VACANT TO VIBRANT ANNOUNCES OPENING SCHEDULE FOR
FORMERLY-VACANT STOREFRONTS IN DOWNTOWN SAN FRANCISCO
17 POP-UP ACTIVATIONS OPENING DOORS TO THE PUBLIC
WITH SPECIAL GRAND OPENING EVENTS ON OCTOBER 5-6
Soft Opening Period Has Begun As Local Awardees Start To Open Doors Downtown
Grand Opening Events Schedule Available Online At VibrantSF.org
San Francisco, CA – Local nonprofit SF New Deal announced today the grand opening schedule for the first cohort of pop-up activations in the inaugural Vacant to Vibrant program, a partnership with Mayor London N. Breed and the City of San Francisco’s Office of Economic Workforce and Development (OEWD) along with support from presenting sponsor Wells Fargo.
Beginning the week of October 2, all nine Vacant to Vibrant storefront locations featuring 17 unique pop-ups will be open for business in San Francisco’s Financial District. Participants include local independently-owned businesses, nonprofit organizations, artists, designers, restaurateurs, and other merchants, each of whom is set to activate within previously vacant ground floor properties while shining a light on the incredible entrepreneurial spirit of San Francisco.
To celebrate the milestone, the City will host a press conference to officially launch the cohort next week, and pop-up activators have planned grand opening celebrations throughout the week. See below for the schedule of the grand opening events. More details are available online at www.VibrantSF.org:
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 5
Rosalind Bakery’s Opening Celebration
Host: Rosalind Bakery (bakery)
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 4504
About: Complimentary morning snacks or an afternoon pick up including bread, pastries, and coffee.
KALW’s Opening Night Celebration & Art Show
Host: KALW-FM 91.7 (radio station), Creativity Explored (art nonprofit), Bee Betwee (artist)
Time: 5:00 - 9:00 PM
Location: 220 Montgomery Street, Suite 100
About: Open house-style happy hour beginning at 5:00 p.m. in the gallery space, followed by a town hall-style conversation about the state of downtown San Francisco. At 8:00 p.m., KALW DJs will take over, laying the soundtrack for the opening night celebration.
Sucka Flea Night Market with Luminous Waveforms
Host: Sucka Flea (retail shop) and Victoria Heilweil & Phil Spitler
Time: 6:00 - 10:00 p.m.
Location: 332 Pine Street
About: A night market featuring DJs, vendors, and illuminated art. Sounds by Sazon Libre, Sheesh Records, and Special Guests. Featuring local artists, makers, and community organizations.
FRIDAY, OCTOBER 6
Whack Donuts! & York Street Cafe’s Opening Celebration
Hosts: Whack Donuts! (bakery) & York Street Cafe (cafe)
Time: 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 4507
About: Drink specials and donut flavors are available for one day only! The first 25 customers will receive a free sticker along with a purchase of a donut or drink.
Yonder’s Opening Celebration
Host: Yonder (retail shop)
Time: 4:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: 151 Jackson Street
About: Gallery-style: wine, snacks, and giveaways.
Teranga’s Opening Celebration
Host: Teranga (restaurant)
Time: 4:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Location: Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 4104
About: Small bites and samples of the African Super Food to be served, while supplies last.
Relish: SF Bay Area (Reunion) & Art Show
Host: GCS Agency (multi-media agency)
Time: 6:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: 201 Jackson Street
About: Bringing together original artists from the 2017 edition of “Relish: SF Bay Area” alongside new special guest artists to showcase their latest works. Celebrating artistic growth and community, this event reconnects artists and art enthusiasts in a dynamic exhibition of evolution and inspiration. RSVP requested at VibrantSF.org
Devil's Teeth’s Opening Celebration & Drag Show
Host: Devil’s Teeth (bakery)
Time: 7:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Location: One Embarcadero Center, Suite 1113
About: A pastry-themed drag show!
Holy Stitch!’s Opening Celebration
Host: Holy Stitch! (apparel education)
Time: 7:30 - 10:30 p.m.
Location: 100 California Street, Suite 140
About: Holy Stitch!’s Factory Fellowship officially opens its Factory and School doors to the public and presents its programming of classes, workshops, seminars, events, and panels, alongside some new creations. All proceeds help subsidize the 501(c)(3) nonprofit and its students in need.
In preparation for these grand opening festivities, several activators have begun opening their doors to the public as part of the first cohort’s soft opening period.
With soft openings taking place on a rolling basis, the most up-to-date information about hours of operation during the soft launch period is available through each pop-up’s own social media channels. Regular operating hours for pop-ups beginning the week of October 2 will be available online at VibrantSF.org.
“Small businesses, artists, and culture organizations are key to the future of San Francisco’s Downtown. These 17 pop-up activators represent the energy and enthusiasm that was sparked this spring when over 1,000 people from across our city and the entire region raised their hands to offer up their ideas and passion to envision what Downtown can be. We invite everyone to come Downtown and be a part of San Francisco’s economic recovery. Together, we can build a foundation for the future of Downtown,” said Simon Bertrang, Executive Director of SF New Deal.
"We're immensely grateful to be recipients of a Vacant to Vibrant grant and are so proud of San Francisco's efforts to empower small businesses like ours. Visitors can expect lively and elevated experiences, featuring exhibitions like Art & Interiors, which fuses art with curated furniture. It's not just a gallery - it's a dynamic, immersive haven for art lovers and design enthusiasts alike," said cofounder Victor Gonzalez of GCS Agency.
"The Yonder Shop family of makers is thrilled to be part of a great group of local businesses participating in the Vacant to Vibrant program that we hope will help energize SF’s economic core downtown. The new Yonder pop-up offers a specialized retail experience showcasing local goods and artists, home decor, and unique gifts, as well as workshops and special events happening throughout the holiday season. Please come stop by and make sure to shop local," said owner Linda Fahey of Yonder.
“I am so excited to be part of the Vacant to Vibrant movement within our great city. Through the ups and downs, San Francisco has always been there for me. I am thrilled and honored for the opportunity to be part of the rebirth of this beautiful community while offering residents organic Senegalese street-style cuisine," said Nafy Flately, founder of Teranga.
SF New Deal and OEWD first launched Vacant to Vibrant in April. Since opening the application, the program has received over 1,000 submissions from prospective activators and interested property owners.
A component of the Mayor’s Roadmap to San Francisco’s Future, Vacant to Vibrant is designed to help small businesses, entrepreneurs, artists, and cultural organizations collaborate with property owners Downtown to bring temporary pop-up activations to life. Each pop-up will span three months and include the potential for a multi-month lease extension.
Following launch week, additional pop-up activation events will continue to be scheduled and shared on VibrantSF.org as well as pop-up activator’s social media accounts and on Vacant to Vibrant’s social media channels.
Visit www.VibrantSF.org or call (415) 480-1185 to learn more, while following along on Instagram at @VacantToVibrant.
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