffic to our downtown streets,” said District 3 Supervisor Danny Sauter. “I can't wait to see how these new openings make their mark on San Francisco, especially as we head into the holiday shopping season!” 
By mid-November, Vacant to Vibrant, a partnership between the Office of Economic and Workforce Development (OEWD) and nonprofit SF New Deal, will have activated 26 storefronts across downtown San Francisco since the program launched in 2023, transforming empty storefronts into thriving local businesses and cultural destinations. More than half of the eligible storefront pop-ups have since signed long-term leases. This year alone, Union Square has welcomed 17 new storefronts including Vacant to Vibrant locations. 
“Mayor Lurie’s commitment to restoring Union Square as a world-class shopping destination is delivering results,” said Anne Taupier, OEWD Executive Director. “The Vacant to Vibrant program is giving homegrown businesses the opportunity to shine and activate Union Square in new ways. With these new openings, we are starting out the holiday season strong, as Union Square comes alive with quintessential winter events, the ice rink, and, new this year, holiday craftmaking hosted by Biederman Redevelopment Ventures.” 
“Each new storefront represents another step toward a more connected, creative, and resilient downtown,” said Simon Bertrang, Executive Director of SF New Deal. “Small businesses like The Wild Fox by SPRO and Off the Grid bring the kind of energy and imagination that make San Francisco’s neighborhoods great. Vacant to Vibrant gives them the space to make that happen, and we’re excited to see this program continue to drive the vision for a new downtown.”
Earlier this year, the city welcomed Craftivity, Al Pastor Papi, Taylor Jay, and Nooworks—each contributing to the growing momentum happening downtown in Union Square and the Financial District. 
“Union Square has long been a place where people come together, and TIAT is honored to contribute to its next chapter,” said Ash Herr, TIAT Founder. “This space will allow us to keep experimenting and building community at the intersection of art and technology.”
“Finally opening in downtown San Francisco feels like a dream coming full circle. The Wild Fox has always been about sparking moments of curiosity and comfort, and there’s no better place to share that than right in the heart of the city,” said Liza Otanes and Rich Lee, Co-Owners of The Wild Fox. “None of this would be possible without the incredible support and enthusiasm we’ve felt—from our guests and fans to the Vacant to Vibrant team and the Mayor’s Office. It’s inspiring to see so many people fighting every day to make San Francisco the best city in the world. To be part of that movement, and to add our own small spark with The Wild Fox, is something truly special.”  
“Expanding into downtown with Vacant to Vibrant is a powerful moment for Fibers of Being. Our mission has always been to create a welcoming, expressive space for all people through fashion, and bringing that vision to Market Street means showing up with pride in the heart of the city,” said Elizabeth Stewart, Founder of Fibers of Being. “We’re grateful to be part of a movement that’s redefining what San Francisco looks and feels like, one storefront at a time.”
“Off the Grid has had the privilege to work around Union Square over many holiday seasons in the past. We’re thrilled to return with something entirely new for our first pop-up,” said Matt Cohen, Founder of Off the Grid. “This 30,000-square-foot brick-and-mortar space gives us an exciting opportunity to experiment by blending experiential art with music, design, and, of course, food. We see Union Square as the next evolution of Off the Grid: immersive, art-driven, shared spaces that reimagine what vibrant community look like in the heart of San Francisco.”