Program To Fill Downtown Business Vacancies Announces First Cohort

SAN FRANCISCO — A program to fill vacant storefronts in downtown San Francisco by helping local businesses, entrepreneurs and artists open pop-up shops announced its first cohort Thursday, Aug. 24.

The Vacant to Vibrant program assists with the logistics needed to open a shop, including technical assistance with permits. It also provides financial support, with up to $8,000 in grant funding given to each business.

There are 17 businesses participating in the first cohort, which range from individual artists to a radio station and a bakery. The businesses were selected from a pool of over 850 applicants and were chosen by an advisory committee of local business owners, artists and community-based organizations.

Property owners, which were chosen out of 80 applicants across the Financial District, made the final call for which businesses would be included to occupy their spaces.

All of the businesses will operate their storefronts for three months this fall, with nine potentially extending their lease at the end of this period.

The Vacant to Vibrant program is a component of Mayor London Breed's Roadmap to San Francisco's Future, which is a plan to revitalize the city's downtown. The program has also allocated funds to hire more police officers, extend tax relief to certain businesses, and bolster public transportation.

The businesses participating in the program and their addresses are:

• Bee Between (artist): hosted by The Swig Co. at 220 Montgomery St., Suite 100
• BRUJAS (skate collective/streetwear apparel brand): hosted by The Gateway at 201 Jackson St.
• Creativity Explored (art nonprofit): hosted by The Swig Co. at 220 Montgomery St., Suite 100
• Devil's Teeth Bakery (bakery): hosted by BXP at One Embarcadero Center, Suite R1113
• Holy Stitch! (apparel education): hosted by Pembroke at 100 California St., Suite 140
• GCS Agency (multi-media agency): hosted by The Gateway at 201 Jackson St.
• KALW-FM 91.7 FM (radio station): hosted by The Swig Co. at 220 Montgomery St., Suite 100
• The Mellow (performance venue /plant store): hosted by Lincoln Properties at 332 Pine St.
• Nature's Keeper (outdoor apparel/brand): hosted by Pembroke at 100 California St., Suite 140
• Risa Iwasaki Culbertson (artist): hosted by The Gateway at 151 Jackson St.
• Rosalind Bakery (bakery): hosted by BXP at Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 4054
• Sucka Flea (retail shop): hosted by Lincoln Properties at 332 Pine St.
• Teranga (restaurant): hosted by BXP at Four Embarcadero Center, Suite R4104
• Victoria Heilweil & Phil Spitler (artists): hosted by Lincoln Properties at 332 Pine St.
• Whack Donuts (bakery): hosted by BXP at Four Embarcadero Center, Suite 4507
• Yonder (retail shop): hosted by The Gateway at 151 Jackson St.

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