San Francisco’s Holiday Season Shows Positive Signals

SAN FRANCISCO, CA, November 09, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — While you may have heard about the doom loop and the supposed decline of San Francisco, it’s important to remember that those one-sided news stories often miss the bigger picture. San Francisco offers residents and visitors a wealth of activities, attractions, and enjoyable experiences. Recent events, such as Dreamforce and the upcoming APEC Summit, have brought a surge of visitors to the city. Along with increasing tourist numbers, these events have injected a boost of vitality and revenue into the city. We interviewed representatives from three diverse industries to discuss the impact of their presence in downtown San Francisco.

One organization working to better the business outlook in the city is “Vacant to Vibrant,” a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization. Its mission is to facilitate the partnerships between small businesses and local property owners, and the city itself, resulting in temporary pop-up shops in the downtown area. According to the organization’s website, they help to manage the business permit process, and provide partial funding, which relieves business owners of the administrative burdens so they can focus on running their businesses. This initiative was launched to address the challenge of empty storefronts resulting from the pandemic, the rise of remote work, and concerns about homelessness, all of which deterred shoppers from the downtown area. To date, the program has successfully established more than 15 pop-up shops in the city.

David Velasco, one of the owners of The Mellow SF, shared his thoughts on participating in the program, stating, “We chose to join the Vacant to Vibrant pilot program to contribute to the city’s vibrancy, as we’ve been residents for over twelve years.” Their pop-up shop, located at 330 Pine Street, is set to operate for at least six months. The Mellow SF offers a range of weekly evening events, including floral design, houseplant care and repotting, and wreath-making classes. Their online store, https://TheMellowSF.com, features an assortment of plants, pots, home decor items, and gifts. Velasco also emphasized the value of supporting small businesses, considering it a sound investment, and expressed appreciation for the services provided by the program.

We also talked with Matthew Kosoy, owner of Rosalind Bakery (@RosalindBakery), which is another participant in the program. Kosoy expressed his enthusiasm, saying “We are delighted to be part of the effort to revitalize downtown SF. This is truly a unique opportunity.” Rosalind Bakery’s pop-up is located at Four Embarcadero Center, #4504, on Sacramento Street. Kosoy’s background was in web development before he discovered his passion for bread baking. What began as a home-based venture has now evolved into a business known for producing some of the best sourdough bread in the Bay Area. Kosoy acknowledged that the Vacant to Vibrant program provided valuable support, including a cash grant, expedited permitting, advertising, and reduced rent at their pop-up location.

San Francisco is renowned for its diverse entertainment options which also complement downtown businesses. We had the opportunity to speak with Roger Pincombe, the Executive Director, of The Great Star Theater ( https://GreatStarTheater.org ). This week, John C. Reilly, celebrated for his roles in Step Brothers, The Guardians of the Galaxy, and Chicago, is set to bring his “Mister Romantic” show to the theater with performances on November 10th and 11th. The Dark Kabaret show features a mix of magic, comedy, music, and erotic entertainment will grace the stage on November 17, 18, 24, and 25. Other upcoming shows include The Beatles White Album 55th Anniversary Live show featuring a 30-piece rock orchestra is set for November 19th. Looking ahead to 2024, the theater will host an SF Sketchfest performance in January. The theater is located in the heart of historic Chinatown at 636 Jackson Street.

The holiday season offers an abundance of options, and it will be fascinating to observe whether crowds will explore the amazing pop-up shops and check out a performance at a local theater. With the much-anticipated APEC Summit, San Francisco is about to welcome more than 20,000 visitors, potentially resulting in a substantial economic impact of up to $50 million. As these visitors and holiday shoppers arrive in San Francisco they will find a wide array of options for their shopping and entertainment budgets.

Jim Burkhart is the Executive Director of FutureCommPR. Emma Stevenson is the Social Media Specialist. Headquartered in San Francisco and New York, FutureCommPR provides PR services with a focus on small businesses and startups.

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