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San Francisco Examiner
New tenants coming to troubled Emporium Centre San Francisco
By Craig Lee/The ExaminerPatrick_Hoge,
2024-06-13
The Dome inside the Emporium San Francisco Centre, formerly owned by Westfield in San Francisco on Friday, July 28, 2023. Craig Lee/The Examiner
Seven new tenants have signed leases in the troubled Emporium Centre San Francisco, the giant downtown mall announced Thursday, including a city-backed program that gets young people paid internships, a company that provides local sidewalk-cleaning services, and several retailers.
Opportunities for All — which has placed thousands of people between the ages of 13 and 24 in paid jobs, training and mentorship opportunities — leased 17,000 square feet of office space on the fourth level, a spot that showcases the mall’s historic dome and rotunda, according to a mall press release.
The program has received millions of dollars from The City and the state, as well as support from nonprofits and corporate sponsors.
“I look forward to OFA participants experiencing this historic space and having an opportunity to develop work skills and begin their career exploration in the heart of The City, where innovation, creativity and resilience reside,” Davis said.
Also taking space was Block by Block, the service provider to the nonprofit Yerba Buena Community Benefit District, the business-improvement district to the south of Market Street that includes part of the mall. Block by Block will use its new quarters to coordinate its community guides and its clean team, which steam-washes sidewalks, collects litter and removes graffiti, among other services.
Other leases include A&S Cell Accessories and Repairs and Hey Hi Toys — both of which have already opened — and Paw Box, a new vending-machine pilot project that dispenses treats for pets.
+Friends, a “vintage concept” featuring reworked and sustainably made products, and Merkado, a purveyor of “kawaii-inspired” — the term means “cute” in Japanese — products, are set to debut in July.
Lane Wade, the mall’s general manager, said that he expects to announce additional tenants in the near future.
“We’re seeing a momentum shift downtown with increasing interest in locating here and we’re excited about adding this diverse group of new tenants that will drive additional foot traffic to the centre,” Wade said.
Sarah Dennis Phillips, executive director of The City’s Office of Economic and Workforce Development, said the mall managers’ coordination with the Office of Small Business “is part of its re-envisioning of the iconic mall as a place for small businesses to get a foothold and to flourish.”
“For too long, many small business owners were priced out of downtown spaces,” Phillips said.
Multiple retailers, including anchor tenant Nordstrom, have left the mall, but anchor tenant Bloomingdale’s and numerous other retailers remain.
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