The GrowSF Report: As Bloomingdale’s exits, new retailers move into the spotlight
PLUS: Who’s painting San Francisco’s curbs red?
What You Need To Know
Here’s what happened around the city for the week of January 19th, 2024:
- As Bloomingdale’s exits, new retailers move into the spotlight
- Who’s painting San Francisco’s curbs red?
- Lurie tackles SF’s budget deficit with $1B spending cuts
- Hip-hop label buys historic 1 Montgomery building for $25 million
Recent & upcoming openings:
- Rusty Ladle brings seasonal soups to the Outer Sunset
As Bloomingdale’s exits, new retailers move into the spotlight
It’s easy to notice when a store closes, especially a big one like the Bloomingdale’s in the Westfield Mall, which will close by spring.
But you may have missed these big announcements in the brick-and-mortar scene:
Grocery Outlet is set to open a 30,000-square-foot store at 320 Bay Street, filling the void left by Safeway's closure in the Northpoint Shopping Center near Fisherman's Wharf.
Nintendo announced plans to launch a flagship store in Union Square by this year. This two-story, 10,000-square-foot store will be only the company's second retail location in the U.S.
We saw two luxury watch shops open in Union Square this past August: Rolex and Patek Philippe, signaling an earlier suggestion that our storied downtown luxury retail spaces aren’t dying, just transforming.
There’s ongoing amazing energy across the city at Stonestown Galleria, where we’ve seen the recent opening of Round1 Bowling & Arcade. Occupying the former Nordstrom, this 50,000-square-foot space includes 12 bowling lanes, a selection of arcade games, karaoke rooms, billiards, and a dedicated bar area.
We’re far from finished when it comes to reinvention in retail, and we’re looking forward to what 2025 brings us. “We have historic challenges, and I am not suggesting that we're going to fix things overnight,” Mayor Daniel Lurie told The Chronicle this week about our retail landscape. “What the world and the country needs to know is … San Francisco is open for business.”
Who’s painting San Francisco’s curbs red?
If you’ve recently spotted a red curb in San Francisco that looks a little off, you’re not alone. Reddit spotted this DIY one on a long strip of Balboa Street near 18th Avenue — complete with a stenciled SFMTA logo. Then more of them appeared.
It turns out that SFMTA didn’t paint them! Instead, local activists have taken it upon themselves to notify drivers of the new “daylighting” law: as of January 1st, it’s illegal to park within 20 feet of a crosswalk. SFMTA has stated that they won’t be painting the curbs even though they’ll be writing tickets starting on March 1st.
You could argue that by not painting the curbs red to warn drivers, SFMTA is trying to maximize their ticket revenue. So, in a sense, the rogue activists are actually doing drivers a favor by warning them that they’ll get a ticket if they park in these zones.
Lurie tackles SF’s budget deficit with $1B spending cuts
In his first meeting with department heads this month, Mayor Lurie discussed plans to slash $1 billion in overspending over the next three years in order to tackle San Francisco’s $876 million budget deficit.
He wants to identify and eliminate underperforming programs while keeping core services that San Franciscans rely on daily. Any new contracts that haven’t been signed or implemented may also go on ice.
“The era of one-time or Band-Aid solutions is over,” Lurie said, according to The Standard, which linked the comment to one-time funding supplements that former Mayor London Breed used. Lurie also ordered a hiring freeze across all departments.
Hip-hop label buys historic 1 Montgomery building for $25 million
Local record label Empire — known for releasing music by stars like Kendrick Lamar and Anderson .Paak — is the new owner of 1 Montgomery Street, a historic landmark building that’s been empty since 2019. The 1908 building was last occupied by Wells Fargo, and Empire bought it for a reported $25 million.
Empire already has its headquarters a few blocks away on Pine Street, and we don’t yet know its plans for 1 Montgomery.
In other music news, Noise Pop founder Jordan Kurland bought San Francisco’s oldest house for a new headquarters just last year, with plans for a $20 million “Music City” project on Lower Polk.
Your Action Plan
Now that you know what’s happening, help us shape what happens next:
Rally to support Mayor Lurie’s fentanyl state of emergency legislation
JOIN US this Wednesday, January 29th at 9:15 AM on the steps of City Hall as hundreds rally in support of legislation to authorize a fentanyl state of emergency. The emergency authorization is backed by Mayor Lurie and sponsored Supervisors Dorsey, Engardio, Sherrill, Mahmood, and Sauter.
Since 2019, over 4,000 lives have been lost to overdose deaths on our streets. On Wednesday, the San Francisco Board of Supervisors’ budget committee will consider the Mayor’s effort to treat this like the emergency it is. Following the rally, we will enter City Hall to testify in support of the legislation.
WHEN: Wednesday, January 29th at 9:15 AM
WHERE: The front steps of city hall
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Recent & upcoming openings
A great city is constantly changing and growing, let’s celebrate what’s new!
Rusty Ladle brings seasonal soups to the Outer Sunset
Rusty Ladle, a new soup-focused restaurant, has opened in San Francisco’s Outer Sunset neighborhood. Located between Andytown Coffee Roasters and the Great Highway Gallery, the 700-square-foot space serves a rotating selection of seasonal soups like kabocha squash and miso with ginger scallion, alongside Bodega Bay clam chowder and vegan tomato soup. Owner John Lindsey, who previously worked at Zuni Café and other notable establishments, took a hands-on approach to the restaurant’s development. The restaurant officially opened in mid-December and also offers beers on tap and a curated wine selection.
WHERE: 3649 Lawton St, San Francisco, CA 94122
The Spirit of San Francisco
There’s a lot to love about our city and the Bay Area. Here’s what makes it great. Brought to you by The Bold Italic.
What we’re doing this week
Cupid’s Undie Run
It’s that time of year again—when hundreds of San Franciscans throw dignity to the wind, strip down to their skivvies, and jog a mile (give or take) for charity. Cupid’s Undie Run hits the streets on February 1, 2025, starting and ending at Woodbury Bar & Gastropub. It’s part bar crawl, part awkward group workout, and entirely ridiculous, all in the name of raising money for the Children’s Tumor Foundation.
When: February 1, 2025, 12 PM – 4 PM
Where: Woodbury Bar & Gastropub, 685 3rd Street, San Francisco
SF Sketchfest
SF Sketchfest is back for its 22nd year, with a lineup that includes a live read of "Airplane!" celebrating its 45th anniversary, a conversation with Albert Brooks hosted by Kevin Pollak, and performances by Bill Murray and His Blood Brothers. There are more than 180 shows spanning stand-up, improv, and live podcasts.
When: January 16 – February 2, 2025
Where: Multiple venues throughout San Francisco, including Club Fugazi, Cobb's Comedy Club, and the Great American Music Hall
Chinese Flower Market Fair
The Chinese New Year Flower Market Fair is held on the weekend before Chinese New Year Day. The Flower Fair is the place to come to purchase fresh flowers, fruits, candies and brand new supplies for the home to begin the new lunar year. Delight in performances of traditional Chinese magicians, acrobats, folk dancers and opera as you take in the beautiful fragrances of spring. You will find over 120 booths and concessions making this a shopper’s paradise.
When: Jan. 25 & 26th, 2025
Where: Grant Avenue between Clay to Broadway
What we’re writing about
The sci-fi foam party you didn’t know you needed
If a foam party and a dystopian experiment had a bizarre love child, it might look like Self-Brainwashing. Bulgarian artist Michail Michailov crafted a performance that’s as clever as it is chaotic. For a second, it looked like a 90s foam party. Smiles spread across the faces of the participants as they reached for the foam, their hands catching the bubbles like they were at a giant, magical, carnival.
From Tartine to ‘It’s-It’ — these sweet icons define San Francisco dessert
San Francisco may be known for its fog, cable cars, and sky-high rents, but let’s not forget the sugary delights that keep us coming back for more. From Instagrammable pastries to desserts so pretentious they practically deserve a Michelin star, here’s a bite-sized tour of the city’s most iconic treats.
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